Whether you’re a long-established brand or a start-up, we’re sure you’ve heard this line from a handful of concerned customers and fans before: “If you’re not online, does your business even really exist?”
Our culture is so focused on digital media that it’s tough to find any business, large or small, without at least one social media account to create an online presence. Brands know that being online increases their credibility and greatly expands their audience reach with just one boosted post.
But while everyone believes that having an online presence is hugely important for business, it is still not the end-all, be-all. An offline presence is still hugely powerful and widely popular, especially in the Philippine market where online shopping and in-store, brick-and-mortar shopping are still at par with each other (cash on delivery, anyone?!)
Here are some easy ways to make your brand’s offline marketing stick:
Billboards
Classic, reliable, and ever-present, Metro Manila alone is peppered with billboards left and right of the main roads. And with the daily commute getting longer and longer, more eyes get to see brand ads simply because those stuck in traffic have no choice. It’s no wonder big brands opt for billboard advertisements. Tip: up your billboard game by making them interactive and have one billboard overlap another.
Sponsorships
Time and again, people have coveted free fans, pens, lanyards, ballers, and the like because they’re… well… free! Make the most of this by having your brand sponsor a brand-relevant event, and make them use your logo on event freebies. Not only will there be a clamor for the products, but the sponsored freebies practically market themselves. This is a great opportunity to expose your brand.
Air Dancers
Kitschy and adorable air dancers are almost a store opening staple when it comes to outdoor advertising. Apart from the loud music that usually accompanies them, these air dancers catch the eye of passers-by and potential customers, as they signal a significant brand event such as a sale or a grand opening. Have your brand’s logo appear on the front and back of the air dancers, and make sure your employees are welcoming and accommodating once the customers start pouring in!
Workshops
One alluring offline marketing strategy you can employ to target loyal customers and new, potential customers alike are holding relevant workshops that promise to add more value to the target customer. This insists that they’re paying for a premium that can benefit them more than anyone else, and while that is true, it’s still a great way for your brand to be in your target audience’s good graces. What’s more, it’s an effective way to get your audience in a single venue to talk to them about your brand and to hand out freebies about your brand. Host art workshops or sustainability workshops that are sincere to your brand and are adherent to your target audience’s wants and needs, and you’ll always find your workshops sold out.
Coupons
The next best thing to getting something for free is getting something at a discount, and this simple mind trick has been employed by brands for decades and decades. Some of our local fast food joints use this marketing trick year-round! Hand out discount coupons where there’s the most traffic – whether or not the person is your target market, there’s a huge possibility that they will try your product at least once if they’re buying it at a discount. The opportunity to convert a person from onlooker to consumer is great when free discount coupons are involved.
In-Store Radio
Have you ever entered a drug store or a convenience store and noticed music playing inside their stores? You may have even heard some short radio ads in-store as well. Get in touch with the companies that have branded in-store radio, and ask about advertising opportunities with them. Although not a nationally broadcasted radio ad, having your brand’s ad airing inside stores where your target market would likely shop will give you a unique opportunity to advertise to them in a captured environment. If you’re a medicine brand, advertise with a pharmacy, and if you’re a beauty brand, advertise with a mall or department store.
There are tons more offline marketing strategies to try, but the above just may be the easiest to employ in the local market. They’ve been proven effective for ages, but still allow for improvements and innovations that make the brand experience different for each customer, every time. What’s a favorite offline ad strategy that has worked on you lately?