Seven Key Types of Marketing Tactics for Your Business
You have a great business, and now you need people to know about it. But where do you start? With so many different marketing approaches, it can be tough to know which combination is right for your business. To help you, we’ve broken down seven key marketing tactics that can help you target customers, build communities, and grow your revenue.
1. Traditional Marketing
Traditional marketing refers to promoting your brand through offline channels like magazines, billboards, radio, TV, and flyers. While this type of marketing existed before the internet, it’s still relevant today. Though often more expensive than digital marketing, traditional methods can strategically complement other marketing efforts.
2. Outbound Marketing
Outbound marketing involves reaching out to potential customers without their prior consent. This includes tactics like cold calling, email or SMS blasts, and print advertising. The aim is to push messages to a target audience to raise awareness of products or services. Since these methods are unsolicited, they tend to generate mixed reactions.
3. Inbound Marketing
In contrast to outbound marketing, inbound marketing focuses on attracting customers by offering valuable content and engaging experiences. This approach is primarily digital, where potential customers research and educate themselves before making decisions. Inbound marketing aims to engage and delight customers through informative content, chatbots, email communication, and supportive follow-ups post-purchase.
4. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing, as the name implies, is entirely online. It includes leveraging channels like search engines, websites, email, and social media to reach customers. Accessible through mobile devices, tablets, and computers, this strategy offers diverse opportunities to engage with audiences.
5. Social Media Marketing
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter have become powerful tools for promoting businesses. Social media marketing is effective due to its personal nature and consistency in messaging. While users don’t typically log on to social platforms to make purchases, engaging content can attract attention and gradually build interest in your brand through likes, shares, and consistent exposure.
6. Email Marketing
Email marketing involves reaching customers through targeted email campaigns. It can generate awareness, direct traffic, educate customers on product offerings, and guide them toward making a purchase. It’s essential to comply with legal requirements and avoid spamming, as this can have a negative impact. Focus on communicating with individuals who have opted in, make it easy for them to unsubscribe, and always be transparent.
7. Customer Marketing
Customer marketing shifts the focus from acquiring new customers to retaining and serving existing ones. Since retaining customers is often less expensive than acquiring new ones, this strategy emphasizes providing excellent service and turning customers into brand advocates. This can be achieved through frictionless processes, great customer service, and automated responses where necessary.
The Bottom Line
Marketing has evolved rapidly over the past decade. Today’s strategies are dynamic and fast-paced, requiring businesses to adapt. These seven marketing tactics offer various ways to engage customers and build an audience for your brand. Some businesses prefer to focus on one area, while others find success by combining multiple strategies. As a business owner, understanding your marketplace and crafting a marketing strategy that suits your business is key to success.
