We have all participated in the modern marketing race to the finish line with the prize being the most eyeballs looking at our properties. It’s easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of tweets and Likes and it all can get costly both in terms of monetary and human resources. If you need some new ideas to boost web traffic and sales, don’t forget to add offline marketing activities to the mix.   Actually none of the ideas I’ll discuss below are new. However in talking with customers I find that they are often overlooked in the race to develop online assets. Is offline so boring that people think it isn’t important? On the surface it appears so bland that it washes over us. If you’re like me your ears perk up when you hear ‘Costs Less, Works Great.’ Grab this checklist and see which you have overlooked:

Easy, Low Tech Ways to Promote Yourself

* Put your site URL, blog URL and social network URLs on your business cards

* Put these same URLs on your signage (at least your site URL on signs attached to company vehicles)

* Direct mail pieces should include promo code offers redeemable on your site

* Print ads should include at least your site URL, and ask people to follow you on Twitter and Facebook

Key To Do #1

Use offline marketing pieces to showcase calls to action. Provide an offer in your call to action. Give people a reason to complete the conversion online. Try these ideas:

* Offer 10% off if they enter a promotional code at checkout

* Provide a free trial if they pay with a tweet

* Hold a contest and have people upload photos to share. Each photo gains them a credit they can spend in your store.

So how do you get started with doing some of this boring, low tech stuff that can increase your customer engagement? Here’s a list of companies who specialize in low cost offline marketing packages. Try more than one of these marketing ideas, and test, test, test. Learn what works with your audience. (We don’t have any sponsor relationships with the following companies but identify them as alternatives you might consider.)

* VistaPrint: They offer many business services; try their cost-effective full service direct mail package: http://tinyurl.com/99s8f9n VistaPrint is also known for its business cards: http://tinyurl.com/9fqx42d

* Vertical Response offers a direct mail postcard service as well: http://www.verticalresponse.com/postcard-marketing

* 4imprint: Think everything you always wanted to know about imprinted products…It’s all here and you will surely find the right imprinted products to meet your needs and budget: http://www.4imprint.com

* Speedy Signs: Need a magnetic vehicle sign? Create your own here and add your website URL to it: http://www.speedysigns.com/signs/magnetic

* Dummies.com: They have a great short tutorial on how to create effective print ads. Be sure to include your site URL, blog URL and social network handles: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-create-an-effective-print-ad.html

The big takeaway from all this is that low tech offline marketing works and is a great way to bring attention to your website, blog and online store. Use offline marketing pieces like postcards to promote calls to action that get completed online. And remember to prominently display your phone number on all your offline pieces. Not everyone wants to contact you online and you want those customers to call, if they prefer to do that.

Key To Do #2

One of the best ways to make offline marketing work for you is to get people in your local area talking about you. Get out there and speak at universities, talk to non profit groups, pitch your services at small business events. Then take that buzz you’ve created and extend it to your online channels, and watch your popularity take off.