Effective marketing requires multiple components, and while these components are technically independent of each other, they work more effectively when used together.
This presents a tremendous opportunity for companies that are willing to leverage digital marketing channels to get the most from their offline channels. It requires a little more effort, but produces exponentially greater results.
Networking
Networking events can be great for generating new business, but what takes place at the event itself is only a small part of the equation. Many people find networking to be overwhelming because they meet so many new people, and may not remember them until they’ve met them a few times. This can make it difficult to reach out to them long afterward.
A good way to avoid this problem is to leverage email and social media to engage with contacts immediately following an event.
After collecting business cards at a networking event, while the details of each person are still fresh, connect with them on LinkedIn and send a brief email—even if there doesn’t appear to be an immediate opportunity to do business together. This establishes a connection on LinkedIn so they will be more likely to see information posted there, and it plants a seed so any future outreach won’t feel like a cold email.
This tactic can be even more effective by utilizing a CRM system such as HubSpot or Salesforce to make notes and set reminders to follow up at certain intervals.
Public Speaking
A powerful way to demonstrate authority, knowledge and trustworthiness is through public speaking. This also happens to be a great way to drive people into a marketing funnel, enabling a company to continue marketing to them long after the initial presentation.
It’s as simple as encouraging the audience—before, during and after the presentation—to connect on LinkedIn, subscribe to a newsletter, like a company Facebook page, share their experience with the presentation on social media, opt in for a free download or schedule a consultation.
The key is to deliver the call to action in a natural and subtle way. That makes all the difference between being perceived as a helpful guide or a late-night infomercial.
The presentation also can be recorded and uploaded to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other social networks to reach an even larger audience.
Vehicle Wraps
Many commercial construction firms have company vehicles. In this case, a vehicle wrap offers a tremendous opportunity to create brand recognition, but it also offers an opportunity to drive people to a website where they can find more information.
Encouraging visitors to subscribe to a newsletter is an obvious choice here, but another powerful, yet underutilized tactic is to implement retargeting. This is where a tracking pixel is embedded on a website so that once someone visits that website, targeted ads can “follow” them, being displayed on other websites they visit for a certain window of time.
For this to be successful, it’s essential that a company’s website is printed large enough to see at a distance while moving. It’s also important to ensure the font clearly differentiates between similar characters, such as the letter L and the number 1 so as not to confuse people.
Print Materials
All printed marketing materials—business cards, invoices, brochures, proposals, postcards, etc.—should include the company’s website. If a little more space is available, additional URLs can be included, such as a company Facebook or Instagram page. Don’t go overboard; two or three URLs should be the maximum.
For the best results, add a call to action. For example: “Follow us on Facebook for local trends and construction news that could affect your business: facebook.com/your-facebook-page-url.”
This is another tactic where retargeting can be particularly effective.
A Blended Approach
Leveraging multiple digital channels to maximize results from offline channels creates a more powerful position in the market while producing a greater return on investment. For example, prospective customers can be sent a direct mail piece, perhaps a promotional booklet that drives them to a page on a website where they might subscribe to a newsletter.
While there, a retargeting pixel can be loaded so that ads promoting a company can be displayed on the other websites they visit later. If they do subscribe, a particular marketing message can be reinforced, and if they don’t, the company will have additional opportunities to convert that person.
In this scenario, after prospects receive the initial promotional booklet, they will be reached through three additional channels: website, newsletter and retargeting ads.
