The different methods of communication
The main purpose of communication is to make your products and your company known, and to render public the positioning of the company. In other words, it’s what allows the company to spread the image it wants to have to its customers, competitors, and partners.
To communicate well, it is necessary:
- To define exactly who the target of this communication is
- To have a simple and clear message
- For the message to be repeated as often as possible
- For precise and definite objectives to be set
- To make sure no incorrect or misleading information is given
- And most importantly, to choose the correct media to communicate with for your message to reach its destination.
Summary
- Today’s communication
- Online communication
- Offline communication
- Merging both online and offline communication
Today’s communication
Considering how large of a place digitalization has taken in recent years, it would be difficult to ignore social networks when communicating. The evolving uses and practices of advertisement have completely undermined traditional communication.
Before the advent of the Internet, the buying experience was linear and the information was given strictly in a vertical fashion: companies and brands would announce a new product, consumers would see it in a store, and would then decide on whether or not to buy it.
Today, it is no longer possible to reach consumers in the same way. They express themselves, consult and compare opinions, place and remove products from their shopping cart, and take their time.
In order to be effective in reaching your prospects, it is necessary to have smarter marketing strategies.
After all, there are two communication channels at your disposal: online and offline communication, and it’s up to you to make sure they make for a winning combination!
Online communication
Definition
Online communication refers to any and all actions done on the internet. It allows the company to understand the behavior of the consumer at a precise moment, as well as to personalize your communication.
When engaging in social networks, the priority is not to sell your products, but rather to connect with your community.
In practice
- Pay attention when you choose what platforms and social networks to use (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). Make sure to select the platforms used by your customers in particular.
- Identify precisely the role of each network and other points of contact. Facebook, for example, is a must for a B2C target and is suitable for a close relationship with your target.
- Consider combining other digital tools with social networks: blog, website, video channel, mobile web and apps, etc.
- Define the editorial line. This has to be done before the first bit of content is published. Think of it as your guiding thread on the topics covered. It’s the alignment of your brand and the identity of your business to the needs of your readers. What is your target and what media does it use? What are your subjects of expertise? The frequency of your publications? The preferred tone? Etc.
Offline communication
Definition
Offline communication refers to any and all marketing actions that do not involve the Internet. As such, some refer to it as traditional marketing.
In practice:
Offline communication is still widely used by companies, as it is often considered to be complementary to online communication.
Here are but a few of the actions you can do:
- Direct marketing:
Direct marketing is a communication technique by which the message is addressed directly to the consumer and asks for an answer (mailing, telemarketing, etc.). The actions of direct communication make it possible to reach only the person targeted and interested, which optimizes the commercial benefits.
- Street marketing:
Street marketing can be very a powerful tool to build up your image and for the customer to remember you. It is particularly well suited to launching a product or a brand, especially if your target customers live in large cities (flyers, posters, brochures, Points Of Sale, catalogs, etc. ).
- Public relation or Press relation:
Press relation can reach a large number of readers, and public relation costs very little.
- Events:
Not only do events allow you to build up a large database and to have a dynamic image, but they also allow you to communicate with consumers, buyers, and specifiers directly.
- Packaging:
Packaging is going to be the first way your customer interacts with your product.
- Sponsorship (patronage/sponsorship):
It’s ideal when launching a new brand with little financial means.
Merging both online and offline communication
Online and offline communications are growing more and more interdependent and complementary. By combining these two communication channels, you will be able to develop a brand strategy that is better targeted as well as more efficient.
Here are a few examples of actions a grocery store could use to make a new product well known:
Offline communication:
- Distributing flyers with a promotion code for the next order
- Making the customer able to return with the flyer (this allows you to measure the success of the operation)
- Distributing a neat sample with the flyer (if the product allows it)
- Doing this operation in the streets within a radius of 200 to 300 meters from the shop
- Displaying the product in neighboring shops
- Advertising close to nearby companies (flyers, posters, samples, invitations)
- Etc.
Online communication:
- Announcing the event “Come to meet us” on Facebook with photos (announcement of the event, preparations of the team, the company during the operation, etc.)
- On Instagram, inserting photos to highlight your product
- Promoting your product on your website
- Contacting influential people to talk about your product
- Etc.
It’s up to you to choose the operations you want to cover during the year and to harmonize the whole on the two communication channels.
