Is traditional marketing part of your marketing mix? Do you think that non-digital marketing doesn’t work any more? Think again – many traditional marketing strategies still work really well, if implemented correctly, and sometimes even better. Check out these traditional marketing strategies that continue to perform well in the digital age – in particular for service-based businesses. 

Word of Mouth 

Get people talking about your business! Recommendations and personal referrals are some of the most trusted methods for people to find new products or services, especially in their local area.  

Build on trust and loyalty by asking your customers or clients to share their experiences. And share and highlighting good reviews and testimonials via your website and social media. For retail stores, have a QR code or sign at checkout asking people to leave feedback. You can also offer discount codes or giveaways for repeat customers who leave a review. 

Or ask clients to ‘refer’ your business to family, friends, and colleagues – sometimes giving them an incentive to do this (eg. a gift card, free meal or movie voucher etc) works well too. 

Networking 

You might think that networking just means socialising over food and drink? Peer networking connects professionals within the same sector, providing industry insight. Networking for lead generation helps to increase your brand awareness and allow opportunities to interact direct with your target audience. For service-based businesses, many new leads and clients can come from networking activities. 

Networking allows people to get to know you in-person, building trust and relationships much more effectively than you can online.

NOTE: effective networking takes time – like building any good relationship does. So don’t make the mistake of going to one networking event and expecting miracles – you need to network consistently.   

Some types of business networking are: 

• Business to business (B2B) networking 
• Business to consumer (B2C)  
• Community networking  

Search for networking opportunities in your local area, seek local business groups, local Council or Chambers of Commerce activities, or by following groups on LinkedIn, networking events advertised on social media, checking at your local library, or using websites like Meetup.  

Networking events often allow you to display or present your product/brand. 

Community Engagement 

Face-to-face interactions are important for businesses with a community presence. Search for local events, school fetes, or set up a stand at a festival or markets. 

Attending community events provides opportunities to make new business connections, assist the community, or to donate services in exchange for exposure of your brand to their audiences.  

If you’re searching for a way to promote your brand while giving back, consider sponsoring a sports team, local charity, or community event. People are more likely to remember and support brands that they can see investing in their communities. 

Combine this engagement with digital promotion by creating some visual content showing your participation. Use this on social media, in email newsletters, and printed photos in your physical location to show the community that you care.  

Print Advertising 

Print advertising still plays a vital role in many industries. Newspaper, magazine, and brochure ads can be highly effective for local businesses, luxury brands, travel businesses / destinations, and industries like real estate or finance. This method of communication is real and tangible and can be saved to look at again later, unlike an ad on a phone.  

Do your research and determine the right publication for your business, this can include local community magazines and newspapers, and larger national and niche publications. 

Make sure your printed marketing materials include a QR code for easy access to your website, socials, special offers or discount information. 

Direct Mail 

Direct mail also holds an important place in an era of exhausting amounts of digital messaging. Things that end up in your mailbox have an impact, especially when targeting the older demographics. You can also target specific areas / postcodes to suit your audience needs. 

Working collaboratively with other like-minded businesses to print and distribute brochures and flyers is a great way to get your messages out cost-effectively. For example, real estate agents regularly print direct mail flyers – discuss opportunities with them.  

As above, make sure your printed marketing materials include a QR code and all contact details.  

Audio Ads 

Do you listen to the radio in the car? Depending on your intended audience, many of your potential customers likely do as well – including digital radio which can be quite affordable. For a younger crowd, services such as Spotify have ad services that you can use to target your specific audience.  

TV ads (including TV on demand services) are also an option, depending on your audience and budget. Try to make something unique or catchy to be rememberable and stand out from the ads people generally don’t pay attention to.  

Radio ads are great for advertising local events. 

Billboards and Outdoor Advertising 

Have you ever seen a business’s sign and made a mental note to look it up later? Outdoor advertising is a great option for local businesses looking for local customers. From billboards and window signage, to bus stops and bus sides – these ads can have great impact. Digital billboards at major intersections or on main roads are highly visible, and quite cost effective – in comparison to the cost of billboards in the past.  

Media and PR 

Media and PR coverage can be very cost-effective methods of marketing your business, as most of the work can be done in-house without any media cost. It can however be quite time-consuming, and needs to be done well, and done consistently. Creating newsworthy stories don’t have to cost anything more than your time, and can result in great strides in brand awareness.  

Some options for low or no-cost media/PR are: 

• Sending prewritten press releases to local news or radio stations, or newspapers 
• Speaking engagements in your community 
• Pitching media coverage of events your business is hosting 
• Inviting media to visit or experience your business or service 

Public relations (PR) is all about maintaining a favorable image with the public (your audience). Make sure that even if you don’t do PR frequently, that you do have the ability to use it when needed – and can quickly provide details to media when required or requested. The return on investment from PR may be harder to measure when things are positive, but it becomes more clear in times of crisis, when PR is very important. 

In Conclusion 

Traditional marketing strategies remain a powerful tool for reaching consumers and creating lasting brand connections. Create a comprehensive marketing approach that resonates with a diverse audience. When combined with modern digital techniques, traditional marketing can get the results that you want to see, from increased foot traffic to more online inquiry.  

Not sure where to start? We can help!   

Planet Marketing provides practical and sustainable marketing advice – helping you determine what marketing suits your business best.  

Naturally Better Marketing…