In today's digital area, there is a great number of marketers who put all of their efforts and faith into online marketing. While it is a fact that your website, blog, social media presence, reviews, and other online aspects that drive people to purchase from you are crucial, the fact is that offline marketing, particularly in the form of signs, isn't something that you want to just forget about. People are still significantly affected by tangible forms of marketing that exist around them in the "real world". Some of them even prefer those to their online counterparts.
What is important to keep in mind that a good marketing strategy that combines both online and offline marketing tactics makes sure that you have covered all of the bases, and also helps you stand out from your competition. You want your brand to be visible, and there is a myriad of ways that you can do that next to making a perfectly designed website and properly managing your Facebook account. In fact, offline and online tactics can complement each other and help you get the best of both worlds.
Sync, track, and measure your marketing efforts
When you've got your online and offline channels in sync, your reach is certainly going to have a much greater reach. Whatever offline marketing materials that you use, make sure that you include your website and email address so that people know where to find you and how to get in touch with you. QR codes are a great way to lead prospects to your webpage, as well as one-of-a-kind hashtags that people are going to remember.
Analyzing and optimizing online efforts is simple with Google Analytics. But, you can also measure what you do offline via A-B tests that monitor every headline, offer, or message that you present to your audience. You can also use unique tracking links to see how much your offline marketing methods are bringing customers to your doorstep.
Why signs are still very important
When you walk the streets, or drive your car from A to B, your brain is already quite used to following signs, even if it's subconsciously. Next to the signs that guide us through places, there are also those that help us find new places where we can purchase something that we need. So, there is definitely no doubt that sings hold a great power.
Basically, they are some of the most visible ways of communicating with your audience. They tell people who and what you are, and instantly make them form an opinion on whether they want to do business with you or not. You'd be surprised how many people make purchasing decisions based on how enticing and straightforward your signs are.
Signs lead people straight to your business
It is a fact that most of us use Google Maps to find a particular shop today. After all, it has advanced to the point that it can help us find anything. However, in practice, this is not necessarily an absolute truth. It is actually quite a common occurrence that a person follows the path that Google is telling them to, but when they get there, they cannot seem to locate a shop.
Why? Because the sign is way too small and unclear, and they cannot tell whether they are in the right place or not. So, yeah, Google Maps will lead a person to your store, but if your signs are not good enough, they will most probably end up looking at ones that are just on the other side of the street.
Signs are cost-effective and drive impulse purchases
In the beginning, when everything is about designing a proper sign for your business, it will include some costs. But once that phase is over, you have got yourself a form of marketing material that will do its job 24/7, during the whole year, just for the money that you initially invested into it. Just looking at some other advertising and marketing methods and practices, you will see that signs are one of the best forms of exposure to your audience out there.
Furthermore, a significant part of sales come from the fact that someone came across your sign, found it enticing or remembered that you are offering just what they need, and decided to go into your shop on an impulse.
Street signage is a great visual asset
Besides the signs that point directly to your shop, there is a lot of power in other forms of signage, such as street signs, billboards, and the like. A lot of companies make use of custom banners today very creatively to attract attention. What can certainly be told is that we as people are visual beings. So, if you have an enticing sign at a proper location, people who pass by are certainly going to notice it and it will spark their interest.
Such marketing materials should focus on two main aspects. First of all, they need to prioritize your product or service, so that everyone will instantly know what you are all about. Then, it should be followed by your website address, either in written form, or as a QR code that they can scan. This way your offline and online marketing efforts will perfectly work hand in hand. Someone notices your sign, they look you up on their smartphone or computer, and make a conscious decision to either purchase from you via your website, or visit your brick-and-mortar shop if you have one.
In summation
So, on one hand, make sure that your website design is impeccable, and that it provides a top-notch user experience. You want everyone to be able to instinctively navigate your pages and find what they are looking for. Make the best out of your social media pages, so that your presence is strong, and people know that they can engage with you. Write a blog where you will tell interesting stories about your business and products/services.
On the other hand, make the best out of your offline marketing efforts as well. Because the fact is that, no matter how deep we have been entangled into the web of the digital era, we are still very responsive to certain real-world and tangible marketing tactics that cannot be replaced by anything virtual. Signs are especially important, both as a part of your brick-and-mortar store, and as marketing assets spread across the city, inviting people to visit both your website and your shop.
Guest Author
Emily Wilson is a business psychologist with a passion for marketing. Researching, exploring and writing are her favorite things to do. She works as a consultant for Bannamesh. Besides that, she loves animals, music, and travelling.