These 6 classic marketing tactics stand the test of time

This article was originally published on NisonCo and appears here with permission.

In the age of digital marketing, it seems like influencers, email marketing, SEO, and social media reign supreme. Are there any classic marketing tactics that have stood the test of time? The answer is yes – there are quite a few “old school” marketing moves that still pack a punch. Let’s look at six proven marketing tactics you should still consider using in the modern age.

1. Networking and relationship building

Networking online or in person is just as important these days as it was in the past. Strong networking skills are essential for any marketing professional or business owner. Successful networking generates referrals and leads, encourages regular customer retention, and helps build a positive reputation among peers and customers.

Attending conferences in your area is a great way for you to meet others in your industry and connect with local businesses and customers who are geographically close. Attending national networking events or conferences can also help you expand your network across the country and meet potential clients and professionals who do similar work and who may be able to partner with your business. or your brand to form a mutually beneficial relationship.

2. Real Facetime with your audience

No, we’re not talking about FaceTime with screens. Investing in real time with your audience or customers is always a necessary part of doing business and can be very beneficial for your relationship with your customers, collaborators and partners. You will develop stronger circular regional relationships by also organizing opportunities for interaction, which in turn will help build more resilient local economies.

When you spend one-on-one time with customers or business partners, you are able to pick up on things that are often missing in emails or audio calls, such as facial expressions, body language, and other social queues that can be overlooked. written text or audio interactions only. This can help build trust and deepen relationships, which can lead to successful business opportunities.

3. Offer gifts and/or discounts

People love free stuff. It’s that simple. This is a marketing tactic that won’t be retired any time soon, as it has proven effective time and time again. Freebies and discounts allow your target audience to interact with your brand or business and more actively engage with your services and content or sample your products.

It also offers a great opportunity for free advertising. When you run a contest or free giveaway, you can ask participants to repost the contest on their social media accounts, follow your brand account, and tag others to spread the news, which extends your reach and engage your target audience in a fun way. Everyone wins.

The USPS has created a guide called “Always Relevant: An Overview of How Millennials Respond to Direct Mail” (PDF) to help businesses understand why millennials respond to mail and how to create engaging mail.

4. Direct mail lives!

If you think paper mail is dead, you’re wrong. Turns out everyone really Is love mail. Direct mail is still a great way to reach out with the right goal in mind, even for younger generations. There are several advantages to using direct mail. Direct mail campaigns offer a high return on investment (ROI), even higher than paid advertising campaigns.

It is possible to reach your target audience with the right information at the right time. Direct mail campaigns can work alone or in conjunction with a digital marketing campaign, for example by integrating online sales or QR codes, and it is very easy to follow their progress.

5. Radio advertising

Audio is making a comeback, so don’t sleep on it! Hear what NisonCo Founder and CEO Evan Nison had to say about the benefits of radio advertising in Forbes:

The resurgence of radio advertising has become increasingly apparent. Podcasts and streaming audio ads on the web can reach national and global platforms. Radio ads can be used to target very specific local regions and various audience segments.

For those with a physical business location in particular, radio advertising is the fun and affordable go-to option for hyper-localized advertising. For those looking to improve their search capability in the technological age, consider optimizing your local SEO performance.

6. Testimonials and reviews

People are generally more attentive to the tactics used to get them to buy things or engage with a brand. Testimonials bring both credibility and accountability to brands and businesses because customers are naturally more likely to trust reviews from other consumers. Creating space for testimonials and reviews allows customers to leave positive feedback or draw attention to issues that can then be addressed to help improve the brand or business. In addition to these benefits, bringing them into the modern age by spending time responding to social media sites and bad reviews will help with your local SEO strategy so your site ranks higher on search results pages. search engines.

Conclusion caveat: it’s a modern world

It is imperative to examine the past for the lessons it has to offer our present, with the caveat that the world we live in exists today in the here and now. Every marketing strategy – old and new – has strengths and weaknesses when placed in different applications and contexts. If your brand isn’t sure what mix of old-school and digital marketing strategies to use, contact our team of PR, SEO and content writing specialists today to start building a comprehensive plan. .