Studies of offline versus online shopping behavior continue to show that the number of consumers using both channels continues to grow. A 2020 McKinsey study estimated that 51% used both channels, while as of 2024, 81% are using both. This suggests that businesses that focus mainly on on or the other might want to think about using both. In this article, we focus on how ecommerce brands can use offline channels, even without a brick-and-mortar store.
These days it’s natural for physical store owners is to consider evolving into a “click and mortar” business—a brick-and-mortar store with an online presence. Most physical businesses have some sort of online presence, usually a website and a Google Business Profile.
Less obvious is the opposite scenario. An ecommerce-only business can also take its message offline without necessarily having a brick and mortar store. We look at both situations below and offer suggestions on how businesses who aren’t using both online and offline can quickly expand to both channels.
How to Use Offline Marketing Channels to Grow An Online Store
Restricting marketing channels without investigating them can mean a company is missing a lot of opportunities, whether the store is digital or physical. Here are some suggestions on how to take an online business into the offline world.
Business networking events
E-commerce companies are exploring more innovative strategies to extend their messaging beyond the digital methods, even without establishing physical storefronts. By leveraging events, partnerships, and experiential marketing, e-commerce brands are successfully bridging the gap between online and offline experiences. Brands that do so find that it enhances brand visibility and fosters deeper connections.
For example, owners and staff can attend business events hosted by others, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Business Network International (BNI), or locally sponsored trade-specific events.
Trade shows
Get a physical presence by exhibiting at relevant industry trade shows. They are fantastic sales and lead-generating opportunities that let companies meet customers and gain valuable feedback on their products and service.
Sponsor local events
Collaborating with local businesses is another way for ecommerce brands to create unique offline experiences. By partnering with cafes, gyms, art galleries, or other local businesses, online companies can showcase their products in a relatable local context. For example, a fashion e-commerce brand might collaborate with a local boutique to host a fashion show, allowing customers to see the products in action while enjoying a social atmosphere. Such collaborations enhance brand credibility and foster local community ties.
Another method is to check out events going on in the region surrounding the company’s main location. Virtual businesses that are spread out across the globe can still sponsor local events where their staff lives.
Host an event
Organize a business summit, mastermind retreat, dinner, or trade event in an area where customers are likely to attend.
Pop-up shops
A pop-up store or shop is a temporary retail location usually set up in a high traffic area such as malls or downtown areas. Restaurant pop-ups have been around for some time and retail shops are jumping on board.
Low-cost pop-ups can be used to introduce or test new products or simply to give customers a taste of what a business has available online. They’re also great PR events.
Use direct mail and print
Add direct mail to email and online campaigns. Direct mail lets brands find new customer segments in consumers who don’t hang out online or who don’t respond to email. The right direct mail piece can move them to an online channel or to a phone number that they might never have otherwise seen.
Offline to Online with Click and Mortar Stores
Here are a few simple and low-cost ways for physical stores to add to their digital presence.
Website
A recent business website survey by Clutch found that 29% of small businesses still don’t have a website. That number is shrinking a lot every year and within a few years, nearly every business will have a website.
That means that for stores without a website, it will be harder than ever to generate leads and get new customers.
The idea that websites cost too much is an outdated perception from many years ago. Today, there are dozens of ways to get a simple website set up for a modest monthly investment. And social media alone is not enough to float a company’s online presence. To work best at generating leads and clients, social media channels need to direct visitors to a website.
Blog
Consider having a blog. If customers love a business, they will love to hear what the company has to say on their blog about solving client problems, entertaining them, or educating them.
Blogs work in every industry. With the use of evergreen topics, they automatically attract ideal customers for years.
YouTube Channel
Videos, done right and optimized for search engines, will show up on YouTube searches and on Google searches.
Today the search engines and most social media platforms give priority to video content. A little effort with the right videos will go a long way.
FAQ, instructional and how-to videos tend to be evergreen and can generate traffic for years. Some other powerful ways to use video include:
- Product demonstrations
- Testimonials
- Ads
- Training and education
- Personal branding
The video demo below shows how quickly a video can show up on page one of Google search results.
E-commerce platform
Whatever is sold in a physical store can be sold online using an ecommerce platform. An online store works 24-7. It won’t take the place of the retail location, but it can augment sales and bring in new customers that might otherwise have been missed.
Customer service
A customer’s desire for instant gratification applies to their interactions with sales and support staff. If there’s an issue, they want instant answers.
By establishing an online presence, companies have access to numerous tools that can establish a customer support presence that works around the clock.
Chat bots, FAQ pages, and email auto-responders let businesses automatically respond to frequently asked questions. They allow them to follow up to specific purchases with appropriate instructions and tutorials without involving a staff member.
Social media communities provide a forum for customers to reach out and for staff to respond. This serves a dual purpose: the consumer is catered to and business credibility is bolstered.
Social media profiles for the company, owners and staff
One of the first things consumers do is look at the key team members and see if they (and the company) exist on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. Companies that lack social profiles can be seen as a secretive, which doesn’t help the trust factor.
Social profiles, when properly written, help clients find businesses that can help them. They establish trust and credibility as prospects investigate prior to purchase.
Business directories
Business directories are one more avenue for active consumers to find the right company. Appearing in multiple directories also adds to credibility and trust, especially as positive reviews start to add up.
Many types of retail businesses need to be listed on their key, niche-related directories. Restaurants, for instance, will need to be on TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google Business Profile since customers routinely check out reviews on these sites to make a buying decision.
The cost of creating an online presence is quite low these days with countless online apps available.
Conclusion
Both brick-and-mortar stores and ecommerce sites are moving beyond their traditional media channels. Rather than debating physical vs. online marketing channels, the discussion is now about online and offline channels.
Local businesses that once relied solely upon offline methods are embracing online marketing. E-commerce sites are learning to add more offline marketing tactics.
The strategic use of both digital and offline can help both types of companies in ways they may not have previously considered.
