You’re certain that this is the age that everything happens online. Communication, relationships, media consumption, advertising and education are all easier to get through a mobile phone.
You have a valid point. The online world is here to stay and we can’t easily escape from it (unless you go live in nature).
Wait a minute though... this doesn't mean that the offline world is not accessible anymore. And when it comes to advertising you can get results both online and offline.
Offline methods of advertising
Offline methods of advertising are the ones that don’t take place on the Internet and require your physical presence in one way or another when you execute them.
Let’s look at 4 of these methods in detail.
1. Joining networking events
Joining networking events is an interesting way to promote your business offline. In this method you should aim to join events where you can find people who might be interested in what you are selling.
It requires to spend time and be consistent, so it’s a tough method in general. However, extroverts love it, and this is why I say it’s an interesting method.
Because if you are an outgoing person who likes meeting new people then you probably enjoy the whole process. And when you manage to find clients while meeting people then it feels awesome.
Pro tip!
If you want to find events where your prospective clients may go, check out a website called meetup.
2. Passing out business cards
Many professionals like Therapists, Consultants, Lawyers or Accountants usually have business cards that display basic information about their business in a small piece of paper.
Why do these professionals print business cards though? For one of the two reasons below:
- Just to carry the business cards on them in case a prospective client asks for one, or
- To actively start passing out business cards to people they meet or to just drop them to places where prospective clients may find them.
The 1st reason is a valid one and I believe that you should print some nice-looking business cards and always have them on you.
However, the 2nd reason lacks efficiency and we will see why in a bit.
Pro tip!
The networking and business cards methods can be combined very well, since it makes a lot of sense to give business cards to people you meet in a networking event.
3. Word of mouth
Word of mouth is not exactly an offline method of advertising per se, as it is something that happens on its own without you being able to control it.
And it happens in all types of businesses…
Whenever someone buys a product or a service and feels satisfied from their purchase, it’s very likely that this person will communicate their satisfaction to their friends and family.
Pro tip!
You can’t really control word of mouth, but what you can do is to offer an excellent service or product so as to raise your chances of people discussing about you.
4. Getting referrals from doctors
This is a method that therapists can use in which they approach doctors to ask for patient referrals in case a doctor’s patient needs physical or mental therapy.
This approach can bring a few clients to therapists, but competition sometimes makes things difficult for them, because there may be many therapists in a specific area but not enough doctors.
So, new therapists will not be able to make an agreement with a doctor due to lack of availability.
Pro tip!
Don't rely too much on a method that makes you dependent on others. Try to focus your efforts on methods that you can control yourself.
Online methods of advertising
Online methods of advertising don’t require your direct contact with a prospective client and they take place on the internet.
To use them you need to have a computer with access to the internet and in some cases, you need to have a budget to spend in case you decide to advertise on famous advertising platforms like Facebook, Google or Instagram.
You can go to this page for more tips on how to effectively use online methods advertising.
Now it’s time for the winner…
And the winner is
Using offline methods of advertising is something you can do. And in some instances, you may enjoy using them, just like extroverts enjoy joining networking events.
Coming back to business cards… the method of actively passing out business cards to others, is a bit outdated. Because how many business cards can you give to people per day on average?
1 per day? Maybe less… On the other hand, how many people can you reach with online marketing per day? Thousands!
When it comes to word of mouth and doctor referrals, the main problem with these 2 methods is that they are very passive.
Because in both cases you rely on other people suggesting your service/product.
Offline methods are nice, cute and closer to our nature as human beings, but unfortunately, they don’t work very well in this era.
In today’s world people are constantly online… their mobile phone is an extension of their hand.
So, clever business people always take advantage of something like this and by using online methods of advertising they can reach a huge number of potentials clients in a matter of hours.
So, to conclude, I am not saying to not use offline methods of advertising at all, if you want to.
I am just saying that offline methods should not be your main/only marketing method, because if you don’t take advantage of online methods you are really missing out.
What type of advertising methods do you prefer? Online or offline? Leave a comment below and I'll get back to you.
Until next time.
I am in the process of choosing other ways of advertising to reach new potential clients. I agree that while being on doctors lists of therapists & handing out business cards has its advantages, media is the way to go to reach more people. There are many sites out there to advertise. I find this group very helpful and wish to thank you for your help & encouragement
Thank you for your comment, Helen! Great to know that you’re getting help out of the group. 🙂
Hello Manos,
Thank you for the Email.
I am replying to acknowledge this Email & I can see how the method/ tools can help Therapist continue to grow their Business. This has definitely given me something to think about.
Warm regards
Jannette Sakkouri.
Thank you, Jannette!
Your comments have given me something to think about. I have recently set up my own business. Another aspect of marketing that I came across in Scotland was when I visited the Business Gateway in Livingston for advice and information the staff were very helpful and offer free advertising on their business directory for a specified time