Marketing is the process of getting consumers to notice and remember your brand and products or services. It involves a combination of strategies that are designed to attract your audience, make them realise the value of your product or service offerings, and ultimately make a purchase or enlist your services.
Marketing experts use a variety of platforms to form their message and get this across. And this is where traditional and digital marketing methods come in. Forming a marketing strategy depends on several factors, such as the niche of your business, financial resources, and the objectives of your campaign. However, marketing experts agree that businesses should leverage a mix of traditional and digital marketing methods to realise the best results.
- Social Media – Approximately 2.34 billion people use social media networks worldwide. The number is expected to soar to nearly 3 billion by 2020, meaning about one-third of the world’s population will have social media accounts by then. Plus, using social media for marketing is extremely cost-effective – creating an account and a page is free, and you only need to pay for occasional advertisements, but the potential reach and customer engagement you can harness through social media is massive.
- Television – TV remains to be the channel with the widest reach, though the internet is fast catching up. In 2012, TV had a potential reach of 283 million, while the internet has 211 million. However, when it comes to cost, TV advertisements are significantly more expensive, whereas the internet, as mentioned above, only requires minimal cost, even if you hire a social media manager. If you can afford it, leverage both TV and social media channels to guarantee maximum exposure for your business and brand. Make sure to align your TV and digital marketing strategy to create ripples in your industry.
- SMS – SMS marketing Services is considered a non-internet digital marketing strategy and is one of the most widely used channels in the world. At present, 6 billion people out of the world’s current population of 7 billion own mobile phones, making SMS marketing one of the most effective forms of marketing. With a wide reach and high response rate, it makes sense for businesses to invest in SMS marketing. Learn more about its advantages through this website.
- E-mail – As of 2015, studies show that 1 out of 3 people across the globe have an e-mail address, and 53 percent of people worldwide check their emails via smartphones. E-mail marketing presents valuable opportunity for businesses. However, businesses should ensure their e-mail ads are not spammy as these might only end up in the Trash folder.
- Print – Flyers, brochures, tarpaulins, and billboard ads are the most favoured types of print ads today as these generate the most responses from consumers. Flyers can especially trigger positive responses from consumers when they come with a special offer. However, the cost of print ads is significant and the returns are not accurately measurable.
