Now more than ever, it’s time to innovate and step outside your comfort zone. Without taking risks, you’ll never grow, change, or take your business to the next level. That said, while it’s essential to embrace new ‘martech’ (marketing + technology), it shouldn’t come at the expense of traditional methods.
As you dedicate your Covid-19 downtime to implementing new martech, traditional marketing is still a vital tool for B2B businesses of any size. Things become very effective when you synthesise and combine the benefits of conventional marketing with innovative new techniques.
There will always be a place for traditional marketing in your strategy. Cold calling, direct mail, and face-to-face networking – how can you leverage and combine them with online methods to make your brand stand out from the crowd?
Here are three ways to effectively combine your traditional and digital marketing methods for greater success.
Understand the value of print media and deep media nurturing
Have you heard of deep media nurturing? This concept drives sales by connecting you with leads at every stage of the sales funnel. No matter what stage of the funnel you are at, you must cultivate your buyer relationship in an authentic way. Deep media nurturing utilises any and all assets available, even if they aren’t ‘trendy.’ That means combining email lists and social media with highly targeted print ads if that is what the particular client will respond best to.
Remember, when you place an ad in print media, you get to determine the exact placement – you are much more in control than when you purchase Google or Facebook ads. You can get extremely granular and target only a highly specific audience.
Cold calling is still an effective strategy
There is certainly something a little ‘retro’ about cold calling – is this the set of Mad Men? But evidence from a variety of industries proves that cold calling is still effective. That said, the cold calls of yesteryear are no longer your best option. Instead, incorporate intent data and digital research into your cold calling strategy to reach qualified leads that are far more likely to convert. The result? You spend your valuable time calling potential clients who are already primed to say ‘yes’ to your offer.
Use geo-targeting to pinpoint the most effective content platforms
Just like cold calling, you may have relegated billboards, transport ads, and bus shelter ads to the ‘old fashioned’ pile. However, billboards and bathroom ads are once again en vogue in B2B marketing. In order to make the most of these content platforms, use geotargeting to assess where they will be most effective.
While you might be tempted to abandon traditional capabilities to utilise the latest and greatest, this is truly a case of ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” Some of the most traditionally effective methods are effective for a reason – don’t underestimate their power!