3 Ways Manufacturers Use Classic Marketing As Digital Marketing

When it comes to manufacturing, traditional marketing methods are still very much the norm. Whether it is sending out direct mail of some kind or going to a trade show, manufacturing businesses are typically stuck in ‘old school marketing’ habits. That’s okay - we know that if you stop showing up to trade shows your competitors may think your ship is sinking and you may still get good leads from your direct mail pieces. However, digital marketing can elevate the success of your traditional marketing methods, when done correctly.

Customer behavior is changing and the digital world is here to stay. That doesn’t mean you need to scrap your traditional marketing activities, however, you just need to add a digital complement to your existing efforts. Below are 3 ways manufacturers can take traditional marketing methods and give them digital equivalents.

1. Radio Ads Turn Into: Tweets

While 90% of people in the US listen to the radio at least once on a weekly basis, there are 13,500 radio stations to choose from. What are the chances that everyone in your target market will be listening to the radio station(s) your ad is running on at the right time? Instead, you can tweet out messages to compliment your ad and either instruct prospects to tune in at a certain time or directly link them to the landing page the advertisement would have them go to. This way you can increase traffic and the number of leads scanning your site.

2. Print Newsletters Turn Into: Email Versions

Print newsletters are still a great asset, however they can’t capture data the way email newsletters can. With email you can add links back to your website - either to offers, your blog, or anything else that may capture the interest of your target audience. Together print newsletters and email blasts can compliment one another. If your email gets lost in the crowded inbox of your prospects, there is still a chance that they could open your print newsletter and take the next steps to contact you. Adding a call tracking phone number to your print newsletter will let you capture some data on if people are calling you as a result of your direct mail initiatives, thus giving you a new metric that you previously couldn’t quantify.

3. Trade Show Banners Turn Into: Social Media Images

Trade show banners are great ways to showcase who you are as an organization. However, they have a limited lifespan - the banner is really only useful during the show times. However, if you digitize these images, you can tweet them out, post them to Facebook or LinkedIn and establish your digital brand. Sharing these messages prior to a trade show also helps your audience find you - they will already know what your booth looks like so you’ll be easier to spot The online world is incredibly visual, so having consistent imagery is a must. You can even share images of your trade show banner on social media - increasing prospects’ awareness of your manufacturing company’s presence at these trade shows. There are also a number of other tips for improving trade show success with inbound marketing techniques, check them out here.

Overall, traditional marketing methods will never go away, but they can be improved on by adding compatible digital strategies. Do you have other ways that your manufacturing company has entered the digital space? Tell us about it in the comments!