Sometimes going back to the basics of marketing and using traditional marketing tools is what it takes to boost sales.
The way we do business is constantly in flux, and as consumer behaviors change, marketers have to stay on their toes and adapt to the changing times. However, sometimes new and shiny techniques are not always best. Here are some traditional marketing tools and techniques that some savvy YEC entrepreneurs swear by:
Question: What traditional marketing tool has really helped your business?
DAVID EHRENBERG
Early Growth Financial Services
Face-to-Face Meetings
“Getting out and meeting potential clients face to face, then working hard to build relationships with them, still yields the highest returns for us. Most of our customers are referrals from existing clients, investors and other service providers in our ecosystem. I spend a significant portion of each day meeting people, networking, following up with old contacts and checking in with clients.”
JOHN RAMPTON
Due
Phone Calls
“Picking up the phone and calling each and every one of my customers has been one of the best ROIs that we ever thought possible. We decided to call each and every one of our customers a few months ago — turns out some were very happy and are now paying us more, while others were unhappy and we had no idea. Since then, we haven’t had one customer leave us.”
MICHAEL PORTMAN
Birds Barbershop
Direct Mail
“Nobody reads mail anymore. That’s because there is very little of it nowadays. Direct mail is finally starting to stand out in the mailbox because it is often the only thing in there. Nothing beats getting mail, especially if it comes with a coupon to a business you like and a friendly, personal note thanking customers for their business.”
FIRAS KITTANEH
AstraBeds
Print Advertisements
“Our products are especially popular with a higher-income demographic, which is still easy to reach through print advertisements. We’ve run a few ads in luxury magazines and have consistently seen tremendous returns. If your product speaks directly to a particular audience, you’ll likely find a magazine worth partnering with.”
BRITTANY HODAK
ZinePak
Handwritten Notes
“Handwritten notes are part of ZinePak’s culture. Whether we’re thanking a client, wishing someone a “happy birthday,” or just sending a postcard to say “hello,” I’m constantly amazed at how well this simple action converts. It’s a great way for us to let our customers know how much they mean to us, and the overwhelming majority seem to enjoy getting a fun surprise in the mail.”
ANDREW SCHRAGE
Money Crashers Personal Finance
Guest Posting
“Guest posting has improved our SEO thanks to thousands of incoming links from influential sites, and it has improved our page views and our social media following by introducing new readers to our site daily.”
JOSH WEISS
Bluegala
Retargeting
“When it comes to ROI, retargeting is the single best investment you can make from a marketing perspective. It is not uncommon to see a 5-10X return on ad spend from retargeting.”
HEATHER SCHWARZ-LOPES
EarlyShares
Speaking Engagements
“Thought leadership is more important than ever. Even though there are tons of online avenues for growing your reputation as an industry expert, standing in front of an audience and sharing your knowledge remains a valuable way to establish trust with potential new customers. Speaking engagements also provide built-in networking opportunities, making them a two-for-one marketing tactic.”
BROCK STECHMAN
DivvyHQ
Networking
“Old-fashioned networking is the oldest form of marketing, but it’s super powerful. Conferences are a really great traditional marketing method because you can meet influencers, potential partners and clients, and existing clients.”
BASHA RUBIN
Priori Legal
Public Relations Efforts
“Our experience has proven that relationships and communication still matter. Recently, I’ve noticed a high return on the relationships we’ve built through networking and the exposure we’ve received from our public relations efforts.”
CARLO CISCO
SELECT
Targeted Advertising
“We acquire recurring subscribers at an upfront profit through Facebook. We’ve found that targeting and the ability to brand our message and tell a story on the newsfeed has helped us build our brand and gain customers. You need time, patience and money to test and find ads that work. You also need to change them up every now and then to keep things fresh and conversions strong.”
STANLEY MEYTIN
True Film Production
Email Blasts
“Following up with my list of existing and prospective customers via email has been a large source of business. It takes some time to organize the lists of emails and write an email that is tailored to them specifically, but the return on investment makes it all worth it.”
