Driving brand awareness is a huge challenge for our clients. In fact, 60% of respondents in our private survey name it as a top-level priority going into 2017.

What I find while working with clients is that so many people try to reinvent the wheel, while ignoring the old-school stuff that still works. I’m not talking about taking out ad space in the phone book, here, but I find that local-level events and common sense strategies tend to go neglected while CMO’s dabble with the shiny new social media toys of the month. Instead of trying to get your cloud hosting solutions company on Pinterest, try these old school approaches instead.

Places to Drive Brand Awareness

1.Host a Booth at a Trade Show

There are other ways to get your name and logo in front of customers other than through a screen. Why not buy a booth at a local trade event? You can pull in the high-tech approach by giving away gadgets with your logo printed on them. In the last few years that I’ve been attending events, branded lanyards and keychains and pens are out. I’ve seen some really cool giveaways, including USB powerbanks and a battery-operated fan that displayed an LCD message. Get creative and give away something that folks will actually use. Don’t underestimate the power of a face-to-face conversation, either. If people are grabbing your swag, they’ll generally be willing to give you a minute of their time. It’s important to get out and be seen by the professionals in your area.

2. Join the Local Chamber of Commerce

This is another great resource that too many people ignore. Not only do local Chambers usually provide tons of networking and brand awareness opportunities, but people like to do business with folks in their own community. If you show your face regularly around the local Chamber of Commerce meetings and events, folks will start to remember you, build relationships with you, and remember your business.

3. Support a Local Cause

You don’t need to wait until someone else throws an event–you can always host your own. Seasonal events like photos with Santa or breakfasts with the Easter bunny are always popular among parents looking for something fun and cheap to do with their kids. You could enhance your brand awareness and show that you are involved with the community by hosting a fundraising event for the local firehouse or police department. Be sure to have lots of branded swag and friendly faces representing the company to interact with event-goers.

Building brand awareness doesn’t always have to be high-tech or use the latest social media tricks. Think local and face-to-face when building your brand awareness campaigns.