“Almost overnight, the Internet’s gone from a technical wonder to a business must.” – Bill Schrader
What Bill Schrader said isn’t hyperbole, and on May 8 our president, Jill Mellady, had the opportunity to discuss exactly why investing in digital advertising is so important for businesses, during two breakout sessions at the Valley Industry Association’s 2015 B2B & CEO Forum.
The event was held at the Dianne G. Van Hook University Center at the College of the Canyons, and drew a crowd of CEOs, high-level executives and other SCV professionals. Jill was thrilled to see that her two breakout sessions were the best attended.
In case you missed it, we thought it would be helpful to recap her presentation on “Building a Better Business-to-Business Advertising Toolkit.”
It’s Not Just More Money
Whether you’re considering traditional methods print and direct mail marketing or digital, web-based advertising, one thing is vital: You should consider advertising a necessary part of your operating expenses. Investing money in advertising can be an important part of taking your business from adequate to thriving.
Digital Is Changing Everything
With how digital technology has revolutionized our lives over the past decade, businesses are hard-pressed to come up with a good excuse for not developing and maintaining a vibrant online presence.
Consider some of the statistics…
76% of consumers use search engines to find a local business (Newswire)
More than 82% of consumers use the Internet for content, social networking, entertainment, and shopping. (Pew Internet)
93% of people who use mobile devices to research a business go on to make a purchase (Nielsen)
And if you still think it’s not worth having a good online presence, keep in mind that missing and inaccurate info costs small businesses $10 BILLION a year (Yext)!
What’s In Your Toolbox?
Your advertising can thrive through a strategic combination of proven, traditional print methods that work together with advanced, digital resources.
“Digital advertising” is a big umbrella that can cover:
- Targeted social media advertising (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- Google advertising and remarketing
- Website display advertising
- Email-based advertising
- Web advertising working in concert with direct mail (ex., a direct mail postcard with a call to action that sends someone to a website or web landing page)
- Targeted content on websites and blogs
There are also traditional avenues that work well in conjunction with digital components and elements:
- Print advertising (newspapers, magazines, etc.)
- Radio
- Direct mail
Direct mail marketing, for instance, is a great example of how time-tested tools are a benefit. Mailing list services allow the ability to target your ideal client with near-pinpoint accuracy, and work well when combined with digital advertising methods. Examples could include a postcard that with a call to action driving recipients to your website, or a mailer with a custom QR code that, when scanned, opens a campaign-specific web page.
It’s important to develop a mix of advertising avenues, while still ensuring consistent messaging and branding across the board.
Make a Plan
In the same way a curated, targeted mailing list can make a direct mail campaign successful, the ability to target your ideal audience is a strength of digital advertising. There are, of course, several steps to ensuring success.
Set clear goals and objectives: Are you trying to raise awareness of your business, or create a call to action that drives clients to you?
Go where your customers are: That may mean casting a broad net with display advertising on websites, or it could involve keyword-specific Google ads and remarketing or a demographically targeted social media ad campaign
Time and money: Determine how much you can spend to help achieve the goals you set out.
In conclusion, a helpful advertising toolkit will include a variety of tools, from traditional to cutting edge. What’s important is to prioritize investing in advertising, because it is an investment in your success. It’s also important to seek out the advice of experts, and not just sign off on a bill of goods being sold to you. Ask for measurable data, case studies and success stories.
Do you need help with taking your advertising to the next level? Mellady Direct Marketing can help. From design, print, and mailing to an array of digital services, we are ready to assist you. Contact us today at connect@melladydirect.com or (661) 298-9190.
