Traditional forms of marketing are dead. Or are they?

Question: How many unsolicited emails have you deleted today?

photo credit: Paul Jerry

Electronic forms of marketing have the potential to reach a huge audience rapidly and often at lower production and distribution costs than, say, direct mailshots. However, electronic activity has reached avalanche proportions and many potential customers have become more aware of the dangers of responding to unknown SPAM. As a consequence, many businesses are finding the response rates to such activity are lower than anticipated, as emails, HTMLs and CDs are frequently discarded without being read.

So, are traditional forms of hard copy marketing literature, such as brochures, promotional flyer s and invitations, performing any better? This is debatable. Typically, less than one percent of mailshots result in new business and, again, many are thrown into the bin with barely a glance. However, are recipients more likely to register information received in a tangible form or even to file it away for the future?

Whatever the form of marketing communication selected, whether electronic or hard copy, to be at its most effective, it needs to hook and engage the recipient instantly. To do this, careful consideration must be given to the key messages to be included, design format and visual styling. Furthermore, if utilised as part of a co-ordinated campaign, both forms of marketing can be combined to build anticipation, awareness and momentum and, ultimately, may lead to the first sale.

The truth is that a successful marketing campaign relies upon thorough research of the target audience and careful selection of the marketing tools to be deployed – in every instance.