The New Marketing Playbook Looks Surprisingly Old-School
- Stephanie Roulic
- May 25
- 4 min read
At a time when inboxes are flooded, paid ads are easier to ignore, and digital channels feel more crowded than ever, some startup marketers are looking backward to move forward.
That was the central theme of Bring Back the Brochure: How Old-School Tactics Are Driving Modern Deals, a Startup Boston Week panel moderated by MK Getler-Porizkova, Chief Marketing Officer at Loop Anti. Joining them were Jon Carlson, VP of Marketing at Yottaa, Nika Ouellette, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Catapult Sports, and Andrew Smith, founder of Swapt. Together, they unpacked why physical, in-person, and relationship-first tactics are regaining momentum in a modern startup playbook.
Why “Old-School” Is Working Again
The panelists agreed that the resurgence of brochures, events, giveaways, handwritten notes, and face-to-face networking is not about nostalgia. It is about effectiveness.
Carlson challenged the idea of “old school versus new school” altogether. Instead, he argued that founders should focus on one simple question: where are customers building trust today?
For many companies, the answer is no longer another LinkedIn ad or cold outbound email. It is conferences, niche industry gatherings, dinners, trade shows, and real conversations.
As digital marketing becomes noisier and more expensive, human connection has become a differentiator.
Events Are Becoming Revenue Engines
For startups with limited budgets, events can feel risky. Booths, sponsorships, travel, and swag add up quickly. But the panelists said the right events can outperform many digital channels.
Ouellette shared how her team at Perch, a sports performance technology company later acquired by Catapult Sports, prioritized in-person events because their buyers - strength coaches and athletic departments - made purchasing decisions based heavily on relationships and reputation.
Instead of pouring budget into channels with unclear returns, they doubled down on trade shows and travel where they could meet decision-makers directly. In a niche market, one respected customer could influence an entire coaching network.
Andrew echoed that view from a consumer angle. He said sampling events, college tabling activations, and in-person brand experiences often generated dramatically more engagement than billboard or passive awareness campaigns.
How to Stand Out at a Trade Show
Simply showing up is not enough.
Carlson warned that startups often waste money by sponsoring events without a plan. Before committing, he recommends reviewing attendee lists, validating whether ideal customers will be present, and aligning closely with sales teams.
Then comes the harder part: being memorable.
At one large industry conference, Carlson’s team created a quiet lounge space with coffee and drinks rather than competing with louder booths and flashy gimmicks. Their strategy was simple: offer relief in an overstimulating environment.
Ouellette’s team took the opposite route and it worked just as well.
Because Perch’s product measured athletic performance in real time, they turned their booth into a live competition zone. Visitors lifted weights, competed on leaderboards, and returned throughout the conference to improve their score.
The lesson: memorable wins. Whether calm or chaotic, the best activations match the audience.
The Power of a Good Giveaway
Swag still works...when it is useful.
Carlson said he still likes branded pens because people keep them. Ouellette described how her company became known for “the softest T-shirts” at conferences. They also created koozies and bottle openers tied directly to their training methodology.
Cheap throwaways rarely create lasting brand recall. Functional items that people actually use can.
The same principle applies to printed materials. A brochure, flyer, or leave-behind is valuable when it helps the buyer remember the conversation, not when it becomes trash five feet from the booth.
Follow-Up Is Where Deals Are Won
Meeting someone at an event is only the beginning.
Ouellette said her team captured leads through QR codes, then followed up with highly personalized notes that referenced something specific from the conversation. Sometimes it was business-related. Sometimes it was as simple as remembering a customer’s daughter had a softball game that weekend.
Those small details dramatically improved reply rates.
In an era of templated automation, genuine memory feels rare and valuable.
Retention Can Be Old-School Too
The panel also emphasized that offline tactics are not just for new customer acquisition.
As Perch matured into a renewal-driven SaaS business, conferences became customer success touchpoints. They used events to reconnect with clients, strengthen loyalty, and uncover issues before renewal time.
They also mailed New Year’s cards and even branded baby onesies to customers starting families.
Those gestures were playful, personal, and hard to forget.
For startups focused on retention, thoughtful physical touchpoints can often create stronger loyalty than another automated email campaign.
What Startups Should Take Away
The panel’s message was clear: modern growth is not digital versus physical. It is using the right tool for the right moment.
Sometimes that tool is paid search, sometimes it is content and sometimes it is a dinner for ten people, a handwritten note, or yes, even a brochure.
As startups fight for attention in increasingly saturated channels, the companies willing to be more human may have the edge.
And in that environment, old-school suddenly looks very current.
