Is Old School Marketing Too Primitive?

Everything has it’s place and time. That is a tried, tested, and true theory. The problem is that in today’s precipitous life, finding one’s place can be can be tremendously laborious. We are all drenched in this digital age. Digital media, social media, digital footprints, the digital particulars can be dizzying.  It is precisely at this juncture that we must ask ourselves: Is Old School Marketing Primitive?

Despite the ongoing hype over digital advertising and social media, many small business owners find themselves uneasy at the rationalization that it may not be as effective as the world would have us believe.  Sure, it’s definitely a medium in reaching more people than the old trusted door-to-door approach has served in the past. The question remains, though, do people remember my business after they have seen it surface a few times on their computer screens?

Back to our kindergarten days we go. Why not share the space?.  Create an old school/ new school fusion. If you find yourself inclined to hand out flyers on the street, provide a link on the flyer that will take your readers to a video or a website that explains to them precisely who you are and what you do. The answer to this question does not present itself comfortably in the “either or” columns. Both old school and new school have to work together to create the perfect solidarity.

There is unequivocally something to be said about the classic perception that putting your marketing material in the hands of the customer and making it strikingly tangible can keep your business relevant.  On the polar opposite of the spectrum is the realization that old school marketing can be time consuming, as well as costly and  should be preserved for significant times to really make an impact.

There is finally the issue of transformation. If you find yourself prone to doing things the old school way and are finding yourself in a predicament adjusting, just remember that everything you’ve done prior can still be done, just on a different platform.  For example, direct mail>print>newsletter can be conformed to direct email marketing. You can still have your cake and eat it too. Save the direct mailings for feel-good occasions like Christmas in order to remind your customer that you think of them during these memorable times. Birthday cards go a long way in gently mentioning to your customer that you  reward and acknowledge their business.

In closing, it is crucial to bear in mind that if you spend all of your efforts on classic marketing, your business is bound to fizzle out. The same can be said about focusing all your intention on digital marketing. Harmonize for best results.