Push marketing, which is also sometimes referred to as outbound marketing, involves marketing strategies that don’t require an existing interest or demand in a product or service. It includes traditional advertising methods, like television and radio ads, but it can also include product packaging, beautiful window displays, and cross-marketing techniques. It is the opposite of pull marketing, but both are often used as part of a larger marketing strategy.
Push marketing, when done properly, can appeal to a broad audience. These marketing techniques are designed to appeal to those who have not previously shown any interest in the product or service being offered.
Although not all potential customers will show interest after being exposed to the product, some may develop an interest when before they didn’t know it existed. It is an especially good marketing strategy when launching a business or a product, and it can encourage existing customers to make additional purchases, as it creates instant demand.
Push marketing is in direct opposition to pull marketing. It is considered an offensive form of advertising where brands and manufacturers “push” a product or service onto a customer. These methods include traditional advertising, like television ads, radio ads, and billboards, as well as paid advertisements online.
However, it also includes more nuanced techniques as well. Eye-catching product packaging can encourage someone who is shopping to purchase something they didn’t plan on buying just like beautiful window displays may encourage consumers to step foot into a store they would otherwise walk past. Cross-marketing techniques, on the other hand, can encourage customers to purchase a related product in addition to the product they were originally planning on purchasing.
In contrast, pull marketing is designed to “pull” customers in. It relies on customers already having shown interest in a product or service so marketing techniques can cater to their pain points. Many pull marketing techniques rely on the internet through the use of search engines, blog content, and by encouraging existing customers to leave positive reviews online. While push marketing relies on creating instant demand for a product, pull marketing is designed to work over time by building a relationship with potential customers.
Although push marketing is designed to appeal to a wide audience, it is still important to research location, age, sex, socioeconomic status, and other demographic details of the target audience to ensure the message resonates with as many people as possible. Successful marketing campaigns that utilize this technique almost always use multiple channels to advertise. The strongest impact is made on customers when advertisements are placed online or on TV, when product packaging is designed well, and by discounts that accompany cold emails, for example.
Push marketing is even more successful when it is paired with pull marketing strategies. For example, customers can be exposed to a product, service, or brand with a radio or television advertisement. They can then be directed to the company website, where pull tactics, like blog articles and eBooks, can convince them to make a purchase later on down the road.
