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Back to the Future?

Ok, fellow marketing mavens, it's retro time. We've been concentrating on digital media for so long, it's time to think about some much older media outlets and see if we want to invest any of our scarce marketing resources into these traditional categories.

So, here is your mix and match quiz for November. I'll give you four forms of action to apply to four old-time media favorites: radio, TV, yellow pages, and direct mail. Which action should you apply to each form of media?
• Kill it.
• Use sparingly.
• Make an investment.
• Embrace it.

Ready? Here are my choices:

Yellow pages— Kill it.

"Let your fingers do the walking" was a cute phrase that succinctly described the benefits of the Yellow Pages for consumers. But these days, consumers’ fingers are walking across their computer keyboards, smartphones, or iPads —not picking up a book with tiny print and ads for local businesses.

Unless your business is geared toward luddites or people who aren’t using computers, you should skip the yellow pages. It's costly, can't be modified, and not visually appealing. Time to move on.

Radio — Use sparingly.

For local advertising we like radio. It can have an immediate impact, and it's ideal for promoting a special event.

Radio should be a staple of local businesses. However, there are some caution signs out there:
• Audience erosion as people turn to iPods, satellite radio, recorded books, etc. to pass the time on the drive to and from work.
• Make sure you match your marketing message to the station’s format—the type of music or talk it provides. Check the station's demographics against your own and be sure they are in sync.
• Match your radio message to your brand. Don't let the local station talk you into a promotion or package that includes other businesses that might not be a good fit for you.

Direct Mail — Make an investment.

Direct mail is one of our favorite forms of communication, because, when done well, it can grab the consumer's complete personal attention. We particularly like postcard communications, with their immediate impact and lower cost.

However, a traditional direct mail letter or package can be time consuming to produce. The customer response from delivery to redemption of an offer is often weeks. Direct mail is a commitment of both time and budget.

On the other hand, as more marketers abandon direct mail and concentrate on more trendy communication tools, direct mail can actually be more effective. With less competition in the mailbox, your message will stand out more.

So use direct mail, but make sure you include a great offer, creative, and a good list..

TV — Embrace it.

It's not the least expensive marketing medium, but TV advertising can separate you from your competition. Local TV advertising rates are competitive, especially if you use cable in a region close to your business.

When you embrace TV advertising you get double duty from the video you produce. A television commercial can also be run as an ad on the Internet. A video will enhance your website and provide more information for customers who find you there. You can post your video ad on YouTube and direct customers to your video through emails with a link to your YouTube video address. You never know—your video could go viral and you could reach an audience on the Internet, far beyond the range of your cable station. So you get two uses for the price of one when you create video.

Check out this video we created to show off Raphel Marketing's video production services. We’re running the spot on cable tv, using it on our website, and it’s uploaded to YouTube for the whole world to find!

Everything old is new again—especially in the world of marketing. Use the old favorites wisely, and you’ll find they still work to reach your audience.