One part of your marketing strategy asks this question: “Where can I find customers?” You answer with push strategies. This is typically traditional media – Direct Mail, newspaper, radio, etc. – which takes your message and pushes it out to wherever those customers might be. Email can also fit with push because it’s one of those things that “goes out” – and as it does so, it interrupts prospects with your message.
The other part of your marketing strategy asks this question: “How can my customers find me?” These answers are your online marketing strategies that pull customers to your website (and sometimes through your Social Media profiles). The basic components:
Search engine optimization/marketing – Like drawing bees to honey, SEO and SEM are strategies that work together to attract visitors to your landing pages. Start with keyword-rich content, then combine with paid search advertising for a more powerful search impact. There are lots of wannabes out there, after all. By having an ad, your local listing and multiple web pages show up in search results – your odds increase that you’re getting a click instead of your competitor.
Local search marketing – This gets you results based on geographic location, and includes a digital dot on the map at your address, plus a phone number.
Content marketing – This is your blogs, tweets, posts that increase activity on your site (which search engines like). You also share this on Social Media, and sometimes email, to get clicks.
Social Media marketing – Social Media profiles are more for connecting with customers than generating leads. But you also have opportunities to reach groups similar to your customers – or to get in front of friends of your customers – through paid Social Media advertising.
Email marketing – Building a good list is an email success essential.