Marketing Your Business OffLine is Important Too!

This morning we were discussing a common concern that many of our clients get hung up on during the process of setting up their online businesses. Usually we will get an email or a support request asking about the methods for promoting products off line, and we would love to explain some pointers on this topic. Although the internet is extremely efficient, it is important to reflect your marketing off line and into your community. Some people just aren’t internet savvy, and if you have something that they may want to purchase, it is vital to obtain a marketing impression from them as well as the folks that may stumble across your website online.

Committing to your venture by purchasing some business cards as well as setting up a business bank account is critical for making your endeavor legitimate. We are not attorneys, and cannot provide legal advice, but starting an Limited Liability Corporation can help start the process.

Take a look at this article by the MarketingBlagger. It is an awesome post, and you can read more here:

http://www.marketingblagger.com/241/promoting-an-online-business-offline/

The Internet is a tremendous tool for marketing any business, online or offline. But what if we turned the tables a little and asked, ‘If you run a business that’s primarily online, are you ignoring the offline opportunities to promote your business?’

Why market offline?

1. It’s there. Bloggers still write books. Online marketing gurus still go to conferences and carry business cards. Why? Because it gives them another way to connect. More channels equals more customers.

2. There are customers there. Not every potential customer spends their day hanging about on Digg or reading blogs. Investing some time in offline marketing helps reach out to those customers and widens your customer base.

3. Your competitors aren’t there. Most online businesses invest little in offline promotion. You might not want to spend tens of thousands on a TV spot but simple, consistent efforts will help set you apart from your competitors.

4. It doesn’t have to cost much. A simple direct mail postcard costs less than one Adwords click in a competitive market. Public relations, referral programs and face-to-face networking cost next to nothing.

How?

One of the main benefits of online marketing is that you can automate quite a lot of the legwork. If you’re going to venture offline you’ll want to make sure you develop processes and procedures to do the same. Start by splitting your marketing into two groups.

Process Marketing – Process marketing is the stuff you can every day as part of your normal routine. It’s long term, grows over time and rarely requires you to spend your hard-earned cash. Use business cards, brand all your stationery with your URL, talk to people about your business and look for PR opportunities in the local press.

Campaign Marketing – By contrast, campaign marketing has a beginning and an end. It’s a dedicated, outward effort to attract new business or raise your profile. You could try a simple direct mail postcard campaign with an offer designed to drive traffic to your site. If you operate in a specific niche are there magazines dedicated to that niche? If so, test some small print ads. If networking online helps build traffic, why not invest some time into offline networking events?

Online or off, the principles of marketing remain pretty much the same – focus on benefits, have a clear point of difference and think long-term consistent marketing as opposed to one—off blasts.

If you run an online business, what offline promotional techniques have you tried? How did you get on?

Mark Nagurski is a Director of The Really Practical Marketing Company, who provide marketing advice and resources to small business owners, freelancers and startups. You can read his daily marketing ideas blog at www.reallypractical.com
For more ideas, check out these post as well:

Is A Free Home Based Business Opportunity Really Free | www.our …

Those who persevere additionally ultimately realise that the price of operating a free dwelling based enterprise online is much less than the price of working an offline business. … No person will learn about your new free dwelling based mostly business except you inform them. You may have the best website in the entire phrase but, for those who do not promote it, it would be like conserving your store door locked, the blinds closed and the lights off. …

Publish Date: 06/28/2010 8:07

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