(THE PROBLEM WITH OLD SCHOOL MARKETING)
BY CHRISTOPHER ZULLO

Unfortunately, in advertising, certain techniques become antiquated due to being overtaken by technological advances and now, it’s time to see the writing on the wall. Whether we’re talking about the decline of print advertising, cold calling ineffectiveness, one size fits all marketing and others (and we will be talking about each of these topics), when is it time to put these types of marketing, and the agencies who still hold on to them, in the rear-view mirror? How about now? Maybe now is the best time. As business owners, agencies, CMO’s etc, we all need to see the writing on the wall before it’s too late. This makes us all better forecasters while still able to stay ahead of trends with research and fact-based data to back up our reporting. 

When we talk about the side of the ad industry that is/was print advertising, ie newspapers and magazines, we all know that they are on life support with the rise of the age of digital media. Sure, there will be people who will advertise in traditional print until that platform has completely disappeared from human existence entirely, all while spending on a technique that is not as effective. Right now, you’re reading this on your computer or your smart phone. How do I know this? Because we didn’t print out any hard copies or publish them in any publication. Let me ask you this:

How do you track engagement and ROI with print compared to digital media methods?

More consumers are switching to digital news sources, using the open internet and social media for consumption. Newspaper subscriptions have declined steadily over the years with many major publications reporting losses in readership. So why place your dollars in print ads, when that industry cannot provide you effective reporting regarding reader engagement and your ROI? How do you measure conversions through print ads? More and more brands are shifting their ad buying dollars to digital media, because there are more effective checks and balances and fact-based data to show you where and how your money is being spent and how your campaigns are performing. To compound this fact, print ads lack the sophisticated targeting options available with digital advertising. Digital platforms allow advertisers specific demographics, locations, and interests, while print ads cast a wider net, with far less precision, the ol’ spray and pray method—eek!

There are other factors like print production and its ever-increasing costs, along with decreasing readership. Growing awareness of environmental issues have many consumers and companies seeking more eco-friendly advertising solutions. You’ve also got the younger generations who are not consumers of print media. Millennials and Gen Z are becoming the primary consumers, and for the most part, they’re all on the side of technology and digital media advancements. There are other factors like the effects of Covid-19, the decline of local print publications, limitations on engagement feedback and many more. But this is the warning shot to start placing the dollars behind your campaigns more effectively and stop wasting them in areas of media that are no longer viable.

What about the effectiveness of cold calling?

I know a lot of people read that and their stomachs churn or they get chills because they hate it. Well, a lot of business owners hate it and are annoyed by it as well. In our office, we have people that still love to do it because they have a genuine interest in someone’s business and think they can really help them use their brand effectively. We also have some that completely cringe when the term “cold calling” is even uttered during any of our round table discussions. In my opinion, you’re either great at it, or you’re not.

A lot of the time, business owners view cold calling as intrusive and less effective in reaching today’s consumers. The consumers being targeted today prefer online research before engaging with brands, shout out millennials! Within the realm of cold calling, those calls often result in high rejection rates, with many prospects hanging up or expressing disinterest. There are studies which indicated that sales reps can face rejection rates of 80-90%, making it a frustrating and time-consuming process with low success rates.

We still have the pesky telemarketers, which are pretty much the bane of existence, that have truly ruined the organic cold calling experience. Now there are strict regulations in place, such as the National Do Not Call Registry. This has made it increasingly difficult to reach potential customers through cold calls. In a lot of agencies, ours especially, we believe in relationship-based business development. Modernized sales strategies hold a large emphasis on building relationships rather than transactional interactions. Remember the “chop shop” analogy I used in a previous blog? Cold calling often lacks the personal touch and rapport-building necessary for successful sales. More and more, today’s buyers prefer personalized outreach and engagement.

Business owners beware: one-size-fits-all marketing.

If someone comes at you with this technique, head for the hills. Most business owners start their business because they saw something lacking in their industry. There were improvements to be made, or better experiences to be had. What is it that sets you apart? Someone who presents this one-size-fits-all marketing strategy for your brand, is not doing their homework. They aren’t addressing you. They’re limiting you by making a broad campaign that does not consider your target audience. What the more advanced and savvy agencies can do nowadays is quite remarkable. Personalized marketing, target marketing, geofencing, digital display and on and on are utilizing and leveraging analytics and customer insights to get your brand in front of the people who need to see it. Consumers out there are trying to find and connect with you, but you’ve got to make it easy for them to find you.

Every business has a different budget they’re working with. Certain campaigns can utilize everything from billboards, to traditional, to digital and have a great mix in order to make sure their brand is visible and continues to grow. For those who are budget conscious and maybe dipping their toe in, traditional advertising can be costly. Digital platforms can offer more cost effect ways to target your audience while you build your momentum. Things like Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising- Google Ads and Bing ads allow businesses to run PPC campaigns where they only pay when a user clicks on their ad ensuring that marketing budgets are spent more efficiently. Social media and email advertising are also effective ways to keep costs down while helping to increase your reach. Business owners and CMO’s do need to be aware of what they’re spending and where. An analogy our CEO uses is: “if you go to the gym once a week, sure you’ll get in shape…eventually. If you go 5x a week, you’ll get there a hell of a lot faster.” This meaning, the lower your ad spend, the longer it will take for your brand to be seen.