Why limiting your business marketing to just one medium is a flawed strategy.
Because every business is different, the marketing requirements of each vary, depending on their size, location and marketplace. Some are large, some are small, some are sole traders and others fit somewhere in between. So why on earth would one form of marketing fit all?
In this digital age the bias is heavily towards online marketing. With all of the hype and pressure from corporate giants to get advertisers to hand over their money, you begin to believe that the only way is Google. Don’t get me wrong, Google is vital and a revolutionary tool and should be part of everyone’s marketing mix. But there’s the key word – MIX!
So, is limiting your marketing to only one medium, just because everyone is using it, sensible for your business?
Digital marketing is becoming more and more competitive, more complex and getting noticed is much more difficult in a noisy marketplace. Because of it’s huge popularity the fees are increasing, putting effective digital campaigns beyond the reach of many sole traders and small to medium size businesses, who are potentially risking hundreds of pounds a month for ZERO return.
Getting to the top in searches is either very slow if you’re using the organic route or very expensive if you’re relying on SEO or Adwords to get you to page one. Remember people very rarely look at page two. This is why you should always back your online efforts up with tried and tested offline activity to direct customers to your website.
Eggs and Baskets.
It has always been the case in advertising that a business should never rely on just one means of speaking to their potential customers. It’s a matter of the more irons in the fire, the better. Creating opportunities is key to getting noticed and generating business. Remember what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket.
Don’t Ignore Paper Based Marketing.
For small local businesses, professionally designed flyers, leaflets, and posters are great way of bringing in customers. Leaflets and other paper based advertising make the potential customer aware of what is right on their doorstep and lends your company a personal, caring and approachable feel, something which is refreshing in a fast paced technological age.
Larger organisations also benefit from well produced paper based advertising. Customers are human beings, and humans are tactile creatures. They like having something solid to hold, rather than reading on a screen or being bombarded by unsolicited emails.
Brochures for example, when well written and designed are especially beneficial because they cover much of what your business offers. They are a visual cue that helps customers understand what you do and keeps you front of mind. Paper marketing is effective, and seamlessly reinforces your online activity by driving customers to your website – without you having to pay for someone else to point them there.
Don’t be Overlooked.
Along with other online mediums, web banners are now a popular form of web advertising. However, recent research shows that many customers are now experiencing ‘banner blindness’. People are so used to seeing and being overwhelmed by web banners, or ‘ad clutter’, that they now just block them out. This means advertising in this way is less effective because customers simply don’t see it!
This is also the case with email marketing. Potential customers receive so many ‘junk’ emails, that they are no longer read, just instantly deleted. You know yourself that this is true, because you do it and so does everyone else. It only goes to prove how important paper based marketing is in a well executed and successful marketing plan.
So spread your promotional activity over a number of different areas and reap the rewards of a more diverse marketing strategy.