In a digital era, business owners could be forgiven for thinking that traditional marketing techniques are outdated and irrelevant.  But they’re not. –One of the basics rules of marketing is to be noticed, and how can you be noticed if you don’t have an attractive logo or an attractive sign to go with your brand name. Jessica Munday, the founder of Custom Neon, says that choosing a sign that shows the personality and spirit of the company is essential if you want to instill credibility with your customers from the get-go. First impressions are important and we need to learn how to generate the best reactions from the moment customers see our business and brand name.–

  1. Surveys

Done right, surveys will help you to understand your who your customers are, what they want from your product and even how much influence your competitors hold. How should you use them? Well, tailor your questions and consider what you want to learn: do you want to know more about retention and loyalty? Or do you want information regarding habits and usage? These themes are best explored separately, which is where tools such as Smart Survey come in handy. Surveys might be an old fashioned concept but new technology has given them a new lease of life.

  1. Mailed newsletters

Email marketing campaigns are effective, but don’t underestimate the power of sending a letter: a physical piece of mail through the letter box is more likely to reach the eyes of your customers than an email joining an already-crammed inbox. Stop newsletters heading straight for the bin by designing them attractively with plenty of snappy headlines, calls to action and incentives like ‘20% off discount voucher inside!’.

  1. Branded merchandise

Remember when you used to write with branded pens and sip from mugs gifted to you by various companies? Seeing logos and names in our personal space can have the subconscious effect of keeping your brand in customers’ minds whilst raising awareness of your business. Use this trick and get crafty with it: one outdoor clothing company produces a compass with the words ‘helping you find your way to the best clothing supplier’. It’s a clever and thoughtful marketing tactic that impresses customers.

Create a unique business logo for foyers, where guests will get their first impression of your business. Currently, neon lights illuminate the streets of several cities creating a beautiful nightly ambiance for those who like to indulge late hours of the evening.

Businesses are not just using neon lights for lighting purposes, they are using them for branding with the intent of gaining the attention of the prospective customer.

  1. Television & radio adverts

Despite the increasing use of smartphones and other devices, your customers are still watching TV and listening to the radio too. If you want to reach a very large audience at once, consider traditional advertising through these kinds of mediums.

  1. Contests

People love freebies – which is why a competition is the perfect thing to draw an audience to your brand. Why not create a buzz by hosting a contest on your social media channels to combine the ‘old with the new’? Encourage existing and new customers to participate in order to be in with a chance of winning.

  1. Printed materials

Blogs, websites and social media are undeniably important for modern marketing, but so are printed catalogues and leaflets too. Despite the number of us who shop online, plenty of customers are still telephoning to place an order after browsing a publication they’ve held in the hands. Creative business cards are also great ‘old fashioned’ marketing technique worth giving some thought to: they’re personal and give a strong first impression.

  1. Word of mouth

Online reviews are invaluable for customers considering whether to part with their cash, but traditional word of mouth is just as effective. Would your friend or family members’ opinion hold any influence over your decision? Probably! For this reason, it could be worth encouraging happy customers to share their experience with their loved ones, offering referral rewards if you think a little incentive would help. Social shares are, essentially, a technological version of this anyway.