In an age dominated by a digital market, we want to give an ode to traditional marketing. Here’s what you need to know. Learn all about traditional sales techniques and tactics, classic examples, and why you may or may not want to use them in your marketing strategy.
What Are Traditional Sales?
Classic sales techniques are founded on foot-in-the-door principles that rely on an offline presence. Think billboards and flyers posted up at bus stops. Oh, and we can’t forget about those late-night infomercials.
Many people consider this the “old” way to conduct marketing, but it’s not THAT old. Up until the dot-com boom in the late 1990s, traditional sales was the only type of marketing.
Since then, buyers have taken the front seat in purchasing decisions, and how marketers interact with consumers has made a 180-degree turn.
5 Traditional Sales Techniques and Examples
Practices like door-to-door selling, the “and that’s not all” method, and psychological nudging are prime examples of traditional sales techniques. Here are the big-five categories of classic marketing.
1. Print Media
There’s something nostalgic about flipping through a newspaper and hearing the pages crinkle. Print media is considered a traditional mass marketing technique. One magazine or printed advertisement can reach hundreds of people of all types. But it’s also useful for tapping into niches- those who are interested in the specific subject matter of said media.
2. Direct Mail
Direct mail marketing has been around for a very long time. Think of the last time you opened your mailbox when sales papers, coupons, and flyers spilled out. That’s direct mail. Companies still use this technique because it’s a solid way to tap into the older crowd who haven’t gone digital yet.
3. TV & Radio
Though very classic, broadcast marketing is still in high demand. However, it’s seen a shift. Instead of late-night infomercials, we’ve started to see a boom in disruptive, innovative commercials that tell a story. Television and radio are valuable for businesses that want to quickly reach a mass audience to build brand awareness.
4. Telemarketing
Our list of traditional sales techniques wouldn’t be complete without telemarking. This strategy gets a terrible reputation as being spammy or scammy. Neither is good. Most younger generation consumers are repelled by this tactic too. But companies still pursue leads with cold calls, however successful or not it may be.
5. Outdoor (Billboards, posters, signs, etc.)
Outdoor marketing is a classic sales strategy that utilizes visuals rather than lengthy messages. Think of billboards with a quick punchline and an eye-catching image. Signs placed on bus stops, benches, street poles, or in places of gathering like shopping malls and stadiums are also OOH marketing.
Pros and Cons of Traditional Marketing
With such a heavy focus on digital marketing, people are slowly turning their heads away from traditional sales techniques. However, modern-day consumers still absorb traditional media every day.
Whether or not a company chooses to go the traditional route depends on its objectives, audience, budget, and how they weigh the pros and cons of conventional sales.
Pro: Easy on the Eyes
Arguably the most significant benefit of traditional media is its ease on the eyes. An aesthetic magazine spread or a bold billboard has been part of our daily lives for decades. They are impactful, easy to comprehend, and easy to look at.
Con: Difficult to Quantify
It’s almost impossible to quantify the success of a billboard placement or printed flyer compared to a digital ad. Not enough tools exist to measure traditional marketing effectiveness. And the tools that DO exist just cannot compare to the in-depth nature of digital analytics.
Pro: Permanent
Unlike a social media post that can be deleted with a quick, print media is permanent. Unless it is physically destroyed, it’s there to stay. This means it will likely be seen for years to come, compared to digital media that is pushed to the bottom of our feeds every minute.
Con: Can Be Pricey
Traditional marketing might quickly drain your resources if you are a small business or startup with limited funding. A full-page magazine spread, radio spot, and especially a TV spot will come with a hefty price. However, this con could be negligible if you have a large advertising budget.
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