Marketing is the term used to describe all of the marketing activities that companies do to market their products and increase sales. This includes tasks such as user research, content creation, and advertising. The general objectives are the same, regardless of the marketing strategy: to inform, engage and attract customers.
You should consider different types of marketing when planning your marketing strategy. You can better target your audience by using multiple sales channels.
Traditional marketing strategies
Even though most companies spend more money on digital marketing, traditional marketing methods such as TV ads, industry events and direct mail still have a strong impact.
1. Outdoor marketing
Outdoor marketing includes any form of marketing outside the home. This type of marketing is based on a high level of visibility in the public domain. It may include billboards and flyers, as well as shop signs, transit vehicles or bench ads.
2. Print Marketing
Distributing advertising in magazines and newspapers is a form of marketing. This can be used to gain attention at a local or national level.
Print ads can be used to promote services in a particular community. An advertisement in a magazine that is distributed nationally can also help increase brand awareness in multiple markets.
Companies can even create their own publications, or sponsor the creation and publication of content that is relevant to them.
3. Event marketing
Event marketing is an effective marketing strategy for conferences, seminars, tradeshows, and other events in the industry. Brands are increasingly finding opportunities to market at in-person events, such as pop-up stores and local markets.
Businesses can use event marketing to create branded spaces that will maximize their exposure, increase leads and expand their client base.
Face-to-face interactions allow customers to connect with a service or brand, resulting in a long-lasting relationship. Direct sales are also possible through event marketing.
4. Direct mail marketing
Direct mail marketing is a way for businesses to send promotional materials directly into the homes of their customers. Direct mail marketing often includes a call to actions (CTA) and incentives like coupons or discounts to encourage customers to buy.
Direct mail recipients could have expressed an interest in a business or been part of community mailings by local businesses.
Related: Top 7 Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing Lead Generation Tools
5. Radio and television marketing
Radio and TV have evolved in response to the streaming age (think podcast ads). Broadcast commercials are still a powerful marketing tool for targeting specific audiences.
Television ads are expensive, even for just a few seconds (e.g. $7 million during the Super Bowl for 30 seconds). To get attention in such a mainstream channel for marketing, TV advertisers need to be creative and make the most of their time. This may involve using memorable, punchy or emotional content.
Types digital marketing strategies
Digital marketing has a completely different approach than traditional marketing, but the goals are still the same: acquiring and retaining customers. Digital marketing can take many forms on the internet, from pop-ups to YouTube ads.
1. Search engine marketing (SEM).
Search engine marketing is used by businesses to increase traffic. There are two types: organic and paid. Both methods are equally effective and provide a company two ways to reach out to their audience.
Search engine paid
Paid search engines marketing (SEM), places sponsored ads at the top of search engine results pages (SERP). This premium real-estate increases the likelihood of users clicking on your content.
Search Engines
Organic search engine optimization relies on a thorough understanding of the internet traffic patterns, as well as targeted keywords. This will increase a business’ ability to reach customers through Google. SEO relies on informative content to improve a site’s ranking. This in turn helps increase visibility and attract more customers.
2. Email marketing
Email marketing is an effective way to reach out to current and potential customers. Email marketing is similar to direct mail marketing in that promotional materials are delivered directly to the recipient’s mailbox. These materials can be in the form of coupons, promotional offers, or informative content.
3. Content marketing
Content marketing is an approach to marketing that uses produced content in order to elicit a certain action from a target audience. Content marketing can be used to promote a brand or influence consumer behavior.
Inbound marketing is effective when you create valuable content. This draws people to your brand instead of begging for their attention. These are some popular forms of inbound marketing.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio only content that helps to bring awareness of a person or service. A business analyst who has a weekly podcast may offer advice to their audience in order to gain loyalty. This could then lead to the podcast host being offered paid speaking engagements or teaching opportunities.
Infographics
Infographics are a combination of visuals and data that educates an audience on a particular service or product. These data-rich graphics provide user-friendly content alongside graphics. They can be in the form of flow charts or step-by-step breakdowns. They make it easier for viewers to retain and absorb information.
Video
Video content, unlike podcasts or infographics combines audio and visuals in order to create an engaging CTA. Video marketing can be used to attract users to specific social media platforms, website pages, or product pages.
4. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing has become a very popular strategy for businesses with an online presence or those who are looking to establish one. Social media marketing strategies use both organic and paid techniques to reach out to current customers and recruit new ones.
Social media marketing organic
Organic social media marketing is free postings on social media websites that utilize photos, videos and captions. Hashtags are also used to reach a wider audience. These posts can appear on Twitter or Instagram but they are subject to their algorithm. They also come with no guarantee that the targeted audience will see them.
Social media advertising paid
Companies or brands can pay social media platforms in order to bypass free algorithmic restrictions and promote their advertising. Social media paid posts are more likely to reach a wider audience because they extend beyond the business’s followers.
5. Performance Marketing
Performance marketing is based on advertising via a third-party to convert customer interest in a defined action, such a clicking a link. Google Ads, and native advertising on social media are the primary performance marketing channels in today’s digital world. Performance marketing is an effective strategy that can be tracked and pays only when the advertiser delivers results.
6. Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is a strategy where companies pay an influential person or content creator to promote their products to a (often large) audience. Influencers are usually paid per promotion or post, with the aim of increasing engagement or a company’s conversion rate.
7. Acquisition marketing
Acquisition marketing is designed to convert strangers into qualified leads. Acquisition marketers focus on the top of sales funnels, using tactics like SEO, email marketing and social media marketing.
What exactly is brand marketing?
Brand marketing spans both traditional and digital marketing, and extends beyond the basic awareness-to-conversion funnel to establish a lasting relationship between the consumer and a brand.
Brand marketers build buyer personas by researching their customers. They then create messages that help establish a relationship between the company and the customer. The relationship and trust that is built with customers helps make the items or images associated to the brand more easily recognizable.
Marketing your online business with multiple methods
Marketing can be a complex process that requires research, analytics and strategy. Marketing strategy is determined by a variety of factors such as the size and budget of your company, along with your ultimate goals.
Direct mail campaigns may work better in tight-knit, older communities. However, younger audiences are more likely to respond well to social media campaigns that feature trendy videos and punchy content.
There are so many marketing options available that every business has the opportunity to select the strategy they feel is best suited to their short- and longer-term goals, demographic target, and financial resources.
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