One of the best ways to market your product or service is by using marketing tools examples. These are some of the most popular types of marketing tools used by many different types of businesses.
Marketing is essential for every organization, big or small. Even when they may not be making a profit, they need to market in order to survive in the long term. Marketing can be thought of in many different ways and few may think that marketing tools examples need to be created in this manner; however, they should be if you really want to create a lasting effect.
Types of marketing tools
There are several types of marketing tools companies and organizations can choose from. A few of the most common marketing tools include:
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.
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.
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.
Promotional Marketing Tools
Promotional items, such as brochures, business cards, press kits, websites, informational videos and merchandise, are tangible marketing tools. Some of these items include large amounts of detailed information and highlight attributes of your products or services; business cards and trade show giveaways may display only a company logo and provide contact information. In addition to increasing sales, promotional items contribute to building brand awareness, but cost is a factor when selecting these items.
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.
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.
Brand reputation management
It is very important for companies to protect their brand’s reputation. Media monitoring tools are marketing tools that help your company search the internet for any mention of your company to ensure you can engage and respond to comments and reviews being made about your business. This helps you build your brand awareness and also ensure you are protecting your business from negative reviews or remarks.
Event marketing
Event marketing is a promotional marketing tool that involves the engagement of a brand’s representatives with potential and existing customers and the community at promotional events. Common types of promotional events you can use for event marketing include networking events, conferences, seminars, speaker presentations, workshops, trade shows and expos, parties, competitions and awards.
Information gathering
Information gathering is the process of reviewing and analyzing data and information about customers, the market and your industry. Information gathering is a very important marketing tool because it gives your company insight into how well your other marketing techniques are working. Information gathering can include things such as customer surveys and web analytics. Many marketing tools will provide you with data that you can use to analyze how well that specific marketing tool is performing.
Conclusion
There are a number of spoken and written marketing tools that can be used to help promote a business. These include the sales page, the sales letter, brochures, pamphlets, catalogues, flyers, postcards and pay per click ads. A website is also a very important marketing tool because it is where potential customers can learn more about a business before they decide to purchase a product or service from the establishment.