As someone who has become adjusted to digital marketing, having grown up with the web, it feels out of place when I begin to look around my physical settings and engage with marketing efforts since so few of them seem to reach me on the same level as I’d expect online.
As someone who has applied digital marketing strategies for various projects, it was easy to become wrapped up in the methods frequently used by others. It was equally easy to dismiss traditional marketing methods (namely… print) compared to what was possible online (thanks to flexibility, features, and tracking) until I began to realize that much of what is done in the physical space actually applies to much of what happens online (in a complimentary way).
I think of it similar to how we say “don’t judge a book by its cover.”
We are quick to dismiss traditional marketing methods if we have been conditioned to the online method because of cost and efficiency.
What can traditional advertising teach us about online advertising?
Let’s look at a few key components, resources, and actual suggestions which can be applied to our digital work so that it may transition to physical locations:
- Conferences – Face-to-face meetings are priceless and although we may place a high value on doing online conferences it won’t compare to what is possible when we sit down side-by-side because humans are naturally social creatures. When you are having physical contact with another business-type you are bound to get through their defenses (due to the psychology of being polite). The fact that the group environment often excites others so they are likely to engage with members of the same group (opening the chances of an offer pitch).
- Touch-and-Feel – Value is often placed on the “weight” of an item so when we can’t touch and feel it we equate it to a lesser value. Consider your thoughts about an “ebook”, being digital and often free – being on lists, versus an actual book. Then there are cardboard book displays, which are point of sale custom corrugated cardboard POP displays that help publishers, sales people and retailers establish their products and services in visually compelling ways.
- Get Local – Digital is so quick to dismiss television but the reality is that a huge majority of people still watch “the tube” for many hours every day, so there really is no reason to dismiss advertising on the medium because it “feels” outdated. In fact, now may be the best time to market through television, locally, because so many have jumped ship to online means (meaning prices and competition are far lower). The “traditional” problem marketers like to bring up is that it’s too broad but with recent advancements (and competition) in the industry, it’s reaching a level of complexity that rivals the digital world.
The point of the post, as someone that works every day in Ecommerce and marketing, is that it would be foolish to dismiss “traditional” marketing methods for digital means out of blindness. It’s important to realize that many (if not all) types of online marketing methods (often) fall in line with what has already been done through these traditional channels (commercials, endorsements, sponsored content, etc) so it’s not too far in difficulty to shift from digital to traditional if you already have the experience.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, as the post says, because any channel that delivers leads and conversions is worth the investment – the shame is if you dismissed it based on a bias.
