In late September and early October of 2024, our entrepreneurship and marketing teams launched a traditional marketing initiative to engage rural communities in Tantramar and Greater Shediac. The campaign involved distributing 10,500 mailers promoting the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship course and running a two-week radio advertisement on CJSE-FM 89.5, Radio Beauséjour. The goal was to assess the effectiveness of traditional marketing methods in rural areas compared to digital outreach.
Why traditional marketing?
Before developing the campaign, the marketing team conducted research on outreach effectiveness in rural communities. Findings, sourced at the end of this document, indicated that traditional marketing—particularly direct mail—tends to yield stronger engagement in rural areas than digital strategies. Limited broadband access, a preference for tangible materials, and stronger reliance on local media all contribute to this trend. Based on these insights, the campaign prioritized print materials and local radio to maximize reach.
Measuring the impact
The results of the campaign demonstrated a significant increase in rural engagement:
- Fifty-two registrants from Tantramar and Greater Shediac, compared to just four rural participants in the previous cohort.
- A 1,525 percent increase in rural participation following the implementation of traditional marketing.
- Fifty-one registrants signed up through mailers, while only one was directly attributed to the radio advertisement—confirming the strength of direct mail.
- Additional registrations from other rural communities that received surplus mailers via Canada Post.
A noticeable increase in word-of-mouth referrals was also observed in Tantramar and Greater Shediac. While it is not possible to determine how many of these referrals were influenced by the mailers, the higher number suggests an indirect impact on community discussions.
Key takeaways
- Traditional marketing remains a highly effective strategy in rural communities, particularly through direct mail.
- Radio advertisements had minimal direct impact compared to mailers.
- Word-of-mouth referrals increased, though their direct connection to the campaign remains uncertain.
- Future campaigns should focus on one rural community at a time to manage participant volume and ensure the necessary accommodations.
Looking ahead
This campaign reinforces the importance of tailoring marketing strategies to rural audiences. While digital outreach is effective in many contexts, traditional methods continue to drive engagement in rural communities. Moving forward, a focused approach leveraging direct mail, word-of-mouth, and targeted local outreach will further strengthen participation in entrepreneurship and workforce development programs.
Sources
Direct Mail Marketing Strategies for Smaller Cities and Rural Areas. Accessed October 1,
2024. https://www.everydoordirectmail.com/blog/direct-mail-marketing-strategies-for-smaller-cities-and-rural-areas.
Direct Response Media Group. “Navigating Success: The Resilience of Direct Mail Marketing
in Canada.” Accessed October 1, 2024. https://drmg.com/marketing-blog/2024/02/07/direct-mail-resilience-in-canada-0.