Digital vs Traditional Marketing

Pros and Cons for Furniture Industry

The digital vs traditional marketing debate is still going strong as some companies seem to succeed with offline campaigns while others sell more with digital ones. But which way is the most effective for furniture manufacturers and sellers? Surely, trying both could make it clear, but some furniture companies are on a budget these days and would prefer to avoid huge expenses.

In such cases, furniture brand marketers have to pick only a limited amount of marketing channels to use and invest in. Therefore, it’s vital to know the pros and cons of both traditional and digital marketing when planning promo campaigns. 

As a 3D rendering company that works primarily with furniture brands, we have been analyzing the most effective and cost-efficient marketing channels. This info helps us understand what types of CG product images fit each promo platform. And we would gladly share it in the form of comparison. So here we go, the ultimate list of benefits and downsides of online and offline marketing with the addition of our tips!

Digital Marketing

Pros

A Marketer Using Digital Tools Instead of Traditional Marketing Ones

#1. Global Reach through Brand Websites and E-Stores

Talking about digital vs traditional marketing, going online introduces a brand to the global market. With a brand website and online stores like Amazon, Etsy, West Elm, etc, furniture manufacturers and sellers can reach a wider audience and expand their business even with a small investment.

#2. Direct Contact with the Target Audience 

Social networks provide brands with a unique opportunity to connect with their customers directly. By building well-thought-out social media marketing and engaging the audience more, manufacturers can turn casual buyers into loyal ones of the brand. Such a customer base actively promotes furniture makers by sharing their posts and participating in contests and giveaways. Moreover, their honest feedback can help improve products and services.

#3. Measurable Results of All Campaigns

When it comes to digital vs traditional marketing in terms of analytics and precise calculations, digital one is definitely a winner. Online statistics are accessible and every click is counted. With these numbers at hand, brand marketers can accurately analyze the effectiveness of their campaigns and tailor them accordingly.

#4. Effective Segmentation

Digital marketing is perfect for customer segmentation which is breaking down large customer groups into smaller ones. Furniture marketers can segment their audience according to their income level, marital status, and location. This way they can attract the exact type of buyers to a certain product, learn their needs, use this knowledge in promo and sell more. 

#5. The Variety of Visuals

When it comes to digital marketing vs traditional marketing, let’s not forget that the first one is more engaging thanks to interactive CG solutions. One of the most effective tools is a product 360° view that allows users to spin a 3D model and zoom it in using a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen. 

Another engaging CG tool to incorporate in digital marketing is a 3D configurator. Using it, buyers can customize products online and create the design of their dreams. Both solutions increase customer engagement and make online shopping fun.

Cons

A Woman Working on Digital Marketing Strategies Ignoring the Traditional Ones

#1. Severe Competition

Using digital marketing that has no borders, furniture manufacturers and sellers face global competition that is pretty harsh. Therefore, they have to find the most effective ways to present their products and stand out from the crowd. Using innovative CG solutions for online product promotion is one of the ways to outshine competitors and run successful marketing campaigns.

#2. Negative Feedback and Hate Comments 

We all know how negative the internet can be. Often people leave true or false complaints and overall negative comments about the brand’s products and/or customer service. Due to anonymity on the web, it is easier to spread negativity, and nobody can really control it. Sometimes, such comments can damage the reputation of a brand and push away the prospects. 

#3. A Constant Need to Acquire New Skills and Update Tools

When running digital marketing campaigns, one has to stay on top of the game in terms of skills, knowledge, and tools they use. Since digital technologies and trends are constantly upgrading, once proven strategies might become outdated in the blink of an eye. Thus, furniture marketers have to stay up-to-date with their SEO and advertising tools, analytics, and product imagery if they want to keep their positions on the market. 

Traditional Marketing

Pros

A Group of Marketers Discussing Traditional Print Adverts Instead of Using Digital Tools

#1. Prospects Can’t Escape It in Real Life

Put aside the internet, and the whole digital vs traditional marketing debate seems irrelevant — once buyers turn off their smartphones, they find themselves in real life surrounded by offline advertising. People still listen to the radio on their way to work, get flyers and leaflets on the streets, and see outdoor ads at every step. Traditional advertising is not so easy to shut down, which is a huge benefit for any business.

#2. Works for Local Target Audience

Traditional marketing is good for local furniture manufacturers and sellers because it makes delivery and warranty work easier. On top of that, thanks to adverts in local news, media, and outdoor ad mediums, buyers can decide to actually visit the showroom in their city and see furniture with their own eyes. Such accessibility builds trust and a comfortable routine for customers.

#3. Traditional Commercials are Big on TV 

When comparing digital vs traditional marketing, let’s not forget that 99% of people in the USA have a TV set in their homes. Therefore, they see video commercials all day every day. At the same time, not everyone uses the internet and social media, especially older generations. So furniture manufacturers should consider enhancing their campaigns with traditional video advertising. By the way, using 3D product animation for TV commercials instead of filming the whole thing will save marketers a lot of time and money.

#4. Direct Mailing is Here to Stay

Traditional mail with print flyers and brochures still works as people check their mail daily. These marketing materials can sit on the table for months and get a second chance to grab the prospect’s attention. In terms of traditional marketing vs digital marketing battle, the good old mailing is solid and present, while emails are easier to delete as some spam or forget about in just a second.  

#5. Traditional Marketing is Reliable & Stable

All traditional methods have worked for decades, so time proved their effectiveness. This type of marketing has established distribution channels and fully developed technologies that help campaigns go smoothly.

Cons

A Traditional Product Catalog Used for Offline Promo as a Substitute for a Digital Marketing

#1. It’s Difficult to Track Results

The biggest disadvantage of traditional marketing is that it is difficult to measure the results of a campaign. By contrast with digital marketing, where every click is counted and analyzed, it is almost impossible to learn accurate numbers. For example, it’s hard to estimate how many people have actually seen an outdoor ad, or which segment of the audience better responded to the mails.  

#2. Printing and Distribution Cost a Lot

Creation of the designs for every promo material, then printing and distributing it requires big investments. Moreover, one can’t use one type of visuals for all traditional marketing channels, so promo imagery has to be diverse. In the end, marketers have to order a bunch of product pictures and hire a lot of people, which takes a significant part of the budget. 

#3. Traditional Marketing Could Be Annoying

Let’s be honest, traditional marketing can be quite overwhelming, intrusive and “right in your face”. All these street leafleting, “junk mail”, door-to-door promo, and constant commercial rolls on TV get on the nerves of most of us. As a result, traditional methods can cause a negative perception of a brand and irritated responses from prospects.

#4. Starting Campaigns Takes Time

The process of developing and preparing traditional marketing campaigns is both effort- and time-consuming. Once the design is created and printed out, one can’t change it easily. In order to make adjustments and tailor promo imagery for other channels, marketers have to re-make, re-print and re-distribute all the materials. And while brands are busy doing it, other companies can outcompete them with no sweat. 

#5. Environmental Issues

As the world goes through an environmental crisis, it’s time for all manufacturers to reconsider their policy towards print materials. All the leaflets and direct mails that people throw away are bad for ecology. Therefore, companies that still use lots of paper collateral for marketing and promo are at risk of damaging their brand image, not to mention the actual harm those print materials do.

Examine case-studies of CGI projects to see real examples of using 3D technology for marketing purposes.

product rendering price
 

To sum up, digital marketing provides more customer engagement with interactive CGI and social media. It also allows brands to go global and get access to precise statistics. On the other hand, the traditional one works better with an older audience that prefers TV and direct mail over the internet and emails. More so, with radio and outdoor advertising, traditional marketing is more difficult to ignore. 

However, to run effective promo campaigns, furniture brands can use so-called merge marketing that combines both digital and traditional approaches. This way, their ads and promo get more coverage and attract all segments of the target audience.

As you’ve learned about the ups and downs of digital and traditional marketing, it is easier to plan your next campaign. And with our 3D rendering services at hand, you can get mind-blowing CG visuals to enhance your product promo which will help to skyrocket sales!

Irene Lewis

Content Writer

Irene is a content writer. She previously worked for interior and chess magazines. When not writing articles, Irene finds great pleasure in collecting Star Trek memorabilia, reading Medieval poetry and playing banjo.

11 replies
  1. Web Designing Mohali
    Web Designing Mohali says:

    Excellent write-up, I have always enjoyed your articles, you’re such a wonderful writer, always on point. This article is loaded to the hilt, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and at the same time, I was hugely enlightened. Thanks

    Reply
  2. Brij Bhushan
    Brij Bhushan says:

    Hello sir,First of all thanks for sharing this information with us. Digital marketing becomes very important for business, especially for online business. Digital Marketing is also a great career choice.

    Reply
  3. Tofy David
    Tofy David says:

    This post is very useful info. This is my first time I visit here. I have found so much interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. great article & Keep it up.

    Reply
  4. Melissa How
    Melissa How says:

    Such a great blog post for digital vs traditional marketing. It is very helpful for all. Thanks Irene Lewis.

    Reply
  5. Shopia
    Shopia says:

    This is a place where you can find information that you can trust, and understand as you observe your importance.
    This information is very helpful for your visitors, which will provide a lot of good information to the visitors of your website.

    Thank You

    Reply
  6. MECLABS
    MECLABS says:

    Great article! I love how you differentiated digital vs traditional marketing by stating the pros and cons of both. I think choosing between the two would boil down to your audience and the businesses’ needs. Would you agree that another pro of digital marketing is that it is more cost-efficient?

    Reply

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