Just because everything and everyone is plugged in doesn’t mean all your marketing must be. There’s a lot of power in an in-person promotion. So, consider these offline marketing ideas as you’re thinking of ways to increase sales. Then, put your own spin on them to match your unique business. Contents Brand some swag Perfect your business cards Participate in local events Host your own local event Buddy up with the local press Co-promote your business with neighbors Sponsor a local team or group Run ads in the newspaper Purchase yearbook ad space 🛑 Business growth isn’t a coincidence. Download the 6 Simple Steps to a Complete Small Business Marketing Plan (+Template) to get intentional about growing your business. 9 offline marketing ideas that’ll grow your business Your customers don’t care if they encounter your business online or in person. They’re going to associate the experience with your brand either way. These nine offline marketing ideas will help you give them a delightful experience in real life, which is bound to help sales no matter where they happen. 1. Brand some swag People love free stuff. And when the free stuff has your logo on it, people will remember your business every time they use it. There’s a nearly endless list of items you can brand and give away, like: T-shirts Mugs Pens and pencils Notepads Whatever type of swag you go with, make sure it really represents your brand. Does it feature your signature colors? Your logo? It needs to be exciting; otherwise, it’ll be easy for people to pass it up. People may share the swag they get online, so it’s a double promotional win. When choosing swag, see if there’s something that fits your brand. It’ll help you stand out, get people talking, and be memorable. For example, if you run a local gardening business, potted plants with your company logo on the side would make for a great and memorable piece. Swag is also a perfect offline way to show appreciation for your current customers. 💡 Free resource >> The Ultimate Guide to Lead Generation: 25 Ideas (+Tips & Examples) 2. Perfect your business cards As digital as things have become, business cards still have their place. What else are you supposed to hand out on an elevator or at a conference? And, unlike branded merchandise, business cards are cheap and easy to order in bulk. When designing your business card, make sure you have the essentials: Business name Contact info Social accounts Address, if applicable But don’t stop there. Go above and beyond. Add a QR code that takes people to your high-converting website, choose a design that really pops, and make your cards stand out. Remember that people are likely handed hundreds of these things at a conference. You want yours to be worth keeping. Lastly, make a digital business card while you’re at it. This can be a digital version of your business card design that you can easily share on social media, via email, etc. 3. Participate in local events Community engagement is paramount to offline marketing success. When you’re involved with your community, people get to know you, trust you, and, by proxy, know and trust your business. As an added perk, local events are a fun way to promote your business. Get involved with local events, like farmer’s markets, charity runs, and so on. This is a great chance to network, give out free swag and business cards, and build awareness. Sponsoring local events is a low-lift way to get your name in front of a lot of people. If possible, look for events that fit your brand. For example, if you’re marketing a car dealership, sponsor a coffee and cars event. These events are also great networking opportunities. Look for other local businesses who might be future co-marketing partners. 4. Host your own local event Taking part in local events is great. But have you thought about putting on your own event? Host a giveaway or other type of local event to drive buzz for your brand while also networking with the community. Beyond giving out the aforementioned awesome merch, put together a raffle or other type of giveaway for a larger-value service or product you offer. Whatever route you go, make sure to promote the event well in advance to generate hype. Put up flyers, partner with local restaurants and stores, and create an online social media event to help gauge headcount and drive awareness. Translate your offline efforts to online ones, too. Take plenty of pictures during the event and use them for future social media posts. 5. Buddy up with the local press Anytime your business is doing anything newsworthy, make sure the local press is aware of it. Create press releases for new launches, giveaways, and events, and reach out to your local paper so it’s available for readers. This is also why going to local events is important, even if they don’t pertain to your business. The press is usually at these kinds of events, making it a great time to network and get to know the people covering your town. When creating any kind of press release, make sure you have relevant contact information in the piece. The last thing you want is a release that catches the attention of a lot of people who don’t know how to contact you. 6. Co-promote with your business neighbors If you have a physical location in town, there are probably complementary businesses to your own. Leverage those relationships to help market each others’ businesses. For example, a healthy food shop and a yoga studio can hand out discount cards for both businesses. A daycare, tutoring center, and family fun park can share special events. You could create a mashup version of your product to co-promote multiple brands. The great thing about this offline marketing idea is that it allows you to tap into multiple audiences with minimal effort. You’ll also spread the work of promotion across several teams. 7. Sponsor a local team or group Sponsorships are a great way to get your company’s name in front of local eyes and show that your business is invested in the community and concerned with doing good. Look for local sports teams or non-profit groups to sponsor. Give them branded t-shirts or ball caps to wear so people see your logo. Help promote their events, successes, and initiatives (for non-profits) at your location and on social media. They’ll reward you by sharing your brand with their audience in return. Offer exclusive free merch or some kind of giveaway at a relevant spot once you’ve sponsored someone. For instance, if you’ve sponsored a local baseball team, give out shirts and feature your company name and logo alongside the athletic team. 8. Run ads in the newspaper Newspapers may be considered old school, but they can still work, especially for the right target audience. And local ads aren’t as expensive as other offline advertising forms, like billboards. Think about your budget and what your goals are. Depending on the cost of local ads, you might want to run ads only when you have a major sale, launch, event, or during the holidays. If your marketing budget can handle it and the ads aren’t too much, consider running a regular ad with a referral code to see how it performs. 9. Purchase yearbook ad space Most school yearbooks sell ad space in the back. Contact local schools and see about purchasing your own prime real estate. Keep in mind that yearbooks are completed before the end of the school year. If you wait too long, the ad space will be full, or the yearbook will be printed before you have the chance to be in it. Look for other similar opportunities. Local non-profits often sell coupon books, cookbooks, and other printed items that could feature your business. Use these offline marketing ideas to get more customers from more places Offline marketing tactics can feel dated, especially if you’re used to digital efforts. But, with the right approach, offline marketing ideas can lead to a bump in offline and online sales. The ultimate goal is to attract more customers and sell more of your products and services. But don’t underestimate the benefits of boosted brand awareness and increased trust these offline marketing strategies lead to. Spending time getting to know people at events and partnering with local organizations gives you a chance to build rapport with the community, and that’s priceless. To make all that happen, remember these nine offline marketing ideas: Brand some swag Perfect your business cards Participate in local events Host your own local event Buddy up with the local press Co-promote your business with neighbors Sponsor a local team or group Run ads in the newspaper Purchase yearbook ad space Related Articles 9 Free & Low-Cost Home Services Marketing Ideas to Stretch Your Budget 10 Free & Creative Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses 13 Construction Marketing Ideas to Build Leads 24 Fall Marketing & Advertising Ideas to Spice Up Your Season 40 A+ Back-to-School Marketing Ideas & Promotions for Any Business

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