Do You Need An Analog Reach In A Digital World?
Digital marketing is a behemoth that is predicted to consume 75% of marketing budgets by 2021, and yet statistics report an upswing in consumers desiring face-to-face experiences.
Forbes correctly predicted that a return to analog or traditional marketing tactics would become a trend in 2019. In fact, 42% of holiday shoppers braved crowds to have a personal experience.
Do you need an analog reach in a digital world? Yes! In fact, some say that when you combine analog and digital marketing, magic happens.
Use these methods in your organization, church or business and discover the marketing magic.
Plan In-Person Events
Generate excitement and interest among online followers by planning in-person events that appeal directly to their interests. Don’t forget to harness the energy to drive user-generated content that will multiply the excitement over social media.
As a nod to the marriage of analog and digital marketing, brands are using events to drive lead generation and brand awareness. In fact, in AgencyEA has reported that more than half of 1,000 surveyed industry professionals plan to use share-worthy experiences to market their brand going forward.
Are you a church? Plan an event by booking your band and offering a concert-like worship night at your church. Announce that your event won’t be available via a livestream which should encourage attendance.
Are you a Bible translation team or an educational organization? Schedule an appearance by a respected scholar, and invite your followers and customers to attend.
Check out more ideas from .BIBLE for unlocking growth.
Reach Out Personally
The key to analog marketing is to use digital currency to build a relationship in tangible ways. Gone are the days of guessing a follower’s interests—simply take a look at their social media feeds and you’ll learn how to personalize your approach.
Once you greet someone by name and connect over a shared interest, you are likely to have a fan for life, or at the very least an interested prospect. It’s easy to determine a customer’s favorite pro sports team or hobby, which you can use as a catalyst for connection. This research-based approach is also critical when connecting followers in a setting like a church.
Buy Stamps
Another retro attempt at a personal connection is making a comeback—snail mail. A handwritten piece of mail will stand out in a sea of emails and texts. These personal touches are never outdated.
Selligent Marketing Cloud marketing platform has analyzed the data and reported that, when combined with focused marketing, 29% of US local marketers stated that direct mail is just as effective as company pages on social media. They go on to say:
“Good old snail mail is making a major comeback. Whether it’s upscale print media (think Restoration Hardware catalog), or personalized coupons and product messages, a tangible print product in the right hands can make all the difference.”
If your organization doesn’t have access to your customers’ physical addresses, we suggest developing a campaign to gather that information.
Get more ideas for lead generation on the .BIBLE blog.
Offer Educational Opportunities
Attract customers by offering an educational experience. Conduct a class in a physical space that exposes your product to buyers or adopters. Or combine the analog and digital by hosting a webinar, where you can communicate directly with students affordably and flexibly.
If your strategy involves attracting foot traffic, take a note from Whole Foods Markets. The high-end grocer offers cooking classes for customers taught by professionals from their team or local chefs, ultimately attracting customers and prospects into their stores.
New to webinars? When designing your course, first ask what is your organization’s value proposition? Articulate what expertise can you share with your followers that will reinforce your position as an authority in your field.
When you’re ready to host, do your homework and choose a service that fits your needs, like Zoom or Google Hangout. After you determine your learning outcomes, pull together the resources necessary to design your presentation or course. We like the suggestions outlined by Thinkific, like creating your ideal student avatar.
Pro Tip: Webinars are cost-effective and easily re-purposed. Use portions of your webinar or course to create content for your website and social media channels, which will, in turn, direct people back to you.
Embrace the retro nature of analog marketing. Recall the success of personalized approaches that existed in the pre-Internet era and incorporate these digital methods for increasing engagement.