In the following chart, we look at trends in offline marketing, and how these channels may still be effective for lead generation.
Top business were asked: How do you feel the importance of OFFLINE lead generation has changed over the last three to five years?
While nearly half of respondents believe the importance of offline tactics has declined over the last three to five years, one-third still believes the importance of these tactics has increased.
How do offline channels fit into your marketing mix?
When we posed these findings50% of respondents believe the importance of offline tactics has declined over the last three to five years to Bob Kemper, Director of Sciences, MECLABS, he said, "Conventional marketing wisdom is that the Internet has been - and will continue for some time to be - the fastest-rising channel, in importance, for effectively conveying marketing messages to customers and prospects.”
However, 51% of surveyed marketers saw an increase or no change in the importance of offline tactics. Where does your company fall within the above chart? Have you moved more of your lead generation online, or have venerable tactics remained integral to your efforts?
Are some companies purposely "bucking the online trend?”
Kemper also wondered if there is a discernible industry - or group of industries with a common set of characteristics - that are consciously moving away from the latest technologies, and increasing their focus on offline channels.
He said, "Perhaps, these respondents found new ways to use offline channels to drive traffic to their websites - increasing performance of offline channels without decreasing the importance of online lead capture.”
Or, is this trend simply related to budgetary concerns and a lack of financial allocation for online lead generation? How have you maintained your offline tactics to drive leads to your online channels? Has it been successful for your company?
What are your other thoughts on this data? Share your own analysis with Inspire Media below in our comments.