Traditional vs Digital Marketing: What is right for your business in 2020?

Reaching the right marketing decision isn’t always easy – no doubt you’ll want to know which form of marketing will give you the best return on your investment.

Traditional vs Digital Marketing: What is right for your business in 2020?

Reaching the right marketing decision isn’t always easy – no doubt you’ll want to know which form of marketing will give you the best return on your investment. Therefore, choosing the right marketing method is essential.

Marketing is one of the few industries which has made its mark on almost every corner of the business world and is integral to the successful running of a business. But although millions are comfortable with digital transactions, a large portion of the population doesn’t even know how to log onto a computer. So, which aspect of marketing should you concentrate on?

Making that decision begins with an understanding of what digital marketing and traditional marketing are.

Traditional marketing, also known as outbound marketing, refers to many of the long-established and maybe more familiar aspects of marketing a business, including direct mail, print, broadcast (radio and television) and outdoor advertising, such as bus stops and billboards.

In comparison, digital marketing allows businesses to connect with an audience in a much more direct way, through websites, email marketing, PPC (pay per click) advertising and social media.

The majority of marketers will tell you that there is a firm line between digital and traditional marketing and the truth is, many do still operate with this belief in mind. It is an ongoing debate and one which is likely to continue for many years. However, I believe this is an outdated concept – there is no “either, or”.

There is, in fact, a time and a place for both marketing strategies.

Rather than focusing on digital or traditional marketing, businesses should change their focus to “marketing” as a whole, and must consider both the demands and needs of the customer in order to connect with and be relevant to them.

If we take a step back and look at what having two separate marketing teams actually means, we can quickly see the inefficiency which currently exists within many businesses. For example, by having two disconnected marketing efforts, organisations will find themselves creating two marketing strategies, duplicating job roles and responsibilities, wasting marketing budget and unable to meet the everyday needs of their customers.

The solution is a combination of the digital and the traditional; integrating both tactics to connect with people, as well as market products and / or services effectively. Of course, there will be businesses that benefit from one method more than the other, but ultimately, marketers need to work collaboratively through the use of print, TV and radio, social media, online banners, etc. to communicate their message.

The first step toward integrating your marketing strategies is to learn more about your audience and where they spend their time. When are they most likely to be watching television? Do they prefer Facebook or Instagram? Are they regularly exposed to online adverts? Which newspapers do they read? Your goal should be to understand your customer by researching the customer journey.

Once you have learned more about your audience, you can then begin to develop a plan on how best to reach them, and build content that will engage and convert at each touchpoint, whether that’s through a Facebook ad, a series of billboards or a combination of tactics that communicate one idea through a campaign.

As I’ve mentioned, coming to the right marketing decision isn’t an easy task – there’s no “one size fits all” formula, and the right marketing mix is unique to your organisation.

As anyone who works in marketing will tell you, the ability to adapt and evolve is more important than ever before, which is why I believe the best way to move forward into 2020 is to find a harmonious balance between both traditional and digital marketing that values the customer above all else.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kai Feller
Kai Feller
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