Difference Between Direct Marketing Vs InDirect Marketing
A Marketing Guide to Reap the Best Results…
In the ever-changing business landscape, one factor remains constant, marketing – it’s fundamental to every business, large or small. But which type of marketing does your business need, direct marketing vs indirect marketing? Read on to find out which is the best marketing strategy to gain a competitive advantage and facilitate sustainable growth.
What is Indirect Marketing?
Indirect marketing is the type of marketing whereby the seller and the customer communicate indirectly. It appeals to a wide scope of consumers and primarily aims to create product awareness, remind customers of a product/service, and build brand loyalty. Thanks to indirect marketing, consumers move from being oblivious to having a strong connection to a brand.
Some examples of Indirect marketing are:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Blogs and newsletters
- Social media fan pages
- Social media influencers/ product placements
- Sponsorships/ Referrals
- Research
This is arguably the modern form of marketing, and unsurprisingly the most effective. You’ve probably come across some examples of indirect marketing in online reviews, product placements, social media influencers, referrals, blog posts, search engine optimization, social media fan pages, and sponsorships.
What is Direct Marketing
What do email advertising, in-person sales calls, print advertisements, sales letters, and paid advertisements have in common? They all try to ‘chase’ a customer and make them buy a product or service through sales pitches – this describes the concept of direct marketing.
- Some common examples of direct marketing can be:
- Person-to-person meetings
- Print advertisements
- Phone sales calls
- Email advertisement campaigns
- Direct mail flyer, or sales letters
- Online advertising/ PPC ads
- Pre-roll ads on Youtube and other video platforms
Direct marketing attempts to get the attention of the target audience and entice them to buy a product/service. This is actually a fairly common practice used by various businesses to drive their sales and growth objectives in a short period of time. But as you can guess, direct marketing is relatively costly and requires in-depth market research to zero in on your target audience.
Direct vs Indirect – Which is Best?
Which is the better option for the modern business model and consumer market? Based on the trends, direct marketing is effective over the short-term while indirect marketing creates long-term benefits (obviously the better option for sustainable growth and gaining competitive advantage).
“The marketer’s job is to tell a true story, one that resonates, one that matters to people, and to repeat it often enough that it creates value.”
–Seth Godin, Founding Father of Modern Marketing
If you want to gain a competitive advantage and establish your brand in the highly competitive market, you must focus your resources on indirect marketing! Aim to create a strong following and establish a loyal customer base through meaningful/engaging content. But don’t completely abandon direct marketing.
Leverage both marketing techniques and adjust them to align with consumer trends. Make sure to hire a Direct Marketing Agency who specializes in indirect marketing efforts as well. You can try indirect marketing with a hint of direct marketing! Whereas direct marketing can generate leads and sales, it is expensive and prone to spamming. Looking at the consumer habits of the current generation, they are resistant to marketing campaigns that interrupt their daily schedule (both online and the physical world). This makes indirect marketing the perfect way to plan your business, and build up your brand for the near future!
