Marketing Insight

What is ‘phygital’ marketing?

Most businesses appreciate that digital marketing – websites, social media, blogs, interactive content, PPC, SEO etc – is at the core of modern marketing. However, that perhaps underplays the effectiveness of more traditional marketing – branding, PR, events, advertising, brochures, sales aids etc – which still play a critical role in B2B success. So, in a world where your customer expects both, how do you apply the best of digital and physical marketing to achieve greater results? Sarah West, of B2B experts Full Mix Marketing, takes a look at one of the latest buzzwords in marketing…

PHYSICAL MEETS DIGITAL

In its broadest sense, phygital – a portmanteau of physical and digital – means a blend of virtual and physical experiences. It’s something which consumer (B2C) brands use a lot. For example, car manufacturers carefully marry their showroom and aftersales experiences with the digital marketing they deliver via email and social media. Energy drinks and snack food brands often support their enormous spend on digital marketing with experiences at shows, festivals or a high street near you. Within B2B marketing, phygital is used to describe blending digital and physical (or traditional) marketing to get the very best from both.

PHYGITAL FOR B2B

Particularly in business-to-business (B2B), one form of marketing is often used to support another. For example, digital engagement with a business through their website or social media may result in a physical mailer landing on your desk. A physical meeting with a sales representative could be followed up by an online proposal or other digital content.

THE ROLE OF DIGITAL MARKETING

Digital channels are critical to the success of phygital B2B marketing. They are either used to persuade recipients to engage with physical experiences – such as visiting a showroom – or to back up a physical experience – such as sending an email to attendees of a networking event. As with all marketing, it’s important to remember that your recipients rarely make the distinction between digital, traditional or physical marketing. Likewise, the differing types of digital marketing become blurred too. Whether it’s your website, social media or content marketing, potential customers will make little distinction. The good news is that within B2B marketing – and phygital marketing in particular – digital marketing can do much of the heavy lifting! Through email, social media, website and content marketing – including blogs, press releases, white papers and guides – you can steadily build brand awareness and demonstrate your expertise in what you deliver. Physical marketing can then swoop in to seal the deal…

THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL MARKETING

Perhaps the most popular and powerful use of phygital marketing is direct marketing. If you work in a B2B sector – serving other companies, organisations or professionals – chances are you can identify your ideal clients and the businesses you’d like to work with. As the name suggests, direct marketing is simply the act of using email, social media and physical mail to contact them directly. Despite high engagement with digital content, a physical mailer can ensure potential customers stop, look and pay attention. They are frequently retained and actioned.

ACCOUNT-BASED MARKETING

Like phygital marketing, account-based marketing has become another popular buzzword in B2B marketing. It suggests you adopt a strategy that directs marketing efforts and resources towards engaging a very specific set of existing or potential clients. It’s perhaps no surprise that account-based marketing is one of the areas where phygital marketing is most frequently and successfully used. As well as engaging with potential customers online, it gives companies the opportunity to target potential clients with mailers, experiences, events, samples and more. Again, direct marketing is key.

WHY GET PHYGITAL?

Experience shows that adopting a single form of marketing rarely creates transformational results. Whilst PPC, content marketing, SEO, trade events and direct marketing can all make an impact on their own, they typically work much more effectively as part of a full mix of marketing. Your potential clients are exposed to your brand – and your competitors’ – in many different ways. Putting all your eggs in one basket with a single form of marketing is unlikely to create the desired outcome.

TAKEAWAYS

The emergence of the ‘phygital’ buzzword simply highlights how much importance successful marketers are giving the right blend of digital and non-digital marketing. Phygital marketing is nothing new. Digital marketing has been integrated into most B2B organisations over the last 20 years. Physical marketing – be it experiential, face-to-face or printed – remains part of a successful mix for most businesses. By carefully delivering a mix of online and offline marketing which support and complement each other, more businesses and professionals can be introduced to your company, recognise your strengths and become loyal customers. For more help, visit www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk