A business can’t succeed without two things:
A. A great offer
B. A way to get people interested in it
You can have a fantastic product that no one knows about. You can also have a fantastic brand, yet you don’t have anything worthwhile to offer.
Finding a middle ground is the goal.
If you can combine great marketing with a great product then you will see your business succeed. The building blocks of this — given that you do have a product people want — is to learn about the types of marketing you can explore.
Here’s what you need to know…
What is marketing?
Business marketing is the process of creating value for a company through the creation and distribution of products or services. It involves understanding customer needs and desires and then creating an offering that meets those needs.
Marketing also involves creating a plan to reach potential customers and then executing that plan.
There are many benefits of exploring marketing, such as your ability to:
- Reach more potential customers
- Increase sales
- Create a competitive edge
There are personal benefits of seeing your marketing efforts succeed, too. You will:
- Feel proud of your accomplishments
- Enjoy watching your business grow
- Help others by providing them with products or services they need
How you found this very article is a form of marketing (content). Marketing is all around you whether you’re attuned to it or not. Every moment you’re seeing brand messages vying for your attention and money!
Types of business marketing you should explore
Whereas you can easily find mega lists of the many types of marketing (we’re talking dozens and dozens, here), it’s probably best to start with those that you’re most likely to do and most likely to succeed with.
The types of marketing for businesses you should explore include:
- Outbound marketing
- Inbound marketing
- Email marketing
- Content marketing
- Paid search
- Social media marketing
- Search engine marketing
- Affiliate marketing
- Video marketing
- Word-of-mouth marketing
Of course, that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the different marketing strategies and tactics you can get into as a business owner. For now, let’s dive a bit deeper into each of these to explain how they work.
Outbound marketing
Outbound marketing is a type of marketing where businesses proactively reach out to consumers. It’s the classic form of marketing that you’re probably most familiar with.
It involves things like:
- Advertising
- Sales calls
- Direct mail
- PR
- Events
Essentially, any type of marketing where you’re pushing your message out there for people to see is considered outbound marketing.
One of the benefits of outbound marketing is that it allows you to control the message. You can craft an ad or commercial exactly how you want people to see it and then place it where your target audience will see it.
The downside to outbound marketing is that it can be expensive and time-consuming. You have to constantly be creating new content and placing it in front of people in the hopes that they’ll see it and be interested.
Inbound marketing
Inbound marketing is a type of marketing where businesses attract consumers to them. It’s the opposite of outbound marketing in that you’re not actively reaching out to people. Instead, you’re creating content and making yourself available so people can find you when they need you.
It involves things like:
- SEO
- Blogging
- Content marketing
- Social media
Essentially, any type of marketing where you’re making yourself visible and easy to find online are considered inbound marketing.
One of the benefits of inbound marketing is that it’s less expensive than outbound marketing. You don’t have to constantly be creating new content or placing ads. Instead, you can create high-quality content that will attract people to you.
The downside to inbound marketing is that it can take longer to see results. You have to be patient and wait for people to find you and then take the next step.
Email marketing
Email marketing is a type of marketing where businesses send messages to customers or prospects via email. It’s one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, but it’s still going strong today.
Email marketing involves things like:
- Sending newsletters
- Running email campaigns
- Building email lists
- Crafting individual emails
Email marketing is beneficial because it’s a direct way to reach people who are already interested in what you have to say. You don’t have to worry about them seeing your message because you’re sending it directly to them.
The downside to email marketing is that it can be easy to spam people or send them too many messages. If you’re not careful, you can quickly turn people off from your business.
Content marketing
Content marketing is a type of marketing where businesses create and share content with the goal of attracting and engaging customers. It’s similar to inbound marketing in that you’re making yourself visible and easy to find online.
Content marketing involves things like:
- Blogging
- Podcasting
- Creating infographics
- Making videos
- Crafting ebooks or whitepapers
Content marketing is beneficial because it’s a great way to build trust and relationships with potential and current customers. People appreciate businesses that provide them with valuable information, and they’re more likely to do business with you if they feel like you’re an expert in your field.
The downside to content marketing is that it can be time-consuming and expensive. Creating high-quality content takes effort, and you might not see results right away.
Paid search
Paid search is a type of marketing where businesses pay money to have their website appear in the search results for certain keywords. It’s similar to SEO in that you’re trying to get your website to show up for certain keywords.
Paid search involves things like:
- Bidding on keywords
- Running ads
- Creating landing pages
Paid search is beneficial because it’s a great way to get your website in front of people who are already looking for what you have to offer. You’re not just hoping that they’ll see your ad and be interested; you know that they’re already interested because they’ve searched for a keyword related to your business.
The downside to paid search is that it can be expensive. If you’re not careful with your keywords and budget, you can quickly blow through your money without seeing any results.
Social media marketing
Social media marketing is a type of marketing where businesses use social media platforms to connect with their customers and prospects. It involves things like:
- Creating profiles on social media sites
- Posting updates and stories
- Running ads
- Doing social media listening
- Engaging with customers and prospects
Social media marketing is beneficial because it’s a great way to connect with people who are interested in what you have to say. It’s also a great way to stay top-of-mind with your potential customers.
The downside to social media marketing is that it can be time-consuming. You have to constantly be creating new content and engaging with people. It can also be easy to get lost in the noise if you’re not careful.
Search engine marketing
Search engine marketing is a type of marketing where businesses use search engines to connect with their customers and prospects. It involves things like:
- Optimizing websites for search engines
- Running ads
- Doing search engine optimization
Search engine marketing is beneficial because it’s a great way to get your website in front of people who are already looking for what you have to offer. You’re not just hoping that they’ll see your ad and be interested; you know that they’re already interested because they’ve searched for a keyword related to your business.
The downside to search engine marketing is that it can be expensive. If you’re not careful with your keywords and budget, you can quickly blow through your money without seeing any results.
Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing where businesses pay other businesses to promote their products or services. It’s similar to paid search in that you’re paying for exposure, but it’s different in that you’re not paying for clicks or impressions.
You’re only paying for the sales that the affiliate generates.
Affiliate marketing is beneficial because it’s a great way to get your products or services in front of people who are already interested in them. You’re not just hoping that they’ll see your ad and be interested; you know that they’re already interested because they’ve visited the affiliate’s website.
The downside to affiliate marketing is that it can be expensive. If you’re not careful with your budget, you can quickly blow through your money without seeing any results.
Video marketing
Video marketing is a type of marketing where businesses use videos to connect with their customers and prospects. It involves things like:
- Creating videos
- Uploading videos to YouTube or other video-sharing sites
- Running ads
- Doing video SEO
Video marketing is beneficial because it’s a great way to connect with people who are interested in what you have to say. It’s also a great way to stay top-of-mind with your potential customers.
The downside to video marketing is that it can be time-consuming. You have to constantly be creating new videos and engaging with people. It can also be easy to get lost in the noise if you’re not careful.
Word-of-mouth marketing
Word-of-mouth marketing is a type of marketing where businesses use their customers to promote their products or services. It’s often considered the most effective form of marketing, and it’s different from other forms of marketing because it’s not paid.
People are more likely to trust the recommendations of their friends and family than they are to trust the recommendations of a stranger. That’s why word-of-mouth marketing is so powerful; it uses the power of relationships to drive sales.
The downside to word-of-mouth marketing is that it can be difficult to track. You can’t always measure how many sales were generated as a result of a conversation that took place offline or online.
Pick one and dominate it!
There are many types of marketing you can explore.
Our suggestion?
Pick one that really attunes to your business and its goals and go all-in with it. Really learn and put it to practice. Dominate that space!
If you can become great at one form of marketing then you can often take those skills into the other areas. This creates compounding efforts when you’re doing business marketing, and it’s in these moments that your brand will shine!