Due to its low cost and direct access to consumers, social media is often touted as the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy.

However, relying solely on platforms like X and Instagram may not be the right fit for every business, especially considering how ever-changing algorithms and user behavior can be. If you’re looking for alternatives, don’t worry—there are still plenty of other effective ways to promote your company and build strong relationships with your target clients without having to go all in on social media.

Word of mouth and referrals

Word of mouth is one of the oldest forms of marketing, dating back long before even print advertising, and it remains among the most reliable. After all, there is perhaps no greater trustworthy source for a potential customer regarding the value of a product, service, or overall brand than the endorsement of someone they know and like.

To capitalize on this, focus on delivering products or services that routinely exceed expectations. By working to ensure a positive experience in all interactions with your business—whether that means revisiting your employee training program or finding areas to improve your website—you can foster strong, loyal relationships with your existing customers. In turn, they may instinctively tout your organization to others, eager to share what they love about you.

If you’d like to incentivize them further to become vocal brand advocates, a great way to do so is through a referral program. For instance, you could offer a discount or free product for each successful referral, which can have your clients jumping to spread the word. (As a bonus, it may even foster greater repeat business from them.)

Networking and community engagement

Though an equally old-school approach, you can’t go wrong with networking to build relationships and generate leads. Joining local, regional, and national business organizations, attending trade shows, and participating in industry conferences and events will generate numerous opportunities for interactions with potential clients and business partners. And unlike the impersonal nature of digital platforms, getting face-to-face with these individuals will allow for more authentic connections that may ultimately lead to future deals and collaboration.

Forming community ties can also help promote your brand to those in your surrounding area. Wherever you’re located, get in the habit of joining nearby charity events, sponsoring neighborhood activities, or partnering with other local businesses to cross-promote your services or products. Such active participation establishes goodwill and demonstrates your commitment to your town—all while getting your name out there—which could encourage others to want to buy from or work with you in the future.

Print advertising

Speaking of local connections, though digital advertising continues to dominate, print materials such as direct mail are still highly effective for many enterprises. If your primary target market is in your immediate area, this tactic can provide substantial visibility for greater brand recognition without too much of a cost.

For instance, a lawn-care service seeking new clients could send targeted postcards or leave flyers in the community recreation center to get in front of their ideal audience. Meanwhile, a financial advisor specializing in retirement strategies may find success posting ads in the local newspaper, a medium many older individuals still enjoy. These avenues establish a physical presence and local credibility you can’t necessarily achieve with social media, leaving a lasting impression with potential customers.

Email marketing

While it may not be as flashy as social media, email can still be valuable since it allows you to send personal content directly to your audience. As an example, a targeted campaign giving tips for tackling a common pain point your customers face will deliver highly relevant content they may be grateful for, making your brand more memorable and strengthening their bond to it.

To get started, build your list by creating an item of value, such as a free e-book or exclusive discount, and offer it through your website in exchange for an email address—you want the giveaway to be something that will attract people but also leave them wanting more. Then craft emails that are informative (about your products or services, upcoming sales, industry insights, etc.) and visually appealing. Just make sure not to send them too frequently since not many customers will want to get a new email from you every day. It’s also a good idea to segment your list so you can craft tailored messages for specific audiences, increasing the chances of conversions.

Search engine optimization

SEO is a critical tool for any business and can actually drive more traffic to your organization than social media. If potential customers are seeking products or services like yours, you want to guarantee that your website appears at the top of their list of results. This means optimizing its content, structure, and performance to ensure that search engines like Google can easily index it and rank it for relevant keywords. The higher your site ranks, the more likely it is to get on customers’ radar.

It may seem like social media is the be-all and end-all for marketing, but that’s not necessarily the case. By strategically incorporating other methods into the mix, you can open up even more avenues for people to become raving fans of your company.

TAKE ACTION:
Examine your current marketing strategies, and see if any of the above tactics would allow you to better connect with potential customers.