Beyond Digital: Incorporating Offline Branding Strategies For Your Startup

Has the rush to establish your startup online made you forget offline branding strategies? 

We forget so many things in the face of innovation. 

For example, a friend recently asked me if I remembered Web browsers being sold in stores. I didn’t. 

He made it sound like I was missing out on a lot. From where I was standing, though, this wasn’t exactly a disappointment. Quite on the contrary. All I could think was: Huh, I guess I’m not that old after all. 

See, forgetting can sometimes be a confidence booster. 

Netscape Navigator, anyone? I promise I won’t tell!

Offline Branding Strategies: To Forget Or Not To Forget?

Some things, however, should not be forgotten. Things that still have their place in the world, no matter how rapidly it is changing.

How do offline branding strategies fit in here?

The online vs offline marketing battle is pointless. Joining forces is the real deal. When these two shake hands is when the real battle begins. The battle for winning your seat at today’s market, and making it a great one!

The battle against what, exactly? Your urge to ignorantly dismiss all offline branding strategies.

A lot of them, simply, work. Plus, forgetting them won’t make you any younger.

Community Involvement

Community involvement puts a face to your startup and helps increase brand awareness. Here’s how to become involved.

Sponsorships As Great Offline Branding Strategies

Nothing screams community involvement such as sponsorships. How about taking a local sports team under your wing? Supporting young athletes gives an immediate positive impression of your brand. Not to mention that sporting events allow you to market to the crowd and reach large audiences.

You don’t even have to spend a lot to do this. Funding uniforms for the team, or hosting their awards ceremony should be enough to get you noticed.

If you’re not one for sports, you can find a different thing to sponsor. A simple community event of any sorts can do the trick.

Charity Support

Charity is a sure path towards showing you care. And, a brand that cares is a brand that wins. It’s the brand that people will stand by.

Donate a portion of your profits to a local cause, or host fundraisers. Be there when someone in the community needs help. People will spread the word, and you WILL become a recognizable name.

Volunteering

If donating money through charity support or sponsorships is still not an option, how about donating your time?

Offline Branding Strategies For Networking Events

Networking is an offline branding strategy that works miracles. And we’ll never get tired of repeating that.

Attend And Speak At Events

Attending local events leads to connecting to potential customers, as well as to learning from other successful entrepreneurs. Speaking at an event gives you credibility and establishes you as an expert in the industry.

Taking part in various speaking events is what Chris Messina, great .MEr, does best. And, if the guy who invented hashtags is doing it, you should be doing it too!

So, learn how to promote your startup at an event, dress up for the occasion and start the show. Don’t mention Netscape Navigator, though. Making people feel old is not a good business strategy.

Host Events

Someone has to host all those events you’re attending.

What if it’s you?

Hosting events gives you more control over getting your name out there. Throw in a few branded goods, coupons and discount cards as gifts, and watch your brand make a positive impression.

Traditional (Forgotten) Offline Branding Strategies

Buying Web browsers and using floppy disks are not good traditions to stick to, I get it. Longing for the past never gets us anywhere.

Looking ahead, however, is not about forgetting tradition. It’s about incorporating the past into the present, using it to shape the future. That’s why offline branding strategies pair so well with online ones.

Direct Mail

Direct mail is not out of the game! It works best with existing customers, or people who’ve already shown an interest in your brand. Sending direct mail can give them a nudge into the right direction and help them finally make a purchasing decision.

A good tip to remember is that direct mail works better for Millennials than Gen X or Baby Boomers. Millennials are far more likely to be prompted to go online and make a purchase. So, send mail, but give clear instructions on how to reach your startup online.

Print Advertisement

With most Millennials using ad blockers nowadays, physical ads are a necessary try at getting noticed. Call it digital fatigue or anything you want, but consumers are becoming more receptive to print advertising. So, stock up on business cards, pamphlets, brochures, posters and magazines. 

Phone Calls As Important Offline Branding Strategies

Perhaps it’s true you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can certainly teach a new dog old tricks. Here’s a trick from a very, very old book. I’m talking older than floppy disks and way, way older than Netscape Navigator.

Hunting for offline marketing strategies that still work today, you can’t ignore a good, old-fashioned phone call.

Don’t get me wrong, outbound channels, including e-mails and social media, are vital. But, phone calls remain one of the best ways to nurture client relationships.

Face To Face

Thinking it can’t get more traditional than a phone call? Wrong! Face-to-face communication is still highly effective for lead generation and for building your brand. Speaking to someone face-to-face, you get to read their body language and guide the conversation accordingly.

Recap

You can forget all about buying Web browsers at stores. Forget floppy disks. You can even forget your own age if that makes you feel better.

What you can’t forget, though, is that offline branding strategies are still extremely effective in today’s climate. And that they work best when coupled with proper online presence.

Volunteer at a local organization. Support a charity. Sponsor a sports team.

Be the host of and speak at important events.

Remember that print advertisements and direct mail are not dead. Don’t underestimate the value of phone calls and face-to-face conversations.

These may be old tricks, but there’s a new big dog on the block. And it’s you!