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How to Convert Old Media Marketing to New Media Marketing

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Posted by on Feb 03 2010

In the marketing world there are several ways that people refer to new media marketing. There are phrases such as:

Inbound marketing
Internet marketing
Web marketing
Social media marketing
Online marketing
Digital marketing
E-marketing
Interactive marketing

The phrase which is probably the most hyped is new media marketing! But, is a marketing strategy that includes blogging, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Flckr still new? It’s 2010 not 2007. New media, is not so new anymore!

Consider that some businesses are still in new media denial. There are still some businesses who think they can ignore new media. They believe that old media is still the way to market. So, they still use the telephone, the print ad, the tradeshow and direct mail as the sole way of marketing their business.

The old media examples just mentioned are not obsolete. They can still be effective, but they should be adapted to the new media mindset of your prospective buyers. Let’s look at each of these old media formats and how they can be converted to new media marketing.

Telephone
Rather than cold calling for sales prospects call people to conduct a survey on a relevant industry topic. Invite them to take a survey on the phone or online. If they prefer the online survey get their email address and send them a link to your online survey. Be sure to offer them a free copy of the survey results. Keep them informed by email in the future. Don’t sell anything in this phonecall. The person will remember the content experience about your brand and possibly buy from you when she is ready. Of course, the best use of the telephone is to call all the leads you develop through your inbound marketing strategy.

Print Advertising
Assuming you’re advertising in a relevant publication, make your call to action accessible online on a unique landing page that is attributable to the ad so you can measure it. If you have a phone number in the ad, be sure it’s unique so you can measure the results of the ad. In many cases, print advertising serves to build or strengthen your brand. Even if you have a good call to action, sometimes the best result is brand awareness. Nonetheless, be sure the reader can engage your brand online in a way that can be traced back to your ad.

Tradeshows
You can integrate your tradeshow marketing with your online strategy in several ways. Whether you are exhibiting or just attending a tradeshow you should always talk about the event online before, during and after the event. Use your blog, Facebook and Twitter channels to discuss your contribution to the event as well as the contribution of others. Use Flickr and YouTube to share your photos and video from the event. Connect online with the people you meet at the event to keep the relationships going after the event.

Direct Mail
Similar to print advertising be sure to have a measurable call to action. Consider linking the call to action to personalized URLs (PURLs) as landing pages. This will allow you to measure the results of your direct mail campaigns very clearly with online interaction attributable to your direct mail campaigns.

New Media Transitions
There are many businesses that continue to use old media marketing strategies very well by integrating them with new media channels. Ultimately, you can achieve great sales results by integrating your old media and new media plans by connecting and engaging people the way they want to be engaged.

Avoid using old media strategies in a vacuum. Similarly, avoid using new media tools in a vacuum especially as a megaphone to blast your sales message. Rather integrate your old media and new media channels into the marketing 2.0 mindset so your audience will want to connect with you and your brand to explore what you can do for them.

As I’ve said many times previously, brands who adopt the mindset of a content publisher and a relationship collaborator are the ones whose content marketing strategy delivers the best results. Even old media marketing can convert to new media marketing using an integrated approach.

Are you still using old media marketing? Start integrating it with new media. Tell your story below.

14 Comments to How to Convert Old Media Marketing to New Media Marketing

  1. by Jeff Ente

    On February 3, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    Good stuff, Bernie. I have an 'old media' background but something that I still find useful is 'source optimization'. First, figure out the most efficient method for YOU to communicate with prospects and customers. It is usually something online, either email or social media. Then flag the individuals that are willing to communicate online and stick with it for them.

    But for the rest, try the less optimal channels. Identify the types who will only respond to direct mail, print ads and phone calls and use those channels if it is worth it. But you probably always want to incentivize them to move up to the cheaper channels.

    In a perfect world you would only want to direct mail prospects that you are confident would not respond to an online promotion and that you could acquire efficiently via direct mail.

  2. by Bernie Borges

    On February 3, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    Jeff, what you're describing is to focus on what works best and be cautious about what doesn't work. Your point about moving people to cheaper channels is interesting. I'm assuming you mean moving them to online channels. Let's face it. They'll go when their ready. The question is which audiences provide the best results for you? When you can answer that question, you can focus your time/resources efficiently.

    Thanks for your participation.
    Bernie

  3. by Susan Fantle

    On February 4, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Bernie,
    Thanks for echoing that new and old media are both essential. Regarding Jeff's comments and your follow-up. Here's an interesting point. I have technology clients marketing to IT management who use direct mail marketing for lead generation. When they include a reply device in the mailer, along with a URL to visit and a phone number to call, 20% of the responses come from the mail-back reply device. You might say, "these are technology folks, they do everything online." The fact is, 20% of them don't. If the reply device had not been offered, my clients would have missed 20% of the responses. Best practices say that the more options you give your respondents, the more response you get. So your advice to send folks online from old media channels is a good one, but it should not replace other response options.
    Susan

  4. by Bernie Borges

    On February 4, 2010 at 10:15 pm

    Hi Susan,
    I totally agree. You don't want to stop a marketing tactic that works, assuming it's cost effective. My point (which I hope I made clearly) is that not offering an online option to respond to an "old media" communication is potentially a missed opportunity. In your example, you offered both options. I agree with that. I still answer my phone. :)

    Thanks for your comment. It's a terrific example!
    Bernie

  5. by Nel

    On February 5, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    Thanks for this interesting article! I agree with many of your suggestions, but converting cold calls into research calls makes me nervous. Asking sales people to become market researchers could be harder than you think. I fear the danger of falling into "sugging" could be pretty high. If your organization is thinking of doing this, make sure you are investing the time – and thought – into doing it right.

    Nel

  6. by Vince Giorgi

    On February 10, 2010 at 3:39 am

    Points well made, Bernie. It doesn't have to be an either/or choice when it comes to "old" vs. "new" media. Finding the optimal mix is the overarching aim. Now we simply have more tools and channels with which to work.

    Maybe the biggest "new" that marketers might want to get their heads around is not the media options so much as the offer or call to action that those media can convey. The idea that value-adding content — information, interactions, experiences — can be your differentiating, engaging call to action.

  7. by Bernie Borges

    On February 11, 2010 at 1:20 am

    Hi Vince,
    Good point. The engaging call to action in new media requires careful consideration. Marketers should consider the content and medium when considering their call to action. Otherwise, they risk using old media tactics inappropriately in new media.

  8. by Bernie Borges

    On February 15, 2010 at 2:08 am

    Hi Nel,
    Setting up survey calls should be done with careful planning. They shouldn't be deceptive to the call recipient. You may want to approach it as a customer service project, not as a sales project. Just a thought.

    Bernie

  9. by Tonja Carpentieri

    On November 15, 2011 at 7:19 am

    Well, this is good, however think about additional choices we have here? Would you mind writing one more post regarding these as well? Thank you!

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