Most branding and marketing advice these days sticks to virtual reality. Er, I mean digital marketing. And even if most of your marketing does happen online, it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook in the real world. In fact, there are tons of old-school marketing ideas that work even better now than they used to because they’re largely overlooked in favour of digital tactics.
And yes, the most effective real-world marketing tactic is (and always will be, in my opinion) networking. But that one is still a modern idea so we’ll keep it separate for now. This roundup is for old-school marketing ideas you can bring back to market your (mostly) online business.
Old-School Marketing Idea: Vehicle Branding
If you have a vehicle and you drive it around, why not add some flair? Adding your logo or website address to your vehicle is not only a fun creative exercise but it helps your business become more visible in your community.
Now, I’m talking some inexpensive stickers or maybe a vehicle wrap. But if you’re committed to the bit then you could go even bigger. I know a veterinarian who made her car look like a cat. Yes, a cat car. It was amazing seeing that thing driving all around town and you’d better believe it was the first place we called when we got our puppies.
Old-School Marketing Idea: Posters
My first business venture started with posters. I hand printed “Need a babysitter?” with other compelling copy on a piece of white paper and then proceeded to write my phone number a bunch of times vertically along the bottom of the page, cutting them into tearable strips before posting the advertisement on my church’s bulletin board. I even ripped off a couple numbers to prompt a quick response from desperate parents.
Now, I was 10 or 11 and I wasn’t advertising outside of my parent’s network so this was the perfect venue for me, but even if it wasn’t…what would the harm be of putting up a poster of somewhere I frequented in case there were other people there who needed my service and weren’t aware I was offering it?
Hand-printed posters are fine, but printing off slightly-more-professional posters at a local print shop isn’t exactly difficult or expensive either. Once you have them ready, find shops or bulletin boards to place them that people in your target audience hang out.
Re-invest in Business Cards
Wait…business cards are over, aren’t they? NOBODY uses them anymore.
Well, yeah, and that’s the point. Business cards are old-school marketing and you’ll actually stand out by having them.
There are lots of creative ideas for business cards so why not try something interesting? It will give you a reason to pass them out and will be so special maybe your ideal customer will even save it until they need your services down the road. Yes, business cards are a bit of an investment, but there are custom printing websites that can help you figure out what works best for your brand and your budget.
Strategically Attend In-Person Events
Everything was in-person, then everything was online. Now everything is…both?
It’s certainly cheaper to attend events online, but there’s something special about showing up in person, especially since it’s not what “everyone” is doing anymore.
Take a look at the different events happening in your industry, niche, or whatever and add a couple to your schedule for the year. I’ve found when I’m physically present at an event or a conference, I’m that much more engaged and, well, present.
Old-School Marketing Ideas: Participating in Pop-Ups
Whether it’s a business breakfast or a local farmer’s market, pop-up events are an interesting way to gain visibility.
This approach works especially well if you have a physical product, but you can also find creative ways to showcase your service at a pop-up event as well.
It could mean partnering with other business owners to make the most of your space, or you could create something interactive to attract people to your booth. Whatever you end up choosing, this is a fun marketing idea that a lot of online business owners aren’t investing in.
Sponsor Local Teams
Sponsoring local sports teams helps the team and gives you brand awareness at the same time. In exchange for providing some funding, they’ll wear your brand’s name on the front of their jerseys.
There are always sports teams in need of sponsorship, so this will not be a difficult marketing idea to pursue.
When you run your own business, you’re really marketing yourself 24/7 (whether you like it or not). This doesn’t mean you’re literally talking about your services all the time, but it it comes up naturally you should be prepared to talk about it. And, by incorporating these old-school marketing ideas, the topic will come up a lot more frequently. You’re welcome!
