Admit it or not; we are becoming more and more dependent on technology. Social media is part of it. We rely on different social media platforms to do our daily routines.
We replaced the meeting and conference rooms with Zoom. Snail mail with Gmail.
Hanging out with chatting on Messenger. We replaced photo albums with Instagram. Every single thing we used to do before technology took over is slowly being forgotten, including marketing.
But can businesses still survive without social media?
Here is a quick list of “old fashioned” marketing strategies and ideas you can use for your business.
1. Promotions
Increasing your sales doesn’t always require having MORE customers. Sometimes it could mean making your old customers come MORE often. But without social media to help you encourage them to come, is it still possible? The answer is yes.
Loyalty program
-Example: Complete 5 stamps get a free upsize for your drink. Complete 10 stamps your drink is free. 15 stamps, you get a free shirt (with the logo of your brand).
Why is this smart? The more products your customer gets, the more they will feel invested with the loyalty card. They will easily be convinced to keep on purchasing if there are incentives, right? It might sound difficult without a social media presence, but communication is always crucial. Talk to your customers. Make it sound like it would benefit them more than it would do you.
Bring-a-buddy
-Example: Every time your regular customer brings a newcomer, you can give them 10% off their total purchase combined. Then the next time they come together, you can increase it to 15% and so on.
If those two customers came together for a total of 10 times in a month, you could treat them on their 10th visit as an incentive. The newcomer will receive their first loyalty card on their 10th visit together. They can start bringing friends of their own until it becomes a cycle.
Why is this effective? You will encourage your patrons to create a new set of loyal customers. This will promote loyalty and good relationships. If you’re thinking that reviews and recommendations only happen on social media channels, well, you got it wrong. People are more likely to try something new if it was recommended by someone they know personally.
2. Bazaars
This is a perfect marketing strategy to gain exposure for your business. Many people come to bazaars, especially on holiday seasons, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity.
The location of your business might not always be accessible to most people. Without a social media presence, customers can only know a little information about your business.
But if you regularly participate in bazaars, more people can become aware of your brand. They might start looking for your physical store.
Don’t make the crowd come to you; go to your crowd.
3. Freebies
Not a lot of business owners like the idea of giving free stuff. But if you’re a smart entrepreneur, you know for sure that this is an effective way of marketing your business.
You will not just give away random stuff. You will give your customers items that have the logo of your business. Not only were you able to put a smile on their face, but you’re also able to unconsciously make them advertise your brand.
Whenever you’re given something, especially like a gift, for some reason, you can’t just help but tell others, right? Since we’re already in the digital era, chances are your customers will be the ones to put it on their social media accounts to let others know.
You can always do business marketing without harming trees. The days of traditional flyers are over. But you can still take advantage of print media in a more efficient way.
Instead of boring papers, you can print fancy stickers. That way, your customers and target audience will be more interested in keeping it than throwing it away.
Also, it builds curiosity in the people who will see your logo. That simple sticker will make people talk about your business. Smart marketing strategy, right?
Conclusion:
Yes, it’s still possible to market your business without social media in 2020. But it’s undeniable that we need to go the extra mile to accomplish this. It’s also essential to explore your options because, as many people say, “nothing is permanent in this world.” As business owners, you need to have a back-up plan.
Unlike any other marketing strategy, you just need to get a little creative. It’s essential to know your business from inside out.
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