The Most Common Types of Marketing with Examples
What Is Marketing?
In scientific language, it is an activity performed by an entrepreneur to satisfy demand, that is, the needs of consumers. Too complicated? It is your key to the buyer’s heart, which allows you to find a common language with the consumer and establish successful cooperation.
Marketing is usually understood as advertising. But in fact, this concept is much broader. It includes all tools helping increase sales, from the visual presentation of goods and services to customer experience, complaint handling, and user support.
Marketing tools are so diverse and specific that even a university course couldn’t cover them all. White and black PR, word of mouth, attention-getting, influencing opinion leaders, and working with government agencies are often used for marketing purposes.
Nevertheless, we will try to highlight the main forms of marketing, define their essence, and give simple and clear examples.
Key Marketing Categories
Scientists say that marketing has existed for several millennia. This is when Egyptian papyrus advertising the services of a weaving workhouse was created. However, the advent of the Internet has made this phenomenon more dynamic and effective. Today, no aspect of our lives is free from advertising and all the variety of marketing tools.
Traditional Marketing
When the Internet gained enough popularity, everything that remained outside its borders was included in this category. Common examples are billboards on the streets, leaflets in mailboxes, and even personal recommendations from friends.
However, it would be wrong to consider offline marketing outdated. Statista’s research shows that it remained the most popular and effective tool even in 2020. Prior to the survey, about 68% of Americans had watched ads on TV, 57% — on social media, 47% — on YouTube, and 45% — on websites.
Even if you start a purely digital business, which is inextricably linked to the Internet, you cannot reject traditional marketing categories. After all, today Facebook uses billboards, and Microsoft holds successful offline presentations gathering tens of thousands of people.
Example
In 2014, the Japanese company Nissan signed a contract with famous perfumers who helped it find the brand’s fragrance. It was used in car showrooms, at exhibitions, and even in light boxes in shopping centers. The smell evoked warm, gentle feelings that increased trust in the brand. According to the analysis results, about 30% of people from the focus group changed their attitude towards Nissan cars from neutral to extremely positive, and another 15% — from negative to good.
Digital Marketing
This topic is most often discussed on the pages of our blog. It is usually mentioned in discussions focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) and contextual advertising (PPC). But there are many other effective tools: working with social networks, creating branded content, doing digital PR, etc.
Experts distinguish fewer digital marketing types, and there are two reasons behind that. The first is that digital marketing is too young, so the first serious scientific research in this area appeared only ten years ago. The second and most important reason is that professionally done online promotion works so effectively there is simply no need to create new tools.
Example
Canva, an online service for designers, adopted a traditional SEO strategy. It regularly publishes well-optimized articles with useful content. By attracting renowned experts, conducting in-depth phenomena analysis, and referring to authoritative resources, the Canva team has reinforced its standing so much that competitors will not be able to knock it off the top position within the next year even if Canva opts for sitting on its backside (but no one is going to rest on oars and yield their leadership).
B2B Marketing vs. B2C
Marketing strategies largely depend on the specifics of a target audience. A vivid informal tone of communication will be suitable if it consists mainly of young hipsters looking for a new smartphone. But this strategy will fail if you provide financial audit services. Serious businessmen sitting on an executive board will definitely not appreciate your attempts to catch the hype train.
B2C Marketing
From a business to consumers. This kind of marketing uses emotional appeals. It turns to a friendly tone to earn trust. It can be described as a charming and nonintrusive influencer who says from the screen, “Hey, dude, buy my product, and you will be happy!”
Example
The streaming service Spotify Wrapped publishes ratings of the most popular artists every year. It also helps users create playlists based on their preferences and share them with friends. The first experiment was so successful that it increased the service’s audience by 20% at the time of release. At the same time, its participants voluntarily disclosed personal data, which also improved the effectiveness of the company’s marketing strategy.
B2B Marketing
Business-to-business, one of the gang. Reaping benefits comes to the fore here. It is like being a serious sales representative who opens a briefcase and takes out analytical materials saying, “You should buy our product because it is cheaper, better, and more convenient.” However, there are exceptions to every rule. By now, a layer of small and medium-sized businesses appealing to the emotions of consumers has formed, and business owners choosing this strategy have become sensitive to such influence too.
Example
The database management service Couchbase was able to become successful even in the shadow of such giants as Oracle. To outperform them, it conducted personalized workshops for SQL specialists and high-level programmers. This allowed the company to collect personalized data for SEO and PPC. Experts say this strategy has surgical precision — it is aimed at specific individuals rather than a target audience.
Categories of Traditional Marketing
According to expert forecasts, offline types of marketing will play an important role at least until 2035-2040.
Inbound Marketing
The goal is to attract the consumer’s attention with useful information that does not contain direct advertising. If a customer happens to find information about your company during a little research of their own, it will significantly strengthen the credibility of the brand. Chances are, the client will become an advocate or brand ambassador, doing the marketing work for you.
Example
The pet food company Chewy has hosted a series of successful seminars on healthy pet nutrition with guest vets and experts. Even without directly mentioning the brand, the event increased trust in it. Visitors said they are definitely ready to recommend the retailer to their family and friends.
Brand Marketing
Create a name so closely associated with your product that it becomes synonymous with it, such as “jacuzzi”, “iPhone”, or “xerox”. Most of these words are now written in lowercase, even though they are actually trademarks. This form of marketing is aimed at a long-term result — it is very difficult to achieve the goal, but then you can bask in success.
Example
One of the relatively fresh examples is GoPro. It has managed to gain popularity through consumer-generated content branding. The logo in the corner of multiple interesting videos from extreme sportsmen and tourists was etched in the memory of millions of users, and they began to use the word “gopro” in everyday communication.
Product Marketing
This tool focuses on the values of a product, demonstrating its benefits to potential customers. To use it as effectively as possible, think about other needs your product or service can satisfy, preferably with minimal costs for the company.
Example
Here is a case that made it into the history of marketing — furniture packaging from the Swedish brand IKEA turns into boxes handy for moving to another apartment. The company only slightly retooled its production presses and received worldwide success with the marketing campaign. Everything as we said: maximum efficiency at minimum costs!
Direct Mailing
This marketing type includes catalogs, brochures, and advertising letters found in your mailbox from time to time. It seems outdated but still gives great results. However, compiling a mailing list offline is quite a challenging task since it is much more difficult to access people’s personal data without using the Internet.
Example
Nestlé mailed out vouchers granting the right to get a free sample of its new KitKat Chunky product. The letter said the bar was too thick to fit in the box. But the recipients could pick up their prizes at the nearest store participating in the promotion.
Advertising
It is everywhere — on utility poles, billboards, airplanes, and subway trains as well as on the Internet, radio, and television. Try and live at least one day to completely avoid any form of advertising. It will be very difficult to pass through the challenge, even if you refuse to leave your home.
Example
Just do it! You know exactly which brand owns this slogan. In the 1980s, Nike lagged behind its competitors. It took a phrase used to advertise products to professional athletes and extended it to a general audience. A sufficient number of repetitions and simplicity made the slogan mega-popular all over the world.
Neuromarketing
This is really a different kind of marketing, not like what we knew before. It uses medical equipment that studies people’s reactions to certain appeals. With the help of MRI scanning, electroencephalography, and electrocardiography, scientists evaluate how specific elements of marketing affect a person’s consciousness.
Example
More precisely, there are three of them — Coca-Cola, Netflix, and Target. Can you guess what they have in common? That’s right, the distinctive red color of the logo or label. The companies spent millions of dollars on neurophysiological research to develop this element. But the result is worth it — 94% of people from different countries correctly identify a brand only by its color scheme.
Word of Mouth Marketing
Haven’t you heard of it yet? If not, you can learn about it from us, but don’t forget to tell all your friends and acquaintances. This marketing type does not contain direct advertising — it uses a simple and strong message people want to convey to everyone around them. This is how bot networks were created even before the Internet.
Example
Tesla avoids traditional types of marketing, giving preference to discreet tactics. Its buyers are encouraged to recommend electric cars to their network. By bringing friends to the salons, they receive discounts on accessories and services, as well as a chance to enter the SpaceX production site.
Telemarketing
Oh no, it’s my ISP calling again with another “great deal.” Yes, the effectiveness of telephone sales somewhat decreased with the advent of services for recognizing phone numbers. However, this strategy can still work today if the information is presented properly.
Example
HP was one of the big companies involved in telemarketing in 2022. It uses telephone sales in the business segment, offering laptops, desktops, and office equipment to large companies. How successful is this tool? Walk into any office and look at the electronics brand they use. We are 99 percent sure you will find at least one HP device.
Content Marketing
Yes, it exists in the offline space too. Give your potential customers something useful to reassure them of your friendly intentions — instructions, analytics, guides, catalogs, and other non-digital sources of information. The main thing is to avoid direct advertising in the content — it is better to stick to hints.
Example
The Chinese company Alibaba invented its own holiday. It turned the sad Singles’ Day into a global shopping festival. Since 2011, grandiose events supported by the world’s largest shopping platform have been held in China every November 11. In 2017, it featured Pharrell Williams and Nicole Kidman as guests.
Sales Promotion
Who doesn’t love promotions? They are among the 7 types of marketing considered the most effective. Reduce prices, give away gifts, and add bonuses to privilege cards to attract attention. It’s vital to deliver real benefits since a fake offer is sure to cast you in a negative light.
Example
Amazon was one of the first to offer free express delivery to users. This way of catching attention worked out much better than discounts its competitors were dealing with. It took only a few years for Jeff Bezos to enter the list of the richest people on the planet, which he eventually topped.
Account Marketing
It is a well-calculated selective impact. In the beginning, you spend a lot of time selecting your potential customers. Then, you whittle this list down again and again until you find those who will definitely be sensitive to your offer. Here, both patience and the perfect knowledge of your customer are important.
Example
LiveRamp, a marketing company, took the list of the 500 largest US businesses as a basis. It compiled a profile of each firm and narrowed the search down to 15 candidates. By choosing a multi-channel promotion strategy, the company got 15 clients that brought it 150 million dollars in a year. That’s what one hundred percent efficiency means!
Client Base Marketing
Research shows that repeat sales cost 6-7 times less than acquiring a new customer. So, you can give your loyal customers much bigger discounts, prizes, and other incentives. You just need to come up with an appeal that will certainly lead them to you.
Example
The manufacturer of sportswear Patagonia has set a course for environmental protection. It attracts the attention of conscious people who want to reduce their harmful impact on the environment. With the help of a barcode, its customers can check where an item was made, what materials were used in its production, and how much carbon was released into the atmosphere during the manufacture. Absolute transparency works well and strengthens brand loyalty.
Outbound Marketing
It’s a strong message that distracts you from all other things and keeps your attention. A traditional example is intrusive advertising on TV. Loud sounds, bright colors, and fast movements do not allow you to relax and be carried away by something else. The main thing is not to overdo it to avoid annoying potential customers.
Example
In 2018, Mars placed bright photo zones in American supermarkets. They depicted a giant kitchen with a 12-foot-tall coffee machine and a cup that could fit an adult. Few people could pass by the installation without stopping and taking pictures. And M&M’s logos spread across the Internet together with these photos.
Direct Marketing
Live (but not always personal) interaction with potential customers. This kind of communication should show that you know, love, and value your customer. The emotional approach remains effective today. It has been classified as one of the main types of marketing for several decades.
Example
Before its grand opening, the WVRST beer bar in Toronto sent out bags with a roll in the shape of a giant sausage to food critics, bloggers, and local celebrities. Upon unwrapping it, each person received a branded T-shirt and an invitation to a “sausage party”. Check reviews on different platforms — this place has one of the best ratings in its category.
Public Relations (PR)
A delicate tool for influencing public opinion and changing an attitude towards your brand or even towards your person. It can take many forms — advertising, sponsored content in the media, public speaking, or support of opinion leaders. But the main feature is a hidden action, which remains invisible to the masses.
Example
The KFC fast food chain has received a lot of backlash due to an advertising campaign with the slogan “It’s Finger Lickin’ Good” during the COVID pandemic. To remedy its reputation, the company launched a new ad where it replaced two words with asterisks — “It’s ****** ******* good.” A bit of humor reduced the tension and helped live down the scandal.
Affiliate Marketing
Almost all types of marketing work better when several companies combine their efforts to create advertising activity. This means better deals for consumers, less burden on the budget, and a greater number of creative ideas. The main secret to success is to find a balance that will be equally beneficial for everyone rather than distinguishing between main and secondary participants.
Example
When BMW unveiled its high-end long-range i8 sports car, it joined forces with the luxury brand Luis Vuitton. The fashion house offered a set of four bags that allowed using all the luggage space as efficiently as possible. This is how an advertising campaign with the slogan “The Art of Travel” was born.
Fundraising
Charity can also be used as a marketing tool. Engagement in charity work will show that you have a tender heart and you care about others. At the same time, you do not have to spend a lot of money, becoming the main sponsor of well-known funds. It is enough to serve as an organizer who collects funds and ensures they are directed to good deeds.
Example
Liberty Specialty Markets, an insurance company, arranged a fundraising event among its employees. It turned out to be so successful that the management held a series of charity events for customers. A few years later, the amounts were large enough to establish permanent cooperation with the ShelterBox and Cool Earth foundations. As a result, the company’s sales in Britain increased by 25%.
Personalized Marketing
When you know your customer well, selling something to them is much easier, even if all the information is limited to the city of residence, gender, or car availability. It only takes a little creative effort to increase sales by 10-22% — these are the results achieved by major companies.
Example
The chocolate manufacturer Cadbury conducted a test advertising campaign in Australia. It showed people different videos based on their age, gender, and activity. The experiment turned out to be successful — their sales across the country increased by 18%.
Digital Marketing Types and Forms
The Internet makes everything better and easier. Seriously. Having a computer, a creative idea, and a minimal knowledge of what the different types of marketing are, you can launch a successful advertising campaign and start your own business with scant investment. We’ll tell you which tools will come in handy.
Search Engines Marketing
It is divided into two large groups:
- SEO — web page optimization involving technical requirements and content. It works very slowly but gives a stable result that will bring profit for a long time.
- PPC — contextual advertising users see when searching for certain phrases. It gives an instant increase in traffic but stops working immediately after its termination.
Example
In 2009, copywriter Alec Braunstein launched an advertising campaign in Google AdWords with the names of the directors of the five largest creative agencies in New York. All the activities cost him $6. Nevertheless, he received four invitations to interview and took a top position with a salary of tens of thousands of dollars a month.
Social Media Marketing
A company that does not have pages on all popular social platforms looks suspicious in 2022. Being public is a trend relevant even in the B2B segment. In addition to communication with your target audience, you can build a network of links for SEO and use effective targeted advertising.
Example
The Wendy’s fast food chain has established a presence in social networks. Its official Twitter account feuded with competitors, handed out love advice, and promised to trade 18 million retweets for a year’s supply of chicken nuggets. All this attracted the attention of millions of users, enabling the company to outperform even McDonald’s and KFC in some regions.
Video Marketing
Do you know what clip thinking is? Don’t worry, you’ll forget it in 7 seconds. According to research, this is exactly the time a content creator has to get the viewer’s attention. Knowing this rule, it is easy to understand that videos on TikTok, Reels on Instagram, and short ads on YouTube have the greatest effectiveness. Give people “yummy” content, and they will share it online.
Example
In 2020, Burberry posted a vibrant and emotional New Year’s video with the song “Singin’ in the Rain” on YouTube. The clothing manufacturer saw a 3-fold spike in sales during the COVID crisis, and the world was awash in the song’s new wave of popularity.
Content Marketing
This time, it’s about an online category of marketing. Its essence is to gain the attention of potential customers with interesting information. Be emotional and use the long-known PAS copywriting pattern: problem, agitation, solution. Describe a situation, emphasize its importance, and offer a solution in the form of your product.
Example
The Coinbase crypto exchange was one of the first to launch an educational project dedicated to the concept of Web3. Such an approach is anything but new, yet it turned out to be very successful in this case. The exchange attracted many professional investors who wanted to enter the crypto world but considered it too risky.
Email Marketing
If you think this tool is too archaic, think again. It gives one of the highest performance indicators in digital marketing — an ROI of 120%. Practice shows a creative personalized letter commands more attention than a bright advertisement in a social network feed.
Example
Robinhood Snacks is a platform for short financial news delivered via e-mail. You can learn about all the important events while drinking your morning coffee. This interesting startup attracted more than 75 million dollars of investment in just one year.
Arbitrage Marketing
In fact, this is a way of buying traffic. You pay someone who redirects users to your webpage. If the visitors take some targeted action, such as making a purchase or reading an article to the end, the bid increases. By the way, this is a good idea for creative people who know how to draw attention — you can become a source of arbitrage traffic.
Example
The Conscientious Eater food blog tripled its revenue with a single post. Its author recommended a natural dietary supplement based on mushrooms and gave a link to Amazon. The income amounted to more than three thousand dollars per day!
Voice Marketing
There is nothing new under the sun. The Internet follows the path of radio broadcasts, which allowed the listener’s imagination to create the greatest content. You can use audio for advertising on streaming services, add voice assistants to websites and apps, and record podcasts. Experts include this trend in the 4 types of marketing that will grow by 100%+ in 2023.
Example
VOCADS is a service for creating voice assistants based on artificial intelligence. It quite successfully imitates a live consultant. This encourages the customer to move to the next stage of the sales funnel while reducing the workload on the call center staff. In just a few years, the service made it into the 64th line of the top 100 marketing companies in the USA.
How to Choose the Right Type of Marketing for Your Business?
Marketer Jerome McCarthy created a comprehensive manual back in 1960. He suggested focusing on the 4Ps when creating a business strategy:
- Product. How do you describe your product? What needs does it satisfy? How is it different from competitors’ offers? What is your target audience?
- Price. What price segment does your product belong to? How would you rate it in terms of customer capabilities and other offerings — overrated or underrated?
- Place. Where and how do you plan to sell your product? What channels do your target audience and competitors use?
- Promotion. How are similar products advertised? What information channels do your potential customers appreciate more?
After answering all these questions, you will get a basic idea of what types of marketing are best to use. For example, your company offers an expensive technology-intensive smartphone:
- Product. It has more functions; it will appeal to active young people interested in new technologies, and it satisfies communication and self-expression needs.
- Price. A high price, yet not overrated.
- Place. The main platform is online sales, but competitors have a significant presence in traditional offline retail.
- Promotion. Smartphones are usually advertised in eye-catching videos, on billboards, and in reviews. The clients trust technology bloggers.
Conclusion: the product should be promoted on social media and online, paying special attention to PR marketing, sponsored articles, and word of mouth. Perhaps, it makes sense to enter the traditional advertising market.
All Possible Types of Marketing: How to Build a Strategy
The main advice is to experiment. Combine different tactics; test and compare them. Develop new advertising campaigns by yourself and involve specialists. Try your hand at offline and online channels — despite total digitalization, traditional methods still work and give great results. And never stop since marketing is a dynamic world generating new trends every day.
FAQ
What are the 4 main types of marketing?
The 4 types of marketing are traditional and digital, for businesses and consumers. The 4 types of marketing strategies are penetration, development, product evolution, and diversification. The 4 key concepts of marketing are product, price, place, and promotion.
What types of marketing are out there?
There are many types of marketing. The most common are inbound and outbound marketing; product, brand, and customer marketing; direct and indirect marketing.
How many types of marketing exist?
Each author creates their own classification. In this article, we have described 25 types of online and offline marketing most often used by successful companies.
