Before the rise of the internet all advertising was done in print, radio or television. Now that the internet is so popular many companies have shifted all of their advertising to online methods like banner ads, search engines and buying ad space. Of course these methods should never be abandoned but you should consider offline advertising as well.
While the internet is a place where many people turn to find the resource they are looking for, people still read, watch television and listen to the radio. These three mediums are a great way to draw people to your site. You can reach scores of people who might never find your site buried in the immensity of the internet.
Advertising offline is surprisingly affordable and can payoff with sales. You don’t need much information in your ad, once you get the customer to your site they can find all of the details.
This category of advertising includes Yellow Pages, classified ads, billboards, hanging doorknobs, flyers, weekly shoppers, newsletters, and even business cards.
There are so many things you can do with print to lure consumers to your site and turn them into paying customers. You can offer discounts for mentioning the ad, coupons, more information, and sales. The idea is to get them interested enough to log on to your site where you can provide more details about your product.
Just remember that people are more likely to log on to a website than call so make your web address stand out in bold. Don’t leave out your telephone number and other important contact information, just make the website more important in your ad. Most advertisers make their URL so tiny that it goes unnoticed. Don’t make the same mistake. After all the idea here is to get people to your website.
Radio
A 30- or 60-second radio spot is affordable. The rates do vary by your area’s population but you can always get better rates by buying in bulk.
The best thing about radio advertising is the ability to target your audience. Specific ages and lifestyles are defined by the station’s format. You can do some research to determine which time slot and station is best for your company.
Be sure to include your name, telephone number, selling message and URL in the ad. Repeat your URL at least two or three times and let listeners know what they will gain by visiting your site.
Television
Television advertising is actually affordable despite the myths. Your local cable company will be cheaper than broadcast television. You can also target your audience with television. For example if you sell sporting goods you can advertise on ESPN to reach the best possible customers.
As with print and radio be sure to make your URL stand out. Repeat it several times and urge consumers to visit your website. Not everyone has a huge television, so make sure the URL is large enough to read on even the smallest televisions. You also want to give customers a reason to check you out online. Don’t forget an incentive like a discount or something that makes your site unique.
Sometimes with changing technology we adapt too much to the new techniques so much so that we forget old techniques that still work. The key is to not put all of your eggs in one basket and to utilize every advertising opportunity that will bring people to your site where the ultimate goal is to get people to buy your product.
