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3 Traditional Marketing and PR Initiatives That Still Work

Christine PerkettChristine Perkett

With the advent of social channels, virtual workplaces and mobile customers, traditional marketing initiatives can sometimes seem stale or irrelevant. But the truth of the matter is that the best marketing campaigns combine some of the ever tried and true best marketing practices with new inbound methods, social media channels and digital communications.

 

Sometimes businesses confuse a channel with a campaign.

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Sometimes businesses confuse a channel with a campaign. That is, today we have many new channels on which to communicate – Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Snapchat, Periscope, Instagram and more. These are simply communications tools, not that much different than tools of the past such as email, phone, or even fax.

I always like to say that just because someone is able to use a channel doesn’t mean they are good at communicating. It’s the way in which you communicate that truly matters. That being said, both old and new ways of communicating can still be valuable for marketing your small business.

Here are some examples of more traditional marketing initiatives that, when communicated through new channels, can still deliver a strong marketing return.

master_fxo_jcp_toystore_1626_2032263If you’re a small shop owner, consider a holiday open house or special shopping experiences (Small Business Saturday is a great one!). Perhaps a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new office or store location is appropriate, or offering your place of business for a local charity to hold a fundraising event (which could drive interest in your store from attendees who may never have been in before).

Events don’t have to be expensive if you think out of the box, and with social channels, marketing them can be easier than ever. Online invitations, Twitter hashtags (make up your own or piggyback on another such as #SmallBusinessSaturday) and Facebook posts can all help promote your event for next to nothing. Remember to take a lot of photos and post them on channels such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Most email newsletter tools are conscientious of small business needs, and that includes their pricing. Remember to incorporate the new tools such as social integration, website sign up forms and sharing options into your newsletter, to expand reach and encourage sharing by readers.

Copy_master_082814-326_203221a3For example, sending out seasonal coupons or special offers that require the shopper to bring the coupon or flyer into the store. Or, sending a Birthday card to your top clients with a small gift. Anything that makes a consumer feel special can stand out from the bombardment of digital offers and content. To merge new and old initiatives, include things like QR codes or other special tie-ins to your website. FedEx Office can help get these printed, and delivered on time!

Today, with the availability of journalists and their contact information online and in social channels such as Twitter, you can easily do some of your own outreach. Sign up for alerts at free services such as HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to learn about articles reporters are writing and who they are seeking as experts.

You’ll find that you may often fit that profile, have information to contribute, and can get your own company in the media. If you live in a smaller town, create relationships with the local town newspaper editor and get involved in numerous community initiatives often covered by the paper.

Most small businesses work on limited budgets. Hopefully these initiatives will help even the most frugal of companies think outside the box when it comes to merging traditional marketing initiatives with new marketing tools.

Christine Perkett is a senior marketing and PR consultant, and the founder and CEO of SeeDepth, a PR Analytics platform that makes measurement easy, meaningful and profitable for PR agencies and corporate communications teams. She has been named a “Top 100 Must Follow Marketing Mind” in Forbes, “A Top 100 Small Business Influencer” in the Small Business Influencer Awards and a “Top 50 Social Media Influencer on Twitter” by Cision.

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