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Traditional and digital marketing go hand in hand

Potential customers don’t change that much.  It’s common for businesses to overestimate the attraction of novelty and underestimate the power of traditional consumer behaviour. Marketing is not new, but digital marketing has changed the way that we do things.

Traditional and digital marketing go hand in hand

While traditional strategies still apply, they will not work alone. To be effective, digital marketing and traditional marketing techniques must work together. Here is how using both old and new marketing methods can work together, as told by Jaren Nichols, Chief Operating Officer at ZipBooks.

Simplify the process

In the digital age, any marketing campaign strategy needs to address the technical.  Automation can and should be utilised everywhere from the email blast to the product suggestion.

Web designers and software developers need to be part of your marketing team so you can streamline and simplify processes for your users.  The systems that potential customers encounter on their way through the marketing funnel need to be perfect if you want to see the conversion. And remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so your business website should be perfectly crafted as well.

Engagement tracking tools like digital analytics and keyword analysis can help you turn data into returns. When you are able to integrate this kind of intelligence into your marketing and purchasing processes, you can improve your reach and monitor traffic.

Simplifying your processes by effectively integrating technology is pivotal in today’s marketing strategy.

Word of mouth = online reviews

Word of mouth marketing is as old as the bugle horn. But in today’s world, it has taken on a digital form: the online review.

In fact, 85% of customers say that they trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation and 68% of millennials say that they trust reviews more than any other form of marketing. It’s time to jump on the bandwagon and embrace this form of feedback rather than reject it.

Make sure that your review profiles are current and take the time to respond to feedback (both negative and positive). Actively invite current users to write up their opinions and monitor online reviews on every platform, software products like Vendasta or other alternatives do this for you.  Then, feature review stats and customer testimonials on your website.

And actually take customer feedback to heart, if there is a common complaint, find ways to address the problem. If you can offer the best product, your word of mouth marketing will take care of itself.

Digital marketing makes it easy to measure ROI

With any investment you make, you need to know your returns. The beauty of digital marketing is that ROI measurement also happens digitally, sometimes immediately.

While each digital marketer has different KPIs (traffic, follows, CTR, etc.), the majority of these can be tracked using some form of analytics software. In fact, many ad campaign purchases include this kind of data analysis in their package.

For example, Google Analytics and Ads (formerly AdWords) work together, making it easier to track conversions and values. Implementing this kind of measurement is easy and helps you see the success of your marketing campaigns and manage areas of needed improvement.

Celebrity endorsement turned influencer marketing

Traditional marketing has always turned to the household name or the pretty face to sell a product.  This tried and true marketing strategy has evolved in the digital age to the social influencer.

To reach your niche audience, collaborate with micro influencers.  Their loyal following offers an authentic marketing opportunity and a reach that you could not access on your own.  Consider offering exclusive discount codes to influencer partners.  In turn, they will instil trust and interest in their followers, who will feel that they received a personal invite from a “friend” to use it.

When you do connect with influencers, try to create benefit more than just monetary compensation.  Find ways to promote them and share their content as an act of good faith.

As a note: you can be an influencer for your own brand by establishing yourself as a thought leader. Host free webinars and publish podcasts that add real value to your audience, but also prove what you know. Giving away free knowledge is a great way to bring people to your site and keep them there.

Move from multi-channel marketing to omni-channel marketing

While traditional marketing was often multi-channelled, effective digital marketing goes a step further into omni-channel marketing.  To create omni-channel marketing, you don’t only use multiple channels, but you unify the customer experience across every platform. Regardless of the channel or device in use, the marketing process should be seamless.

This kind of fluidity requires a complex digital marketing strategy. Examples of the omni-channel experience cite brands that bridge the transfer between digital interaction and in-person interaction. Disney is a great example, from booking a trip on your laptop to securing a fast pass on the app to storing your photos with the magic band, every experience links together to improve customer engagement and drive sales.

Additionally, omni-channel marketing helps you reach your customers where they are. If you focus your marketing only on one channel, you may miss your audience entirely. Use machine learning to discover which channels are working most effectively.  You will be better able to drive brand awareness and generate leads if you optimise all digital channels.

Final words

Traditional marketing will not be able to survive if it excludes digital marketing. You can and should unify your strategies to evolve into the digital climate.

Seamlessly integrating digital techniques with old-school tactics will not only enhance your marketing strategy, but it will also simplify it.  Remember, your audience is on the internet—you need to meet them there.

More on small business marketing and email marketing.

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