According to Gartner’s Marketing Budget Research Report 2022, offline channels are experiencing the greatest gains in marketing budget investment when compared to digital.
But if you’ve focused on engaging prospects online, how will your brand and creative translate? We give our top five tips on what you should consider when taking your online brand into the real world.
1. Bring your brand with you.
The single most important step is making sure your brand remains consistent across everything you do. It’s all about trust and cohesion, and in a saturated world, you don’t want to lose either. For example, if you’re an aspirational brand with a focus on quality and expertise, your print creative should echo this. If you’re a company with a strong environmental ethos, reflect this in your packaging or merchandise choices.
2. Blend your online and offline presence.
Remember, your customers won’t differentiate between engaging with you digitally or offline. They’ll expect the same service, delivery, and experience. Think taglines, fonts, colourways, photography, tone of voice, customer service – everything matters, and trust us, your customers will notice a disconnect if you don’t get this right. Consider every aspect of your identity to ensure the hard work you’ve invested into your online brand translates to the analogue world.
3. Think about where your customers are – and go there.
There’s an overwhelming array of places your customers can find their information. From billboards to bus sides, trade fairs to magazines, and a thousand others in between. Cut through the noise and consider where your target audience is going to be. Take time to understand your customers, and make sure you’re ready to engage with them in the right places.
4. Use your offline platforms to send people online.
Don’t forget about online! Adopt a hybrid approach, using your real-world marketing to send people back to your website. Customer journeys may be evolving but prospects will always expect to see an engaging social and digital presence. Interrogate the success of your offline campaigns with the use of offer codes or by asking customers how they found you.
5. Measure your success.
Before diving into an offline campaign, make sure it supports your overall business objectives, and that you have robust plans to measure your return on investment. Be strategic and choose avenues that support your online brand, evaluating each campaign to make sure it’s working for you.
Ready to blend your offline branding with your digital identity?
