Your brand’s marketing efforts are how customers often encounter your brand for the very first time.
Some brands choose to focus only on online marketing efforts, whereas others choose to only focus on offline marketing efforts. Unfortunately, this is a mistake.
In order to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced, cut-through world, it is imperative that brands take a seamless approach to marketing that integrates both digital marketing and traditional marketing efforts.
This is crucial to a brand’s overall success.
Otherwise, the messaging that consumers receive may be inconsistent and confusing, which may lead to them reaching out to a competitor instead of encouraging them to interact with your brand.
The good news is that it isn’t too difficult to integrate the two types of marketing.
Before we dive into some tips you should know about combining online and offline digital marketing strategies, let’s first learn what each type of marketing is.
What is Online Marketing?
Online marketing is often referred to as digital marketing and consists of marketing efforts that take place on the internet.
Some examples of online marketing include PPC advertising, email marketing, and paid social media advertisements.
Due to the fast-paced world that seems to run highly on technology, online marketing has become increasingly popular.
As our world moves even more in that direction, online marketing will prove to be worth it.
It tends to be more cost-effective than offline marketing and allows you to create more of an emotional connection with your target audience.
What is Offline Marketing?
Offline marketing is often referred to as traditional marketing and consists of marketing efforts that take place off the internet.
This includes direct mail, broadcast, print, and billboards. This method of marketing helps you reach a targeted audience.
Offline marketing is one of the most tried and true methods of marketing. It plays a significant role in reaching local consumers.
In some cases, it can be easier to reach your target audience through offline marketing as opposed to online marketing.
Why Is It Important to Integrate Online and Offline Marketing?
Consumers want to be able to access product information anywhere and anytime.
More often than not, the marketing channel where a consumer discovers a product is not the final channel where a purchase is made.
With that being said, it is imperative that you integrate online and offline marketing together. This allows for a seamless and consistent brand experience for consumers.
The integration creates a far more cost-effective marketing strategy as well.
Each type of marketing offers its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The great thing about integrating the two is that the advantages of one method will eliminate the disadvantages of the other. It’s a win-win situation.
How to Combine Offline and Online Marketing Strategies
There are several ways in which you can combine your marketing strategies for a more seamless user experience. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
1. Use One to Promote the Other
When combining your online and offline digital marketing strategies, it is possible to essentially use them in tandem with one another.
For instance, if you have a huge television ad campaign that you are going to launch, you can create excitement among consumers by sharing some fun teasers on various social media platforms. A countdown timer can also work.
Creating this kind of excitement ahead of the launch increases the likelihood of more people tuning in to your TV ad campaign when it airs.
In the same way that online advertising can be used to push your offline marketing efforts, offline marketing can be used to help spread your message about an online promotion or event.
When offline customers land on a specific page, you can potentially obtain their contact information, making it easy to reach them online in the future.
To help encourage this sign-up, give them something in return. This can be something of value, like a downloaded white paper or eBook.
This ensures they get something immediately in return for providing your business with their contact information.
By utilizing both marketing methods to your advantage, you have the potential to reach even more consumers while sticking to your marketing budget.
2. Encourage Your Offline Customers to Go Online
It is always a good idea to encourage your online customers to take part in your offline events.
At the same time, you should be working to encourage your offline customers to interact with your brand online.
You can start by ensuring your receipts have both your website URL address and social media handles. The same can be done with banners and advertisements.
You can also include call-to-actions that will get them to follow you online for regular updates, more information, special discounts, and first access to new product releases.
Don’t forget to add a QR code that will allow customers to simply scan and be taken directly to your landing page or social media page.
With your customers engaging with your brand both offline and online, you have a better chance of fostering relationships.
3. Set Up Relevant Types of Dedicated Tracking
It is far easier to track your return on investment (ROI) when dealing with only online marketing.
Now, while it may be a little more time-consuming, it is still possible to track your offline marketing, especially as it relates to your online marketing efforts.
One way to do this is to create a dedicated tracking system, which may be a dedicated URL or phone number. In either case, the phone number or URL would redirect back to your main phone number or URL.
With this type of dedicated tracking system set up, you will find that it is easier to track the effectiveness of your offline campaigns.
4. Use a Consistent Design Across Both Platforms
Consistency is key when targeting customers online and offline.
This ensures that consumers are able to recognize your brand regardless of whether it is on print material or on a social media advertisement.
Your brand name should be highly visible, and the same fonts and colors should be used across online and offline digital marketing efforts.
Let’s say someone sees your advertisement in a local newspaper. If your brand design is consistent, they will be more likely to recognize your brand when they see it on a social media platform.
The same is true vice versa. Cohesion is created when consistency is used.
5. Use Incentives to Attract Specific Audiences
From email campaigns to website marketing, your online marketing efforts can be used in an attempt to bring more of your offline marketing efforts inside of your store.
While anyone anywhere can access your website, only limited people will be able to access your storefront.
This can be used to your advantage, though. For instance, you can create specific in-store discounts, promotions, and offers that will entice local consumers to walk through your doors.
It is important that you ensure your storefront is open and healthy, just as you do with your online store. This helps increase revenue and boost growth.
6. Develop a Mobile App
Yet another way you can approach a seamless online and offline marketing campaign is to build a mobile app for your customers.
People are constantly looking for ease of use and convenience.
By building an app that will allow customers to gain access to special information, coupons, exclusive offers, and more, you have the potential to put your brand at the fingertips of your customers at all times.
With the mobile app, customers can use coupons directly from the phone without needing to bring in a physical one.
If set up to do so, they can leave reviews for your business directly through the app, which is far more convenient than many other options. Consider including a store locator so people can find you easily.
You can also offer rewards for customers who have your app downloaded, which may include receiving points for in-app purchases, visiting your store in person, and more.
Ideally, though, the key would be to encourage offline actions with the app, allowing you and them to get the best of both worlds.
Wrap Up
It is all about the user experience nowadays, and by integrating both your online and offline digital marketing efforts, you will create a better and more seamless experience for your customers.
This allows them to move through the sales funnel smoothly. Further, it will help build brand awareness and recognition, which will help ensure your brand stands out from the competition.
Need some help with your online marketing strategy? Check out this post on different ways to promote your brand online.
