What Are Marketing Tools? Marketing tools help you to deliver your marketing message by getting the word out about your business or product. From writing articles for your website or print media to email campaigns, using marketing tools is key to reaching the right audience.
Marketing tools, also called sales tools, are promotional items given to customers in order to encourage business. These items can be useful for increasing sales on an existing product or raising awareness of a new product. They are inexpensive, effective and can be given away without decreasing your profit margin.
What are marketing tools?
Marketing tools are the systems, techniques, strategies, resources, technology and materials used by companies or marketing professionals to create and implement marketing campaigns that successfully promote their products and services. Your company’s marketing campaign is the direct link between the company and its customers, so it is important to choose the marketing tools that are most effective for your customers. There are several types of marketing tools available, and each type of marketing tool serves a unique purpose. It is common for businesses and marketing professionals to use a combination of marketing tools in their overall marketing strategy.
Types of marketing tools
Print advertising
Print advertising is a marketing tool that uses physically printed materials to raise brand awareness and generate customer interest. Print advertising includes materials such as classified ads, billboards, business cards, brochures, direct mail campaigns, catalogs, sales letters, order forms and more. These are some of the most traditional types of marketing tools, however, many of them are still effective. You can even use your print advertising to drive your customers to your digital marketing campaigns by directing them to your website or social media pages.
Digital marketing
The increased use of the Internet by consumers has made it necessary for companies to have a website. There are several roles your company’s website will have as a marketing tool. You can use your company’s website to build brand awareness, educate and inform potential customers, advertise your products and services, communicate with customers, generate leads and make sales. It is also important to make sure your website is optimized for speed, design, function and various platforms such as computers, cellphones and tablets.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Another marketing tool closely related to your website marketing is search engine optimization, also commonly referred to as SEO. Search engine optimization involves optimizing both the on-site and behind-the-scenes content of your website to rank higher in major search engine results pages (SERPs). Search engine optimization refers only to natural search results rankings, not paid links at the top of the SERP. Effective search engine optimization involves the creation of high-quality content that consumers will find relevant to their search.
The higher your website ranks in the search engine results page algorithms, the more likely your website is to show up on the first couple pages of a keyword search related to your business. Because most consumers only look at the first page of search results, the higher your SEO ranking is, the more effective your website marketing will probably be.
Social media marketing (SMM)
Another type of marketing tool that has become increasingly important is social media marketing. Social media marketing involves using company profiles on social media websites to raise brand awareness, engage with customers and advertise products or services. Social media marketing tools include things such as blogging, micro-blogging, posting, sharing, commenting and bookmarking.
Classified adverts
Classified adverts or classified ads are useful for generating leads. In this context, the word ‘leads‘ means potential customers.
Classified ads can direct people to a specific website or webpage (the word exists as one or two words, i.e., ‘web page’). They can also attract people who seek further information.
Social media
In the world of Internet marketing, social media is a marketing tool where you try to develop an interactive online relationship with consumers. Your aim is not, for example, to surreptitiously mine customer data.
Blogging, posting, sharing and tweeting are popular social media marketing tools. Media sharing, pinning, bookmarking, and commenting on social media websites are also popular.
Press releases (PR)
Press releases are advertisements that take the form of a news article or story in a newspaper, magazine or online publication. Many consumers may not realize that these newspaper and magazine articles are often written by businesses or marketing teams and then distributed to several publications for printing.
Commercial advertising
Commercial advertising traditionally refers to paid advertisements that are played on television or over the radio. However, the widespread use of the Internet for marketing has led to paid commercials being played at the beginning of videos posted online and throughout video streaming services.
Customer loyalty programs
Customer loyalty programs are used as a marketing tool to generate customer interest and encourage customer retention. Customer loyalty programs involve providing rewards to customers who can use those rewards to earn discounts or free products or services from your business in the future. Customer loyalty programs are available in several forms, ranging from a program as simple as offering customers a card that can be stamped on each visit to using customized mobile applications and other digital systems to manage your loyalty program.
Traditional Marketing Media
Traditional media – such as billboards, banners, newspapers, magazines, television, radio and telephone directories – involve marketing tools such as paid print advertisements, commercials and news releases. This approach focuses on a one-way sales push and relies on reaching high numbers of people to ensure success. Advertising with publications and networks is a costly marketing tool which makes analyzing the return on your investment extremely important.
Digital Marketing Media
Computer software technology can reach potential customers with targeted, measurable communications. Specific digital media marketing tools include search engine optimization, mobile marketing, interactive online advertisements, opt-in email and online partnerships such as affiliate marketing and sponsorships.
Conclusion
Whether you are marketing a product or an event, tools are an essential part to the success of marketing. Marketing tools can include anything from email, to billboards to online ads for marketing for just about anything. There are many types of marketing tools that are utilized when looking for ways to market something.