Module Four

Different Ways of Marketing

 

Today, whether you are watching television, YouTube, or even using social media platforms like Instagram on your mobile, one thing is constant, advertisements. Advertisements have always been an important part of marketing. 

As discussed in the previous chapter, marketing plays a significant role in building and growing an eCommerce business. With the right approach and consistent efforts in marketing, reaching potential customers, building brand awareness, and driving sales becomes a natural outcome. 

 

Now, in this chapter, we will talk about different marketing methods. Here, the center of our discussion would be traditional and modern marketing methods. In our discussion here, we will get a brief overview of each and will also perform a comparative analysis of their effectiveness. So, let’s begin.

 

Traditional Marketing Methods

Traditional marketing methods include three primary types or channels. These are print advertising, television/radio ads, and direct mail. Let us discuss each of them one by one in this section. 

Print Advertising

Print advertising is an advertisement strategy that involves placing ads in printed material such as newspapers, magazines, brochures, and also flyers. We all have sometimes seen a newspaper. Do you remember how different advertisements are placed there?

 

That particularly is known as print advertising. There are so many advantages that print advertisements offer. These ads are tangible and hence are mostly perceived as more trustworthy.  

 

However, one thing that you have to consider before using print advertising is that they have a limited reach and can be expensive as well. There are some drawbacks too that businesses face with these ads which are limited reach, the expensive nature of these ads, and a challenge in measuring their effectiveness.

Television and Radio Ads

We all, at least once or more, have been irritated by those television ads during our favorite TV shows, right? Not only this, those musical jingles played both on radio and television are remembered by everyone. 

 

We all agree that this marketing strategy has a lot of advantages. What are these? Well, the first one is a broader reach, majorly during prime times. Since we remember most of the jingles, it is right to say that this marketing strategy has a high impact especially because of audio-video elements. 

 

Furthermore, you can target specific demographics based on channel/program selection. Isn’t this wonderful? However, this marketing method also has some drawbacks. With high production and airtime costs, this becomes an expensive method of advertisement. In addition, sometimes ad-skipping and avoidance by audiences limit engagement and interactions. 

Direct Mail

The next traditional method of marketing, although rare, is through direct mail. Do you know that businesses report that about a 95% engagement rate on average comes from direct mail? Here, we send promotional materials directly to individuals via postal mail. The biggest advantage of direct mail is the personalization potential that it holds. 

 

With high reach, especially within a specific area, you can get measurable response rates with this strategy through coupons, QR codes, and more. However, one of the drawbacks related to this can be the environmental concerns associated with paper use. 

 

Moreover, several recipients might perceive this as junk and may not show any interest in these emails. They even have a higher cost associated, especially when compared to digital methods. 

 

If you consider your example, how many times have you received those catalogs from retail stores and overlooked them? A lot, right? There is no doubt that this marketing strategy makes you aware of the business and sometimes you might show interest in these flyers and postcards from local businesses. 

 

Modern Marketing Methods

How many times have you purchased from a website while scrolling through reels on Instagram? Well, 17% of consumers already have. Not just this, 25% of consumers have purchased after the recommendation of one of the influences they have been following. 

 

Modern marketing methods have completely transformed the way consumers shop now. Today, almost every one of us has a mobile device. Hence, eCommerce businesses have this great opportunity to market their products and services, conveniently to customers. 

 

But modern marketing too, has several dimensions to it, each providing a different advantage. Let us explore digital marketing from a closer perspective. 

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has become one of the biggest marketing channels today. It has several aspects to it, all being important and effective today. How many of you have heard about search engine optimization (SEO)? 

 

SEO is one of the primary aspects of digital marketing. The main aim of SEO is to optimize your website so that it ranks higher on the search engine results. For instance, you sell cakes and pastries. Now, as a customer, if someone searches for “Cake Shops Near Me” your business does not appear in the results. How will you get customers? 

 

The other aspect is social media marketing. Today, there is hardly any individual who is not on social media. So, why not promote your products there? Why not make complete use of the broad reach and effective targeting you can perform with social media marketing? 

 

Emails. Do you know that most businesses report that emails generate the maximum amount of sales for them? Still, a lot of eCommerce businesses are yet to explore these benefits. But make sure that you make full use of it as a business.

 

What are the advantages associated with it? Well, there are advantages associated such as you can send promotional emails to the targeted list of subscribers, can have direct communication with them, and will see measurable results in no time. 

Content Marketing

Do you know what is one of the most effective ways to attract and engage an audience? Content marketing. With content marketing, your eCommerce business will develop brand authority and trust that ultimately will bring in more customers. 

 

If you are thinking about driving organic traffic and leads to your business, relying on content marketing can be a great initiative. Moreover, this strategy will also help you in terms of boosting SEO for your website. 

However, to see results from this marketing strategy, you will need to put in consistent efforts. In addition, make sure that the content you are providing to the audience should be valuable. 

 

We all love to read blog posts, articles, and infographics, right? So like most of us, many people want to gain insights about your business and the field of expertise associated with it. 

Influencer Marketing

Today, influencers on different platforms, especially on social media, hold massive potential when it comes to marketing. Many eCommerce businesses collaborate with influencers for services or product promotion. Why?

 

Take an example of the coffee you have been drinking or the earbuds you have been using. Have you ordered it yourself or did some influencer have an impact on your decision? There are so many such instances where our choices are affected by influencers. 

 

So, for an eCommerce business, this is a great opportunity to popularize the product. Through influencers you will have access to engaged audiences, can do authentic endorsements, and thus will boost brand credibility. 

 

If you are ready to spend some capital on this, influencer marketing can bring in a lot of customers to your business. Be it unboxing or reviewing videos, through influencer marketing, you can bring things in your favor. 

 

Which One is Better – Traditional or Modern Methods?

Now, after knowing about each of these marketing methods, you must be interested to know which of them is better. Isn’t it? Well, it depends on your business preference. Let us compare both these marketing approaches on different parameters. 

Cost Effectiveness

In terms of cost-effectiveness, traditional marketing methods have a higher upfront cost for example for platforms like TV ads and print media. Moreover, these also have higher ongoing costs for maintaining ad placements. 

 

On the other hand, modern techniques such as social media ads and content creation need a lower initial investment. They offer you better scalability and provide budget control. 

Reach and Engagement

In terms of reach and engagement, traditional methods have a broad but less targeted reach. We can see this for TV/radio ads. Also, there is a limitation when it comes to having a direct engagement with the audience. 

 

Modern techniques on the other hand have a highly targeted reach. With a high potential for direct interaction and engagement, this marketing channel yields a better output here. 

Measurability of Results

When we are talking about the traditional methods of marketing, it is a bit difficult to track the exact return on investment (ROI) for them. The measurability of results relies on indirect metrics such as an increase in in-store visits or sales. 

 

On the other hand, modern marketing techniques provide precise tracking and analytics such as website traffic and conversion rates. As a business owner, these real-time performance data and crucial insights can prove to be advantageous for you. 

 

So, these all are different ways of marketing. What do you think is the most ideal for your business?

 

Crucial Takeaways From This Chapter

 

• Traditional marketing methods like print ads, TV/radio spots, and direct mail are tangible but come with higher costs and limited reach.
• Modern marketing leverages digital platforms, using techniques like SEO, social media, and influencer marketing for targeted, cost-effective outreach.
• Digital marketing offers precise tracking, allowing businesses to measure success in real time and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Content marketing builds brand authority by delivering valuable information, while influencer marketing taps into trusted voices to boost credibility.
• Choosing between traditional and modern methods depends on your business needs, but modern techniques generally offer better scalability, engagement, and cost control.