Last updated - June 3, 2023
The eCommerce world is crowded for nearly every niche, and it can be incredibly hard to differentiate yourself from your competitors. While you know that your company is doing things differently and providing a superior product, a consumer may see you as just another option – unless you do something to really stand above everyone else.
Even if it’s an oversimplified way to think about it, this three-pronged strategy might assist you to consider your various marketing initiatives and how to allocate your time and resources.
While you might think that purchasing online ads is the best way to reach consumers, this may no longer be the case. Up to 40% of Americans use ad blockers on their devices to avoid intrusive and annoying pop-ups, which means that you may be missing out on a large audience if you focus only on this form of advertising. So how do you connect with your user base in the real world? Today, we’ll discuss five excellent offline marketing ideas to get people talking about your eCommerce store.
Use Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns
Direct mail campaigns remain a popular form of advertising for one simple reason: they work. There’s something permanent and impactful about receiving something in the mail; even if the recipient doesn’t immediately log on and check out your products, you’ve developed brand recognition, and they’ll think of you the next time they need to hunt down a specific item.
To make a successful direct mail campaign, focus on simplicity and an attractive layout. Don’t fill the postcard with a surplus of information, and make sure that the link to your website is prominently displayed.
Engage in Community Building
People like to support companies that they believe are making a difference in the world, so getting familiar with your local community is an excellent way to drum up support for your eCommerce site. Find fairs and trade shows where you can set up a booth, or even get your hands dirty and volunteer at a local charity, making sure that you document it for your social media.
You should seize every chance to increase digital engagement for your online company. Giving a little additional attention to your social media channels and making sure they are filled with lively photographs and interesting videos is one of the simplest and most efficient methods to do this.
If you work with a specific community – for example, tropical fish enthusiasts – attend events that are geared toward this group; don’t hesitate to go a little out of your comfort zone and visit festivals or fairs that are a bit further away from your headquarters if possible.
What will you do at these events in order to help people remember? Let’s talk about this next!
Distribute Branded Merchandise
Everyone loves to get something for free: giving away swag creates a positive reputation for your brand as caring, and it also serves as continued advertising for your business. For an added boost, make sure to tailor the kind of branded merchandise to the particular community you’re advertising to. For example, if you’re at a college fair, give away promotional lanyards or beer koozies; if you’re visiting an Earth Day event, offer reusable bags or drinking straws. You could also consider giving away small gifts with each purchase, as this will build goodwill with your customers and encourage them to come back.
Remember that you should utilize quality items rather than going for the cheapest deal, as you want your brand to be associated with great value and a superior product.
Collaborate with Influencers
This one can be both online and offline, and a more holistic approach will really help. You might offer an influencer a free product for them to post on their social media, then ask them to wear a branded t-shirt or pin at a meetup or convention so as to further emphasize their association with you.
Make sure to choose an influencer who has sway within your own niche; this may take some creative thinking, depending on your industry, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a few different influencers and ask them if they believe that your brands are compatible.
Connecting with the proper influencer may increase brand recognition by putting your product in front of a large number of potential buyers. Make sure your chosen influencer’s following and brand values match those of the audience you are targeting in order to maximize the effectiveness of the influencer marketing strategy.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of starting small. Is there a local celebrity in your area that might jump at the chance to collaborate? You’ll never know if you don’t ask, and it can build some hometown pride that will push business your way.
Experiment with Pop-up Shops
There’s really nothing quite like getting to touch and hold products before purchasing them; it’s one of the reasons that people still enjoy shopping in person, even if they can get the same thing online. According to PopUp Republic, the pop-up sector has seen a huge increase in sales. A pop-up store is a transient retail space created by a person who owns an online company. They are particularly popular among small online businesses and owners of e-commerce sites.
You can provide a taste of your product by opening a pop-up shop for a limited time, whether at a festival or a mall and building hype about your product through meeting with customers. This works incredibly well with those who provide handcrafted goods; for example, you might find a local Renaissance Faire and run a booth there, reminding people that they can come to see your wares anytime online.
Final Thoughts
Of course, none of this will be successful without a well-designed website that is intuitive and user-friendly: you might attract customers, only to fumble them once they have actually visited your shop.
The increase in revenue and leads that may be achieved by integrating physical and digital advertising techniques is often more than anticipated. There are several ways to advertise your internet business offline, from pop-up shops and trade exhibitions to printing catalogs and business cards.s
For great results, you need to work on both your online presence and your real-world advertising, creating a comprehensive marketing strategy built from your experience in your industry. The most important component here is that you build strong relationships with others, both in your local community and in your subject area as a whole, in order to give an air of authority and approachability. By utilizing these five tactics in tandem with your online presence, you can boost sales and develop a loyal customer base that will be with you for years to come.
