Marketing Strategies for Tradies – Integrate Outbound Tactics with Inbound Marketing

Tradies usually do some sort of offline advertising, whether it be radio, print, or cable. Inbound marketing allows a business to extend its offline sales pitch.

Including your blog URL, Facebook ID or Twitter handle in offline ads acts as social proof, inviting potential customers to see and know about your business and thus increase trust in your trade. Introducing consumers to your social profiles will give them a chance to follow you now and buy later. Integrating online and offline advertising will not only help build a follower base, but also help in the conversion process.

Let’s talk about the strategies through which you can integrate your outbound tactics with your inbound marketing channels:

Strategy 1: Integrating with Direct Mail

Tradies using direct mail for endorsement should include website URL in the mail. This URL, once entered, should take the recipient to the business’s landing page. The landing page should be built to convert the lead into a customer. This will make your campaign measurable and you will see a higher total conversion rate than if you were going only for the direct sale.

You can also offer incentives through your direct mail campaign. “Enter this code on our website for 10% off on next service” can hook people’s imagination and prompt them to contact you if they really are in the need of your services.

This will give tradies a chance to connect with the consumers on two fronts – direct mail and inbound marketing channels – thus improving their chances of getting a response.

Strategy 2: Integrating with Local Newspaper/Magazine Ads

Limited information about your business in a local newspaper ad is not sufficient for consumers today; they prefer to carry out detailed research on products/services they are looking to buy.

It’s difficult to write much about your business in the limited space of a newspaper ad, therefore when you decide to place an ad in the print media, make sure it mentions your website’s URL.

Since your website built for your trade business will hold all the necessary information regarding your service, like examples of your previous work, quality references, a dedicated blog, your working hours and consultation charges, etc., a link to your website will make it easy for people to learn more about your business. This will also help build your credibility in their eyes.

Strategy 3: Integrating with Local Cable

Another way of promoting your business is through the local cable. You can integrate this marketing tactic with other inbound marketing channels to gain traction and increase the customer base.

When you are running TV campaigns, include a URL with each spot. But before running TV campaigns, create a tracking URL for your landing page. Direct the audience to this specific landing page on website that is just made for this campaign to determine the effectiveness of your campaign. Make sure the landing page at that URL is mobile optimized, as 86% of mobile-internet users will browse their phones while watching TV.

Keep your message on the landing page consistent with the messaging from the ad, and offer clear call to action.

You can also include your Facebook ID and/or Twitter handle in your TV ad. Mentioning your social details will make it easy for them to search for your business and get insights into what your customers and fans/followers have to say about you.

Strategy 4: Integrating with Radio Ad

How many radio ads in a day do you come across? How many of the local businesses names do you remember from those ads?

Answer is: None (or may be 1 or 2 max!)

There are high chances of your business getting lost in the vast sea of advertisements. Even if a consumer remembers your radio ad, he won’t be able to recollect your address or phone number when he is actually looking for your service. Providing your social details in a radio ad will help people find you on social media. And when they are actually in need of your services, they will be able to contact you easily.

Thus integrating your radio ad with social profiles will help you gain new customers.

Strategy 5: Integrating with Trade Shows

Trade shows help a business gain exposure. Since trade shows are quite expensive, a tradie should leverage every marketing channel to make the most of his participation in a trade show.

The main goal of participating in a trade show for tradies is to generate brand awareness. Hashtags can help tradies achieve this. Create a hashtag for your event and promote it before the trade show. This will enable people to follow the conversation happening about your brand during the show. After the trade show, continue to use the hashtag to share post-event details with your fans/followers. Hashtags thus will help build engagement with your audience.

After each demonstration at the trade show, ensure that you give out to all the attendees your business card that holds details about all of your social IDs (Facebook, Twitter), email ID as well as the website URL. This will help them connect and stay in touch with you post the event.

Most businesses these days prefer opting for inbound strategies for marketing. But then outbound marketing cannot be totally ignored. Merging the two can provide insight into how each channel, campaign and strategy influences one another. Integrated marketing undoubtedly will have a bigger impact on your business.

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