1. Different Types of Marketing Strategies Available
Marketing strategies refer to the different measures a company takes to enhance brand awareness,
product acceptance or to create new markets. Marketing strategies are not the same as advertising
or PR efforts. Marketing strategies focus on gathering customer information, measuring customer
satisfaction, and analyzing customer behavior. Marketing strategies allow companies to focus their
limited resources on those areas where they have the most potential for growth.
A few common marketing strategies include direct marketing, internet marketing, and cause
marketing. Direct marketing, also known as direct mail, brochure, or mailing piece is a very
effective way to garner customer attention and obtain feedback. Internet marketing strategies such
as search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) are also popular ways to generate
traffic and gain new customers.
Podcasting, on the other hand, is considered one of the newer marketing strategies. Podcasting
involves releasing recordings of audio content in the form of a podcast, so that the listening
audience can listen to the content anywhere they have an internet connection. Podcasts can be
downloaded free from the internet or can be purchased at a low cost through websites and
businesses that distribute audio content. Many people view podcasts as an effective way to get
information without paying for a long cord.
Cause marketing strategies are typically used by businesses who want to establish an association
with a specific niche market. For example, auto enthusiasts are a potential target population
because of the passionate nature of the industry. A car dealership may choose to create one of
several podcasts that address issues that car owners are concerned about. The podcast could
address safety concerns or practical issues such as how to keep a vehicle maintained. The
dealership would then gain access to a target population of people who are interested in cars and
interested in owning or maintaining their own vehicles.
Online marketing strategies include pay per click advertising and e-mail marketing. Pay per click
ads are ads that are displayed on search engines for visitors to click on. When a visitor to your
website clicks on one of the advertisements, you will be charged for the ad. E-mail marketing
campaigns are sent to a targeted list of subscribers who have chosen to opt-in to receive marketing
messages from your company.
Google's AdWords and Yahoo! Search Marketing are two of the most popular pay per click and e-
mail marketing strategies for gaining website traffic. Google's AdWords is a pay per click program
where you only pay when someone clicks on your advertisement. It is important to note that this
program costs money, however, you do not have to pay for every click, or every impression, which
can generate substantial savings over time. Yahoo! Search Marketing is an e-mail marketing
campaign that targets a specific group of people who are likely to be interested in your products or
services by providing a list of relevant and prequalified online users who have requested more
information.
Other marketing strategies include search engine optimization, web banner advertising, online
classifieds, e-mail marketing, viral marketing, and social media marketing. Search engine
optimization (SEO) involves making your website and your web pages appear highly in natural or
organic search results for specific keywords that will be used by potential customers to find you.
This strategy will help to bring your targeted audience to your website. Web banner advertising is
2. used to attract people to your website, and can help to increase traffic, but it must be designed
carefully to avoid appearing spam to your targeted audience.
Social media marketing strategies can include blogging, video marketing, podcasting, and social
networking. While these marketing strategies are not specifically tailored towards your product,
they can be effective in drawing a crowd to your website. A carefully thought out marketing
strategy can generate the type of results your business needs in order to grow and establish itself
as an authority in its field. To learn more about the different types of marketing strategies
available, as well as how to implement them into your business, contact a marketing mentor today.