Bridging The Online/offline Gap

By Author: Joe Bingham
Total Articles: 16
Comment this article

For some businesses, it's almost like making a lifestyle change. A
company born online glues itself to the Internet with a passionate
belief that it's the way of the future.

Conversely, many brick and mortar businesses hold on to their
traditions of face to face business, and refuse to look into online
promotion.

Smart business owners, however, see how dual promotion can be
extremely beneficial.

Naturally, there is both an online and offline component to all of
our lives. Many of us are narrowly focused in each of these
aspects. We have our routines of where we go, what we do, and
this, then, dictates our exposure to advertising. What we never
see online, we may see around town. What we never knew
existed in our own city, may attract us online.

This only gives more credence to the fact that promoting our
businesses both online and offline will reach more people. More
people equals more customers and that means better success.

What does it take, however, to move your business, whether
online ...
... or offline, out of its traditions and into a dual promotion
mind set?

First consider your product or service. Physical products are
more easily understood by both markets while a digital information
product, for example, is harder to explain to an offline market.

However, anything can be done. There are print publications that
cater to Internet users. This market would understand digital
products, and may include many people that your online
promotion has never reached.

You have to think in terms of who would be interested in what you
have to offer, and then seek out publications that target these same
individuals.

TAKING ONLINE TO OFFLINE

The major offline tool that can be added to an online business'
promotion is print advertising. Print classifieds are still widely read
by consumers. From local newspapers to print publications from
other online companies, classifieds can make an impact. Also,
some publications accept well written product or site reviews.

Other tactics include printing your own business cards, flyers,
postal mailings, signs, and even radio and television depending on
your product, budget, and target market.

Of these, business cards are great because of their professional
and personal touch. Flyers, signs, and postal mailings are more
costly and especially costly are radio and television. For small
business, print classifieds is the main cost effective and reasonable
solution.

TAKING OFFLINE TO ONLINE

Online promotion requires a web site. From their, ezine
classifieds, search engine placement, and inclusion of the web
address in print advertising makes the difference.

For an offline company, going it alone on the web would most
likely require dedication from a full time employee. Setting up a
site, getting a domain name, making updates, and promoting are
time consuming tasks at least to begin with. After things are set
up, promotion becomes the major job. However, unless it is
continued on a daily basis, it may or may not be worth the initial
effort. A web site is great, but it's easily forgotten about unless it's
continually promoted and updated.

Hiring a successful outside service is a realistic solution for many
who want to add a web presence to their marketing, but who
don't want the added work.


All in all, bridging the online/offline gap should not be considered
that major of a problem. There are services that can help. It's just
a matter of reaching out to a different market and expanding your
promotion. No matter which direction you are going in, it can
bring further credibility to your business as well. The web is
becoming an important place for offline customers to get more
information, and seeing an online business mentioned offline
can bring in more people that your online promotions may never
reach.

Dual online/offline promotion is the true way of the future. In a
competitive business world, it's those that seek new markets and
expand their promotion that will be successful. The Internet is
here to stay, and there will always be an offline world. It only
makes sense to bring your business to them both.


About the Author Joe Bingham, Editor of the NetPlay Newsletters
http://www.netplaynewsletters.com