Put another way, the question is whether online marketing on its own is a sufficient substitute for offline marketing from print to radio and TV commercials. In our opinion the answer is a resounding ‘no'. It may be a surprising answer for an online provider but taking the wider perspective beyond our own role we can honestly say that online is most effective only when part of a more holistic strategy incorporating elements of offline marketing and advertising.

So the question is not so much ‘which is important?' or ‘can one substitute for the other?' but more to do with how best to use each medium and exploit its strength. To get more tangible let's consider a few examples:

Print advertising is likely as old as printing itself and is particularly effective because of many factors. Among them, the durability of the ad, the potential of reaching a very wide audience through re-use, the positive association when printed in a reputable, trusted publication and the exclusive hold on the reader's attention during the time it's being read. On the other hand it would be absurdly expensive to disseminate all but a very brief impression of the value proposition and differentiators of your product or service in a print ad. So having captured the interest of a reader how do you convert that to a sale? Phone numbers are great for the immediate response they can generate, but what if the reader has no access to a phone right then, or it happens to be outside working hours when that connection happens?

This is very much the opportunity when online rises to offer the best possible outcome. On one hand the reader gets a domain name which is much more likely to be remembered than a phone number (at least in most cases), and on the other offers the opportunity for that interested reader to engage with your brand, product or service and get as much or as little information as they need and even in some cases proceed right there and then to make a purchase.

Similarly, radio is a great medium through which you can reach potential customers when they're otherwise occupied with something else, be it driving, working or even relaxing in the garden. A well produced radio ad will not only introduce your business as well as your products and services –  it can leave your potential customer with a lasting positive impression of your brand long after the ad has aired. But just like a print ad there is little room for the prospect to interact back through the radio, and just like before it's where online steps up as an ideal medium through which to convert the hard earned interest created by offline media into an interactive experience or even a sale.

This same scenario is repeated when looking at other media from TV commercials to billboards and other outdoor advertising. The question is not which medium is more superior, but which is more suitable for what part of the sales acquisition process. Combining more than one form of marketing and playing on the strength of each gives your strategy the best chance of success in today's saturated environment.

Needless to say, your website needs to be up to scratch. A badly created website, or one lacking now basic marketing support capabilities is a sure way to waste all the interest you generated with offline advertising. Is wasting those hard earned opportunities because of an inadequate website something you can afford to do?