How to Balance Traditional and Social Marketing Strategies

Marketing is based on four concepts, commonly referred to by the acronym AIDA: First, you need to grab the customers Attention; you then generate their Interest in your product or service by highlighting the benefits it will bring to their lives; following this you create Desire (the “must have” mind-set); finally you motivate customers to take some Action (i.e., make the purchase).

The most effective way to move through each step of AIDA with your customers is by blending traditional marketing with social media marketing (infographic).  As per Andre Kay, CEO and Chief Marketing Officer for Sociallybuzz, a social media management firm, social networking makes it easier for small business owners to reach potential customers but harder to engage them and build on-going loyalty.  However, when you are able to successfully combine both traditional and social media strategies, you will have developed an extremely powerful marketing tool for your company.

Below are some suggestions for integrating traditional with social media marketing:

Connect Print Media with Social Marketing

Provide the link to your company website, as well as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn profiles on your business cards, posters, business stationary, brochures, and promotional material, such as coupons, cups or other give-aways.

Print Testimonials

Use your print ads to highlight what other customers, vendors and suppliers are saying about your business on any of the social networking sites.  If you have been on one or more of the sites on a regular basis, chances are pretty good that you have several great testimonials to include. Prospective customers are especially interested in the reputation of your firm and nothing speaks louder than a strong testimonial from a reliable source.

Link an Offline Promotion with an Online Advantage

For example, a photographer can offer a free picture to new customers and their families that the customer may then post to their Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile. If you are a graphic designer and you have a new small business client,  you might offer to do a mock-up of their logo which they can then also post to their social media pages.

Build Customer Engagement with Email Lists or Opt-In Cards

Very often customers are reluctant to provide their email address, so this system will work best if it is combined with a special promotional offer aimed at both new customers and existing customers who are already reaping the benefits of your product or service.  Remember that most customers, whether new or existing, will likely not join your social media network independently but need to be coaxed along by you and your staff.  One method is to offer a promotion through which you offer a special discount to customers who initiate certain actions online, such as “liking” your Facebook page or sharing your blog with others in their circle influence.

Enlist all Employees in Blending Strategies

Enlist the help of all employees in notifying customers regarding your firm’s social medial presence and to recommend that they visit each of your profiles.

Cross Sell Online and Offline

Each time you reach a customer or prospect via one marketing channel (e.g. a coupon) alert them of other marketing tools you are using and what benefits they will derive from tapping into them as well. Be sure to tell these customers or prospects how they may find you. Your print material needs to provide the URL of your Web site, blog, and social media profiles. Conversely, your Facebook and Twitter pages can alert prospects and customers to a special promotion that will be sent through another marketing channel (e.g. via a direct mail flyer).

Daniela Baker is a small business blogger and social media advocate at CreditDonkey.  She helps small business owners and entrepreneurs compare business credit card deals to build their Internet presence and expand their business online.

Are you balancing traditional marketing and social marketing?

Tagged as: customer engagement, marketing strategies, social media marketing, traditional marketing