Just about every business in the world is on the digital marketing hype train right now. They’re terrified that if they get off it for a single second, they’ll be left behind. It’s as if the whole business community has forgotten about a little something called the real world. We haven’t gotten to the point yet where humans are just electrons uploaded onto a computer. We’re still real, and we’re still here. And that means that our marketing should still reflect that.
Of course, it would be wrong to say that digital marketing isn’t important. It is. It’s just that it’s not the be all and end all of spreading your corporate message. Sometimes the old ways are still the best. So what are they?
Gifts
It’s kind of hard to give people gifts that are just made out of electrons. Sure, you could offer customers a free trial of your new, super-duper software. But that isn’t exactly a gift. It’s more of a strings-attached offer designed to reel them in. It’s far easier to give your customers gifts in the real world. You can also think of unique and creative gift ideas like a customized magic 8 ball which can predict the future or provide insights into someone’s life, offering this Personalized fortune telling novelty is a fun and imaginative gift to give someone, including your branding on the 8 ball can be an effective way to build positive association with your brand too! It’s often tailored to the individual, incorporating their personal details, preferences, or questions to create a custom reading or prediction. You can also do this through various methods such as tarot cards, astrology, numerology, or even a creative narrative that reflects the person’s life and aspirations.
Giving of gifts as a marketing strategy has been around since time immemorial. It’s part of what makes us human – and great marketers. And it’s highly effective. People remember gifts and they feel like they have to give you something in return. It’s all quite psychological really. Simply giving a gift can buy you loyalty for a lifetime.
Billboards
Billboards are the quintessential old-school marketing technique. They still occupy a special place in many of our hearts as marketers. We look back on the days when they were ubiquitous with some romance. But now the internet is buzzing with billboard marketing ideas. Why?
Well, two main things are driving it. One is the novelty value of billboard advertising. It’s a rarity. And so when people do see billboard adverts, they remember them. The other thing driving it is a sense of nostalgia. There’s a desire to get back to basics when it comes to marketing. SEO, conversions, A/B testing: it’s all too complicated.
Jingles
Is your business feeling a little lackluster these days? Are you struggling to attract new clients? Then perhaps you need a jingle. Advertisers first introduced jingles when they realized that they had an uncanny ability to get into people’s heads. Since then, dozens of marketers have followed suit, creating their own catchy jingles. They tend to work because of the way music and the brain interact. Music goes unfiltered, straight to the amygdala. And it’s this primeval response that marketers are tapping into.
Human Signs
It might sound a little odd in the 21st century to have walking, talking, human adverts. But human signs have proven to be effective time and time again. Again, there’s probably a novelty factor here, as there is with billboards. But there’s also the fact that our gaze is drawn rather naturally to other people. When people are walking around, wearing signs, we want to know more about them and the company behind them. It’s only natural. What’s more, it’s a low-cost way to get your message into a public space where you would otherwise struggle.