Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing (Which is Right for Your Business?)
June 7, 2023
We sometimes talk to business owners who are tentative to move from traditional small business marketing to digital channels. Is their concern valid? Let’s explore “old school” and “new school” marketing tactics.
We get a call from a business that is established. They’ve been around for a couple of decades, and they have a strong local reputation.
They started marketing when businesses still used the Yellow Pages more than websites. They run print ads, direct mail, run radio spots and even do some cold calling now and then.
Most of all, they get a lot of referral business. And, they should. They’ve been doing good work for a long time.
This business owner isn’t fond of technology. He keeps his phone and online search pretty basic. Social media is a foreign concept.
He explains all this to our marketing consultant, making clear that he’d prefer to stick to his traditional marketing tactics. Finally, she asks, “If things are working so well for you with old-school marketing, why did you contact us?”
“Well, my son comes in the other day and shows me a search he did on his phone.”
He pauses.
“At the top of the search is this new guy — new competition. He’s got a slick website and, I must admit, a strong offer.”
He pauses.
“I’m worried about it. That’s why I called you”.
That’s a good reason.
If it works, it works
Let’s get one thing straight.
Marketing 360® is a digital marketing company. We’re born of computers, the internet and mobile connectivity. We’re new school.
But, that’s not like some kind of oath. It doesn’t mean we can only recommend new school tactics, or that we think people who do old-school are relics.
We say if a marketing tactic is working for you, keep doing it. If you told us you used a telegraph and it worked to reach your audience, we’d say keep doing it.
You have established tactics that are proven. If they deliver ROI, keep it up. However, that doesn’t mean you can be complacent.
The challenge the business owner above described is real. We looked into it.
He’s facing a legitimate competitor who’s advertising aggressively. This business is looking to establish itself, and they’re willing to low-ball prices to win clients.
Our “old-school” marketer considers those to be his clients. He’s going to have to fight for them.
Do what works
How do you decide what marketing channels to use? How do you stay ahead of trends and competition so you don’t end up in a vulnerable position?
The answers depend on your business. Any time you choose marketing channels, it depends on what you offer, where you are, who you’re trying to reach and who you’re competing against.
If you’re in a relatively small market with minimal competition and a strong reputation, you may hardly need to market at all. You get your business through referrals.
If your target audience is an older, male demographic, then advertising on Snapchat won’t do much for you. It doesn’t matter if this is the latest marketing trend. If your audience isn’t there, it won’t work.
If you offer professional services where your expertise and personality are the product, then a website by itself isn’t going to sell people on you. Create some YouTube videos, and get out there and shake some hands.
When you plan what marketing channels to use, start by analyzing what works for your business. Don’t just go half-cocked with the trends or get sold on something that doesn’t lend itself to your business.
When you should change and update
Well, the Yellow Pages used to work. I wish they still did.
We hear this a lot from older businesses resisting the move to search and website marketing. But sometimes, you do have to change. It’s one thing when an old-school tactic is still working for you. But, it’s another when it isn’t.
When someone tells us their lead generation dried up and they still don’t have a website or Google account, then we know it’s time to light a fire under their backside.
Technology changed marketing and advertising. Pockets of old-school tactics still work, but today, people get such a huge majority of their information from the internet that it’s a rarity for a business to be effectively generating leads without it.
Likewise, with all the channels available today, you can only make assumptions about what will work for your business. To know for sure, you’ll have to do some experimenting.
For instance, we speak to many business owners who don’t think they stand a chance on Facebook. But they don’t realize how effective it can be for top-of-funnel lead generation and brand awareness. Or, they don’t know they can create lookalike audiences that target people similar to their existing customers.
Many businesses gain a lot by trying Facebook Ads, even if it doesn’t always result in direct sales.
Don’t jump into the unknown because of trends, but don’t ignore new channels that might open opportunities to give you a competitive advantage. Some you might try unsuccessfully, but when you hit pay-dirt it can be a game changer.
Measure success
A wise marketer recently said:
“We can do anything. But, what are we trying to do?”
This is an often overlooked question when it comes to choosing marketing platforms and channels. It’s not just what you can do, but why you’re doing it.
To know what you’re trying to do, you’ll have to measure data. When you collect and analyze data, you’ll know what worked and what didn’t.
This, by the way, is a major advantage of digital marketing. The data really let’s you see what’s happening, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your investment.
Tools like the Intelligence app are designed to help small businesses understand and apply their marketing data so it’s ROI driven.
An old-school marketer once said:
“I know half of my marketing budget is working. I just don’t know which half.”
Digital marketers rarely have this problem.
The time to change
Hey, we get it. Digital marketing technology can be confusing.
Case in point, marketers know of the famous LUMAscape, which is updated every year showing the thousands of marketing and advertising technologies currently online, built to satisfy any need you can imagine.
That’s a bit more choice than:
But that’s the world we live in now. Eventually, the old school closes. When that happens, businesses must change with the times or risk closing themselves.
Here’s the vital point.
The time to update your tactics is before your lead-generation dries up and you’re eating the competition’s dust.
The business owner we talked with has a weak, outdated website. The competition he’s facing looks vital, energetic and, frankly, more professional. It’s a legit threat.
In the end, we didn’t sell him a new website design and digital marketing plan. He sold himself:
“I don’t much care for the internet — my son knows these trends better than I do. But that’s not the reason I’m working with Marketing 360. The reason I’m working with you is I looked at our old site and our competition’s new one. If I’m honest with myself, I’d choose them over us if I was a new customer comparing the two. No way that’s going to work out in the long run.”
Welcome to the new school.
Originally published on 4/29/19
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