We don’t know who needs to hear it, but offline marketing strategies still work.
That’s right.
These seemingly outdated methods to promote your brand can work just as well as digital marketing channels.
But here’s the caveat: Offline strategies can be more difficult to track, so gauging your marketing performance may take more effort.
The good news? There’s one thing you can do to see what works and what doesn’t without too much hassle. And that’s analyzing what your competitors are doing.
While you can use a competitive intelligence tool like Unkover to monitor your competitors’ online marketing efforts, you can dig a bit deeper to see what the competition is doing offline to gain new customers.
Why offline marketing strategies matter
Think back to a time when you discovered a brand through a TV commercial, billboard, or radio ad.
Do you remember the company afterward? Chances are, you did because you saw that TV commercial, drove past that billboard, or heard that radio ad several times.
That’s the power of offline marketing strategies. Through repeated exposure, these mediums help reinforce brand messaging and increase brand recall.
So, let’s look at the data. US adults trust print and TV ads more than they trust social media advertising and other online strategies.
TV ads generate more visual attention (71%) among consumers than digital mobile ads (30%).
In 2023, business revenue from TV advertising reached around 134 billion dollars.
And the list goes on.
Later, we’ll share even more statistics that highlight the ever-lasting value of offline marketing strategies.
How to determine your competitor’s offline strategy
Let’s explore the different ways to uncover offline marketing insights from your competitors.
Talk to your customers
Survey customers and prospects to identify their preferences and interests when it comes to interacting with brands.
This will help you better understand how to meet their needs. Communicating with your customers and gathering their feedback can give you insights into what your competitors are doing well vs. what you’re doing better. You’ll also learn why your customers chose you over another company.
Consider using a social listening tool to gather even more information about what your customers say about your brand and competitors.
Read industry publications and press releases
Stay up to date with trends in your market by reading industry publications and press releases.
Monitoring these trends can help you identify new and innovative ways to market your business. See what strategies your competitors are using to stay ahead of the curve.
Consider setting up Google Alerts to receive notifications whenever a competitor or relevant business in your industry posts a press release or publishes an industry report. You can even scrape insight from their websites and use a cURL to Python script to automate data collection and analysis.
Network with industry peers
Never stop networking. Chances are, you’ve built a great network as you grew your business. But don’t stop there.
Keep building that network to stay informed about what’s going on in your industry. Join different organizations, such as local business groups or organizations like Rotary. Attend relevant events, such as industry conferences.
Introduce yourself and your business at these events. Connect with other professionals and exchange business cards.
The benefits of doing this are twofold:
- You’ll expand your professional circle.
- You’ll get a glimpse of your competitors’ offline marketing tactics— or at least become more aware of your competition so you can be on the lookout for their marketing materials “in the wild.”
Attend industry events
Going to industry events provides many opportunities for networking, promoting your brand, and potentially becoming a speaker.
Through networking, you can meet competitors and experience their marketing tactics firsthand.
Whether your competitor schedules the event or is attended by other competitors, you need to participate and network. Utilizing a QR code on your business cards or promotional materials can make it easy for new contacts to connect with you instantly.
If, for example, you have a nurse staffing agency, you might be interested in attending an event where you can interact with contacts from the best travel nursing companies in the country and take part in their conversations.
Look locally
Being aware of local competition is crucial to staying competitive in your industry.
Why?
Because a lot of local businesses like daycares, body shops, and bakeries, are relatively small and may have limited budgets. So, they often don’t have a digital presence.
That means they’re likely engaging in offline marketing activities to promote their business. For example, a local bakery might:
- Partner with local cafes, restaurants, or coffee shops to supply them with baked goods.
- Sponsor local events, such as farmers’ markets, community festivals, or charity fundraisers.
- Work with newspapers, magazines, or community publications.
- Participate in bake sales and competitions.
- Host tasting events or sampling sessions.
- Organize bakery workshops or classes.
- Distribute flyers or postcards.
Keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in your local community by visiting your competitors’ locations, following their social media accounts, and attending events that they host.
Offline marketing strategies that still work
Need more inspiration? Here are four offline marketing strategies that produce results.
Branded swag
Adding promotional products to your marketing mix can increase the effectiveness of other strategies by 44%.
That’s why branded swag, like customized T-shirts, cups, and pens, is a popular offline marketing strategy.
It builds brand awareness and boosts brand recognition. For example, let’s say you own a real estate agency and give your clients a branded T-shirt with the agency’s name, number, and address on it.
One of your clients goes to the bank wearing your branded merchandise. Behind them in line, a customer who just happens to be looking to sell their home sees the shirt. They take a mental note to write down your agency’s name and contact information.
A few days later, they call your agency to get started with the selling process.
Of course, the customer marketing journey isn’t that linear. But the point is, when you put your company’s name on branded items, you get exposure, which keeps your brand top of mind.
Just like companies send free products to online influencers to advocate for their business, you can use your existing customer base to showcase your company at events or in public places. You can also host in-person giveaways to build awareness around your brand.
Direct mail
71% of consumers say that direct mail is more personal than online communication. Some even say that direct mail speeds up the purchase process and boosts ROI.
74% of marketers believe that direct mail has the highest conversion rates among all the marketing channels they utilize.
This probably has to do with the fact that direct mail is tangible, in a less cluttered environment, and has a longer shelf life than other marketing channels.
To achieve a successful direct mail campaign:
- Identify your target audience.
- Segment based on location and other demographics.
- Create compelling offers.
- Design eye-catching mailers.
- Use clear calls-to-action (CTAs).
- Measure the performance of your campaign by monitoring your response rates.
Billboards
Billboards are an excellent out-of-home (OOH) advertising option. That’s because they’re highly effective in reaching a wide audience who travel through high-traffic areas like highways and metro areas.
OOH advertising methods, including billboards, are between 38% and 86% effective in provoking a customer response.
To maximize the success of your billboards, be strategic about placement. Consider your target audience and location.
Good spots to share your message front and center may be airports, train stations, or other transit locations that your target audience may frequent to reach their next destination.
TV and radio
Who doesn’t love a good TV commercial or a fun radio jingle?
The desire for a good brand story is evident in the numbers.
Viewers remember TV ads more than 46% of the time.
Who can forget about the Mr. Beans Snickers commercial?
The commercial aired during the Super Bowl in 2014. It’s part of Snicker’s long-running “You’re Not Hungry When You’re Hungry” campaign.
Viewers could relate to the commercial because it made fun of how people behave out of character when they’re hungry.
At the same time, Snickers positioned itself as the go-to snack to satisfy cravings (Mr. Bean went from performing ridiculous antics to going back to normal after eating a Snickers).
Radio advertising can be just as effective in boosting brand recognition, driving a 29% return on investment (ROI).
IKEA’s “Unböring” radio campaign captured listeners’ attention by addressing common home furnishing dilemmas through humorous storytelling.
Its series of radio spots playfully depicted the mundane, such as a couple arguing over furniture, a family fighting over home decor, or an individual feeling uninspired by their living space.
The tone shifted when the narrator introduced IKEA as the solution to these everyday problems. This positioned the brand as the go-to destination for transforming dull spaces into vibrant and functional homes.
To this day, the Unböring campaign is still one of the most iconic radio spots in history. It ended up winning multiple awards and helped the brand become more memorable and relatable.
What will your offline marketing look like?
When deciding between marketing strategies, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. Integrate both online and offline strategies.
Follow the tips in this article to drive amazing results for your next offline marketing campaign.
Consider using a competitive intelligence tool like Unkover to analyze your competitors’ successes and finetune your online strategies.