As a small business owner, you might be asking yourself whether traditional marketing is still relevant in the digital age. The 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint, in partnership with Wix, found that 71% of small business owners continue to champion the importance of traditional marketing methods in connecting with new and existing customers.
The report found that 78% of small businesses experimented with new marketing strategies in 2023, balancing digital and traditional methods. With 60% planning to invest in traditional marketing going forward, either alone or combined with digital marketing tactics, and 47% finding choosing the right mix a challenge, understanding how to balance digital and traditional marketing methods has never been more important for small businesses.
So, what is traditional marketing and how can traditional marketing methods benefit your business? Discover everything you need to know in this comprehensive guide and read the full report for more small business marketing insights.
Table of contents
- What is traditional marketing?
- Benefits and drawbacks of traditional marketing
- Should your business invest in traditional marketing?
- Traditional marketing tactics businesses should invest in
- Main types of traditional marketing
What is traditional marketing?
Before we were all swiping and clicking, businesses had to get crafty to grab attention. Back in the medieval times, merchants would shout about their goods in bustling markets. Fast forward to the 20th century, and you’ve got eye-catching billboards lining busy streets, catchy radio jingles you can’t get out of your head and TV commercials that everyone actually watches. This was the golden era of traditional marketing, setting the stage for many of the tried-and-tested tactics still in play today.
Traditional marketing refers to a wide array of strategies used to capture potential customers’ attention. Think print ads, TV and radio commercials, direct mail and the billboards and posters you see on the streets. Essentially, anything that helps brands connect with customers in the real world.
Source: Traditional marketing materials via VistaPrint
Benefits and drawbacks of traditional marketing
Benefits of traditional marketing
- Local targeting: Traditional marketing allows businesses to focus on specific geographic areas, ideal for local campaigns.
- Tangible assets enhance trustworthiness: Print materials like brochures and business cards can build trust and credibility.
- High visibility: Billboards, print ads and TV commercials are hard to miss, making them great for exposure.
- Broad reach: Traditional media can reach a wide audience, cutting across different age groups.
- Increased digital reach: Print advertising can also increase your digital reach, appealing to younger audiences.
- Brand recognition: Repeated exposure through traditional marketing builds brand recognition.
- Longevity: Physical marketing materials can last for weeks, months or even years.
- Personal touch: Face-to-face interactions and tangible materials are appealing to all age groups.
- Effective for older demographics: Older generations who aren’t as tech-savvy often respond better to traditional marketing.
Drawbacks of traditional marketing
- Limited targeting: It’s harder to target specific demographics and interests compared to digital ads.
- Higher cost: Traditional marketing methods can be more expensive (up to 60% less cost-efficient) compared to digital marketing, especially for small businesses.
- Raises environmental concerns: Physical marketing materials are often wasteful.
- Difficulty measuring effectiveness: Accurately tracking ROI and campaign effectiveness can be challenging.
- Longer lead time: Traditional marketing campaigns take longer to plan, produce and launch.
- Less adaptability: Once a traditional ad is out there, it’s difficult and costly to make changes.
- Limited audience interaction: Traditional marketing doesn’t allow for immediate feedback or interaction with the audience.
- Decreasing reach with younger demographics: According to the Small Business Marketing Report, consumers aged 18-24 mostly discover new businesses through social media and search engines.
Should your business invest in traditional marketing?
Despite the digital age, traditional marketing still holds value. Our 2024 Small Business Marketing Report in partnership with Wix found that 71% of small business owners consider physical marketing tactics like flyers, banners and posters to be important for connecting with new and existing customers.
Additionally, 30% plan to increase their investment in traditional marketing and another 30% will split their budgets 50/50 between traditional and digital marketing, in 2024.
“Though it feels like everyone’s talking about AI and digital algorithms, traditional marketing still plays a key role for small businesses, with 71% saying that physical marketing tactics, such as flyers, banners, posters and loyalty cards, are important. And it clearly also has a place at the table for consumers. They still value real-life experiences and physical touchpoints — that’s where traditional marketing comes into play!”— 2024 Small Business Marketing Report presented by VistaPrint in partnership with Wix
Who can benefit from traditional marketing the most?
Local businesses, brick-and-mortar stores and companies targeting older demographics will find traditional marketing particularly effective. For example, neighborhood restaurants, retail shops and service providers like dentists and mechanics can leverage physical ads to attract local customers.
Yet it’s important to note that our 2024 Small Business Marketing Report, in partnership with Wix, found the most vital approach is flexibility and adaptability when it comes to your marketing mix. Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
u0022Digital marketing isn’t the only way to target young people, who still discover new local businesses in traditional ways, like events, posters, and flyers. Likewise, while older generations do prefer print marketing, like direct mail and flyers, they’re still using search engines and social media. The takeaway? Don’t be afraid to mix it up where it makes sense for your business.u0022— 2024 Small Business Marketing Report presented by VistaPrint in partnership with Wix
Source: Top methods for discovering local businesses via 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint x Wix
Each business should weigh the pros and cons of traditional marketing, considering how it fits with their brand image, audience and values. Traditional marketing works best in tandem with digital marketing. It’s not about choosing one over the other but finding the right mix for maximum ROI.
The Small Business Marketing Report reveals that consumers appreciate a balanced approach. By integrating both digital and traditional marketing, you can reach audiences effectively. For instance, 78% of small businesses experimented with new marketing tactics in 2023, balancing digital and traditional methods. About 28% of these businesses invested equally in both, while 32% leaned more toward traditional marketing.
Traditional marketing tactics businesses should invest in
Traditional marketing offers a treasure trove of tactics and strategies for businesses to explore. From flyers and TV commercials to direct mail and event marketing, the options are plentiful:
- Print ads (flyers, brochures, etc.)
- Broadcast (TV and radio)
- Direct mail
- Business cards
- Outdoor advertising (billboards, posters, etc.)
- Events and trade shows
- Promotional materials
- Telemarketing, and more
But let’s be real: not every tactic will give you return on investment. So, using insights from the 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint x Wix, we’re zooming in on the top-performing traditional marketing strategies — those that small businesses should focus on and invest in.
Traditional marketing tactics small business are investing in
Our report reveals that, in 2023, small businesses primarily allocated their budgets to the following traditional marketing methods:
- Business cards (50%)
- Events and trade shows (32%)
- Print advertisements (31%)
- Promotional materials (29%)
Source: Traditional marketing tactics small businesses invested in in 2023 via 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint x Wix
Traditional marketing tactics small business should invest in
On the other hand, the report also revealed that the traditional marketing methods that introduce the most new customers to small businesses are:
- Flyers (34%)
- Direct mail (29%)
- Print ads (26%)
- TV/radio commercials (25%)
- Posters/banners (23%)
Source: Top marketing tactics via 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint x Wix
Main types of traditional marketing
Business cards
Used by 50% of small businesses in 2023, business cards are small printed cards that carry essential contact information about a company or an individual. Key information to include on a business card are name, job title, company name, phone number, email address and sometimes a physical address or website.
Source: Business card information via VistaPrint
Source: Business card with a foil accent via VistaPrint
The primary purpose of business cards is to provide a quick and convenient way for people to share their contact information during professional or social networking opportunities, leaving a lasting impression on potential clients or partners.
Source: Foil business card design trend via VistaPrint
Source: Embossed business card design via VistaPrint
With people often making their first impressions based on the quality of the business card, it’s vital to master how to design a business card.
Source: Iridescent business card design trend via VistaPrint
Source: Patterned business card design trend via VistaPrint
Events and trade shows
Events and trade shows play a crucial role in a small business’ marketing strategy. In 2023, 32% of small businesses invested in this traditional marketing tactic to showcase their products, network with other businesses, boost brand awareness and connect with potential clients in a face-to-face setting.
Source: Trade show booth via VistaPrint
The report showed that trade shows and events are among the top 5 most popular ways of discovering local businesses among consumers aged 18-24, making it a particularly popular strategy for Gen Z marketing.
Source: Trade show via VistaPrint
Print advertisements
Print advertisements are physical promotional materials such as newspaper ads, signage, brochures and flyers. Their versatility allows for plenty of use cases, all of which aim to reach a broad audience through visually engaging and informative content:
- Local promotions: Advertise sales, special offers or new products to a local audience.
- Event announcements: Promote events, trade shows or product launches.
- Brand awareness: Increase visibility and recognition within the community.
- Detailed information: Provide in-depth information about products or services.
- Customer education: Educate potential customers about industry-related topics or your business’s offerings.
Source: Signage design by deehage via 99designs by Vista
The 2024 Small Business Marketing Report found that in 2023, print ads helped 26% of consumers find small businesses, with 31% of small businesses investing in them. 27% of customers visited a local business after seeing an ad in a local print publication.
According to data, the most effective print advertising tools are:
- Flyers: Cost-effective and easy to distribute, flyers are perfect print marketing tools for local promotions and events. With eye-catching designs and concise information, they can quickly grab attention and convey your message. Our report found that flyers help 34% of consumers find small businesses and are a top 5 method for discovering local businesses among all age groups. This proves they are an effective marketing tool to attract a variety of audiences and one that continues to be popular even with the rise of social media.
Source: Flyer by Fi2 Design via 99designs by Vista
Source: Flyer and banner via VistaPrint
- Posters and banners: Posters and banners are equally impactful, helping 23% of customers discover small businesses. Their large visually-appealing format makes them ideal for high-traffic areas, ensuring maximum visibility. Whether placed in-store, at events or around town, they create a strong visual presence for brands. In fact, 37% of customers visited a local business because outdoor signage, posters and advertisements in the local area drew their attention.
Source: Poster and banner via VistaPrint
Source: Infographic poster by Luz Viera Studio via 99designs by Vista
Promotional materials
Promotional materials, also known as promo products and company swag, are branded items given away to customers and potential clients. Their primary purpose is to increase brand awareness, create a lasting impression and build customer loyalty by providing useful tangible items that keep your brand top of mind.
Source: Promotional products at a trade show via VistaPrint
There are lots of different promotional products businesses can create and offer to their customers, with trends changing from year to year. But there are infallible classics, too:
- Branded pens
- Mugs and cups
- T-shirts and other apparel
- Caps
- Tote bags
- Calendars
- Notebooks and journals
- Water bottles
- Office supplies like mouse pads
Source: Promotional products via VistaPrint
Source: Branded office supplies via VistaPrint
Promotional products don’t just promote brand recognition but also foster a positive association with your brand, placing them among the top 5 factors that make consumers more likely to shop at a small business. Our report, in partnership with Wix, showed that 29% of businesses understand that, having invested in promotional materials in 2023.
TV and radio commercials
TV and radio commercials are advertisements broadcasted on television and radio. Their goal is to reach a wide audience quickly, create brand awareness and engage customers through compelling stories and messages.
In 2023, 25% of consumers found small businesses through these channels, our Small Business Marketing Report found. They are particularly effective for targeting older audiences and resonate most with those over 60.
Direct mail
Direct mail involves sending physical promotional materials like postcards, catalogs, newsletters and coupons to potential customers’ mailboxes. The purpose is to reach customers directly, providing tangible reminders of your business and driving local engagement.
Source: Direct mail postcard via VistaPrint
Despite its lower popularity among younger generations, the 2024 Small Business Marketing Report showed that direct mail still drives significant engagement, with 29% of customers finding small businesses through direct mail and 38% citing a mailer or flyer as the reason for visiting a local business. It’s particularly effective for customers over the age of 55 and ranks as the fourth most effective method for those aged 45 to 54.
Source: Direct mail postcard via VistaPrint
Ready to incorporate traditional marketing into your strategy?
The 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint x Wix shows that, despite the digital boom, traditional marketing continues to thrive, offering substantial value for small businesses.
Business cards, events, trade shows, print ads, promotional materials, TV and radio commercials and direct mail remain vital tools for small businesses, each playing a significant role in reaching and engaging customers.
But for traditional marketing methods to work for your business, you need to master the best practices — there’s less room for mistakes compared to digital marketing. With digital marketing, you can always edit the post, redirect to a different page or update the website. But once finalized, traditional marketing materials are challenging to alter. That’s why you need to be sure you partner up with a reliable printing service like VistaPrint to deliver top-notch marketing materials, meeting your expectations every time. Like your business’ success depends on it — because it does!
