What are marketing channels?

Marketing channels are the different tools, platforms, and mediums that facilitate communication with your target audience. They serve to connect the product or service supplied to consumers. Any distribution of goods need to pass through a marketing channel in order to reach the intended audience.

There are four basic categories of marketing channels:

• Direct selling
• Selling through a third party
• Dual distribution
• Reverse marketing

Most marketing efforts that you’re typically familiar with will generally fall under the direct selling umbrella. 

 

Why are marketing channels important?

Marketing channels are important because they are critical to the success of a product or service. In order to effectively sell something, the right blend of marketing needs to be implemented. Depending on the product or service, the target market, and the sales goals, the marketing strategy will vary.

Choosing which marketing channels to use and to what degree, is integral to putting together a campaign that will result in success. 

 

Different Types of Marketing Channels

When looking at successful marketing, you need to consider the mediums in which your advertisements are pushed. Word of mouth only does so much, so optimizing certain channels to work for your company is the next step in producing a successful campaign. There are multiple different types of marketing channels. Each has its own advantages and areas of success. Doing your research on which channel best fits your company and your goals is necessary for creating a campaign that drives the results you want. 

 

SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a web page so that it ranks better on the search engine results page. The higher a page ranks, the most likely it will be clicked on, thus potentially producing a sale. SEO can help with improving user experience on a site, it can increase your authority, and give up an edge over your competitors.

 

 

Paid

Paid advertising is a research-based method that is used to target specific customer bases. As opposed to organic advertising, paid methods offer a better and quicker return on investment. When you’re looking to make conversions quickly, paid is the best option. They appear to customers who are the target audience of a specific product or service and generally produce more conversions. Additionally, they are very measurable, meaning you can have a better understanding of your success from a metrics standpoint.

 

 

Social Media

Social media marketing is using social platforms and their influencers to push a campaign. Depending on the product or service, the platform of choice will vary. Social media gives companies direct access to customers. Just about everyone has some sort of social platform either on their phone or computer. By extending the strategy to social media, you can reach more people faster. Additionally, in the age of influencers, many consumers trust the opinions of those they follow. Influencer marketing is using these influential users to advocate for your product to their followers. 

 

 

Email

Email marketing is a wide-reaching marketing strategy. It allows for a more direct channel of communication by reaching individual email inboxes. This is particularly successful in campaigns where consumers can “opt-in” to receive emails. Advertising is instantly more successful when your target audience is open to receiving your information. Within this space, you can foster leads, current client relationships, and even past clients. 

 

 

Billboard

Billboards are a staple of traditional marketing. While they are older than more modern, digital advertising formats, there is a reason they are still around.  They function as major platforms for brand awareness and product or service broadcasting. When placed in highly trafficked areas, billboards are seen by thousands of people every day, making them one of the most viewed marketing compared to other marketing methods. 

 

 

TV

Television advertising is often done through commercials that can either span a series of seconds up to a few minutes. Companies pay broadcasting services for a “TV spot” in which they have a select amount of time to play their ad. The pricing of these spots is dependent on the television channel, the time of day, and what day of the week. Television ads can be successful in that if you choose the right time to play them, they can have a widespread reach. One of the most-watched commercial breaks happens every winter during the Super Bowl. 

 

 

Print

Print advertising refers to any form of marketing that is physically printed on paper, or any other medium. These types of advertisements often come in the form of magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, brochures, or mail catalogs. While print may be considered the “old way” of advertising with the emergence of digital platforms, it still has its advantages. Print marketing still yields high conversion rates, grasps strong target demographics, and is a more interactive format that many still value. 

 

 

Public Relations

Because public relations exists in a world entirely of its own, many don’t consider it a true marketing channel. But, the image that your company portrays to the public is extremely important for brand awareness and reputation. Companies with strong public images have powerful and loyal consumer followings. In 2021, more than ever, consumers are caring more and more about the values of the companies they purchase from. 

 

 

How To Choose The Best Marketing Channel?

Marketing is really only as successful as you make it. This means choosing the right strategy and effective marketing channels for your company and your goals is crucial to seeing results and producing a profitable campaign. Each marketing channel has its own areas where it can see the most success. Many companies opt for the omnichannel strategy, meaning they push their product across multiple channels to drive their results. Putting together the best strategy for your brand starts with considering a variety of factors.

 

What You Want Out of a Campaign

Deciding what you want out of your marketing campaigns is a necessary step in determining the right marketing strategy. Are you looking for quick results? Or are you more interested in the long game? Each marketing channel works differently and will yield different results with different timelines. For example, billboards can help with overall brand awareness whereas email marketing is best for existing customer relationships. 

 

The Circles Your Target Audience Sits In

Analyzing where your target audience hangs out is crucial to choosing the right channels to push your marketing. Successful campaigns start with a consumer-first mindset. This means knowing where your consumers do and don’t hang out, what they like and don’t like, and what they are and aren’t receptive to. Narrowing your focus will help you deliver a campaign that is expertly targeted and designed to have the best chance at conversions. 

 

What Your Competitors are doing

Scoping out your competition or the leaders of your industry is valuable research. The marketing strategies of industry leaders can offer a bit of direction in terms of which channels to choose. While your goals and audiences may differ slightly, this data can offer an outline of what works. Your competitors can provide insight on which areas may be worth targeting to make your place in the market. By seeing what strategies the competition is implementing, you can see both what is already working and how you can optimize your strategy to have the upper hand and stand out. 

 

Summary

Ultimately, successful campaigns are only possible with thorough research and market analysis. While marketing channels are made to be successful in their own areas, choosing the right ones for your business is key. If you’re looking for brand awareness but only target existing client relationships, your awareness will not grow. Finding the right blend of channels to meet your goal is necessary. Speaking to a marketing agency may be the best place to start in designing your marketing strategy. 

 

Partner up with Epic

Epic Marketing has been producing quality advertisements and expert-quality strategies since 2004. As a  full-service marketing agency, we are able to fulfill just about any advertising need. We develop research-based strategies that work to propel your business forward and drive results. Our creative team puts together jaw-dropping content that will make your brand look better than ever. If you’re looking for success, call us today. 

Big changes are happening in AdTech. Over the past 20 years, advertising technology has exponentially increased in sophistication and effectiveness. This has led to incredible advances for marketers in the ways we promote goods and services. At the very core of this advancement is user data. From niche audience segmentation to personalized marketing experiences, user data has become the most valuable asset of nearly every company on the planet.

However, after a decade of data privacy scandals such as Cambridge Analytica and many others, the public has gained an increased understanding of how their data is collected, sold, and utilized—fueling public outrage and serious political pressure for change.

Faced with mounting pressure, digital giants Apple and Google have taken the opportunity to put user privacy first, limiting personal data access for marketers moving forward.

Digital ads have relied on personal data gathered by third-party cookies since the early days of the public internet in 1994. As part of their commitment to putting user privacy first, Google is progressing with plans to phase out third-party cookies on Chrome by 2022, and Apple’s 14.5 iOS update has already begun to severely limit ad targeting capabilities across their mobile devices.

Instead of automatically opting users into tracking, Apple now requires apps that want to track user data for advertising on Apple devices to prompt users to opt-in first. Marketers are worried that if users are faced with a choice on whether they consent to third-party sites tracking their data, most users won’t say yes—making it harder for ad campaigns to be effective.

What Are Cookies?

When you visit a website on your phone or computer, a small text file from the website attaches itself to your browser. That text file—called a cookie—holds data like your name, username, email address, and other personal information that can help marketers tailor future content to your preferences and interests.

Cookies are great for things like remembering products you left in a website’s checkout cart, automatically filling in forms with your contact information, and showing you ads for products you’re probably interested in. They’re convenient for customers and provide helpful insights for marketers.

Up until now, businesses have been able to easily track website visitors using cookies. The data collected improves user experience and helps target digital ads to the right users. But some people (and corporations) aren’t too happy about businesses knowing that much personal information about individual customers—hence: the cookie phase-out.

How Will This Change Impact Businesses?

Since the changes are still being rolled out, it’s difficult to see how the cookie phase-out and iOS update will impact marketing efforts long term. Many small businesses have relied heavily on third-party cookies up until now, so this change might put a wrench in some digital ads for a bit. But not forever.

Marketers are a creative bunch. Many companies are already developing and launching early stages of cookieless ad targeting solutions. Fortunately, Apple and Google have been open about the updates for a while. It’s given us and other marketers time to prepare for the iOS and Chrome updates so our clients are well prepared.

And even though this focus on user privacy changes our ad tactics a little, it’s probably a good move in the long run. User privacy is important. We don’t see the downfall of cookies as data we’re losing, but as data marketers probably shouldn’t have had access to in the first place. Like other smart agencies, we’ve diversified our marketing strategies and challenged ourselves to innovate. Organic marketing, SEO, and brand awareness campaigns are going to be much more crucial for businesses in the future—and we’re ready for it.

Dive Deeper

There’s no way we could cover everything about the updates and years-in-the-making privacy battle currently going on between tech companies and governments. So we’ve put together some resources to help you better understand the cookie crackdown a little better:

• What Are Tracking Cookies?
• Apple and Google are Cracking Down on Cookies: What HubSpot Customers Need to Know
• Apple’s Move to Block User Tracking Spawns New Digital Ad Strategies
• The Death of the Third-Party Cookie: What Marketers Need to Know About Google’s Looming Privacy Pivots
• Why Marketing Might Be Better Off Without Cookies
• A New Type of Ad is Heading for Your iPhone
• iOS 14.5: How This Outstanding New Feature Will Change Your iPhone Forever
• 5 Ways Apple iOS 14 Will Affect Your Facebook Ads (and How to Prepare)

A while back, my fence was needing a major overhaul. I got several bids from several reputable vendors and wasn’t too excited about paying thousands to install a new fence and having to wait weeks for the contractors to be able to squeeze me in. A neighbor heard my concerns and suggested a handyman he had used for several rental properties. This handyman came out and gave me a bid that was significantly less than everyone else and who could start ASAP (red flag #1). I didn’t feel that references were needed as he came recommended by my good friend. Once work started, I noticed that the workers appeared to be family and more of manual labor, rather than skilled craftsman (red flag #2). When I came home to inspect their initial work, my concerns were confirmed – the work was substantially substandard. I approached the contractor and outlined each of my concerns, to which he agreed to remedy. A few days later the issues were not resolved and additional construction continued to be unacceptable. I ended up firing the contractor and having to hire another to completely re-do the project. I ended up with a project that took twice as long, caused significant headaches and stress, and cost significantly more than if I had opted for the reputable option out of the gate.

I was reminded of the quote: “If you think it is expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur” Red Adair

At Epic, we have found that critical errors are common in the early stages of marketing for many businesses. Many times new businesses will go with the quick, easy, and cheap option right out of the gate. Often this ends up hampering their ability to scale, as much of that early work has to be re-done, thus transforming those early projects into long, difficult, and expensive endeavors. If these elements had been done properly from the outset, they would have withstood the need to re-tool during the growth phase of their business.

1. What’s your WHY? If you don’t know it, your customers will never care.
   – What is your motivation for business (life)?
   – Why does your business need to exist?
   – What problems do you solve?
   – What is your Unique Selling Position?
   – What is your Value Proposition?
2. Branding – this will live forever and provide the first impression to most of the market.
   – Name
   – Logo
   – Colors
   – Style, Voice & Tone Guide
   – Visuals
3. Website – this is the central hub for all marketing. Do it right and think about growth.
   – Custom not Cookie Cutter
   – What do you want people to do? Why would they do it? Funnels!!!
   – Don’t be “mobile-friendly”, be “mobile-first”
4. Collateral – how do you present yourself?
   – Business cards, letterheads, etc. (yes – they still matter)
   – Kit covers, sales brochures, one-sheets, etc.
   – Email templates, signatures, office templates (PowerPoint, agenda, etc.)
5. Digital Presence – beyond website
   – Social profiles – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.
   – Maps – Google, Apple, Yelp, etc.
   – Industry – Houzz, Thumbtack, Angie’s List, Pinterest, etc.

We have fielded hundreds of inquiries from small businesses where many are asking essentially the same question: “How do I generate the newest business with the least amount of expense and headache?”

This is similar to me asking a contractor, “What is the cheapest, quickest, and easiest fence option?” The contractor would likely suggest a chain-link fence that may fit the requests, but not be what I actually want or need. Instead, the contractor’s ability to achieve my short and long term satisfaction goals will improve as they strive to understand the motivation behind my request, my vision for the future, and current budget parameters. He would then understand that while quick and inexpensive were initial motivators, they are not critical in the long-term. I want a fence that will last, be visually appealing, and require little maintenance. Given this new information, he can then show me how a slightly more expensive option (wood or vinyl) would better achieve my objectives and help me to understand the value of investing in a better quality product.

For a small business entering the marketing arena, early performance is critical as it can dramatically impact the bottom line (both for good and bad). Unnecessary expenses or time required to fix mistakes can rob a business of key resources that are critical in a start-up phase.

The traditional marketing funnel was invented in 1898 by Elias St. Elmo Lewis to illustrate the typical customer journey. The marketing funnel models how a new customer might move from being one of many people with “Awareness” of a product or service at the top of the funnel to becoming a customer by making a “Purchase” at the bottom of the funnel.

For over a century, this model has taught marketers that in order to get the most customers to “Purchase” at the bottom of the funnel (where the dollar sign shows up!) you need the broadest possible “Awareness” at the top. Often, that has resulted in companies striving for the broadest appeal for their ads and therefore committing the most egregious marketing mistake, that of “marketing to everyone”.

Is There Another Way to Target Your Audience?
But is this long-held model of “marketing to the many to convert the few” the true representation of the marketing process? Sangram Vajre, speaking at a recent SLC|SEM event at Adobe’s Lehi, Utah Campus, thinks differently.

“The traditional funnel starts broad – everyone is a target. Its greatest flaw is it treats people as numbers,” Vajre explains. “Today’s buyer expects marketing to be targeted and personalized on her or his terms. And expects sales to help in addition to sell.”

Account-Based Marketing is Personal
With statistics showing that “less than 1% of leads turn into customers” and “less than 2% of cold calls convert into appointments,” Vajre is not without the data to support the idea that the marketing funnel is flawed. But what is the solution?

Vajre has authored the book Account-Based Marketing for Dummies where he expounds on the idea that “marketing to everyone” is obsolete and proposes the solution for the new marketing funnel via the hashtag he’s helped popularize: #FlipMyFunnel.

Account-based Marketing “flips the funnel” by starting with the account or customer first. In this new method of marketing, your sales process begins by identifying the businesses or industry you want to target with your product or service. Instead of targeting a broad range of potential customers and then letting them filter themselves out until you have a purchaser, this method asserts that targeting narrowly will lead to an expanding audience of well-defined potential customers that progresses down a widening funnel of relevant content customized to the needs of the audience.

By focusing from the beginning on a smaller number of better-targeted accounts, marketers will be better able to understand and engage with potential customers through tactics like whitepapers, events, or webinars that can be laser-focused to meet customers’ specific needs. Vajre calls this an “omnichannel” approach, using a variety of touchpoints including email, digital and traditional ads, video, and phone calls to engage directly with the account.

What’s the Best Platform for Account-based Marketing?
LinkedIn expert, AJ Wilcox of B2Linked says that LinkedIn advertising allows marketers to be “surgically” accurate because “professionals keep this source updated as a reflection of [their] careers and personal value.” In comparison with other social marketing tools, Wilcox says, “Intent-based targeting focuses on someone’s intent right now; LinkedIn’s audience-based targeting is exactly the opposite. You get your message out to the people who are the most qualified to buy… generat[ing] prospects that have a higher propensity to convert.”

LinkedIn ads are often overlooked by marketers looking for cost-effective pay-per-click tools to reach their audience, but in B2B marketing it becomes the social selling tool of choice. At Epic Marketing, we have worked with our clients to test and optimize the use of LinkedIn ads for clients that generate sales and leads from B2B campaigns in addition to other advertising platforms like Facebook Ads, Google AdWords, and Bing Ads.

Are You Ready to Build an Account-based Marketing Strategy?
When clients come to Epic Marketing, the first question we ask is, “Who are you trying to reach?” This helps us to understand which channels or touchpoints will apply as well as what types of content to recommend. Additionally, we build in smart timelines to ensure that your message stays front-and-center for your target audience to get the largest impact from your marketing effort.

Account-based marketing is a powerful strategy that can improve the way your business spends its marketing dollars and generates sales. If you’re tired of the typical approaches you’re used to, it might be time to give it at a try.

The Power of a Demographic

There are many different media types ranging from the Newspaper to the World Wide Web.  Placing an ad is easy; the challenge comes when determining where to effectively place the ad to maximize the full potential. First key factor is to consider all aspects of the demographic in order to understand how to best capture their attention. Young adults for example are highly engaged with their computer and hand-held devices, and are 68 percent more likely to make an online purchase than the average Internet user. Now break that logic down into males vs. females. Young adult males spend a great deal of time playing video games or sports, and are generally TV watchers. Females on the other hand are more inclined to read a fashion magazine, and are also TV watchers. Television in general is a very effective medium, which makes it a pricey, yet effective option.

Measure Advertising Effectiveness

In addition to considering demographics, it is important for business owners to also consider the return on investment (ROI).  By utilizing sales and advertising data you can create simple and predictive models for measuring effectiveness of an advertising campaign where it is critical to ensure your data is clean and consistent. In addition, evaluating “what if” scenarios in a predictive model will help guide you in future marketing investment. Tracking key performance indicators (KPI’s) throughout your campaign will also help ensure you are keeping good records for future modeling needs.

Your Message Matters

The most effective advertising element is in the messaging. The right messaging that speaks to the heart, paired with the right advertising medium(s) is a recipe for success. Once you have your message, next you will determine which medium is going to give you the best ROI. The one that is right for you depends entirely on your business and your budget. There is no “one trick pony” or “magic bullet” in advertising.  A solid message, consistent budget, and an allocation of budget to a balance of advertising outlets will yield great results!

When In-House Marketing Makes Sense

When considering the benefits of hiring a marketing agency vs. benefits of an in-house staff, there are a few key points to consider. First, consider your business size. Large businesses with 150+ employees, or a staff of 50+ sales positions should definitely have an in-house marketing department. With that said, it is quite common to hire an outside agency in conjunction with an in-house team to maximize efforts.  Other important in-house factors are targeted product and service familiarity, staff control, and software control.

A Marketing Agency Can Take Your Business to the Next Level

Most successful marketing agencies have an internal team of 15 to 50 people with a wide array of skill sets. Within that skill set are graphic designers, creative directors, account managers, and sales managers who together, are a team of awesomeness dedicated to seeing your business succeed! From negotiating with media outlets, to creating cutting edge design, a marketing agency can take your business to the next level.  Media outlets appreciate a good marketing firm, and with that come volume discounts and freebies which are passed on to you.

This also means you can eliminate your cost of employing marketing personnel. In addition, you won’t need to manage the operational duties of marketing production. Instead, you get to focus on other important aspects of your business, and leave the marketing to a diversified team of professionals.  In the chart below, it details the annual cost of one senior, middle, and entry level marketing employee including software, salary, and benefits. By hiring a marketing agency, your average annual spends would make more sense considering the package that comes with it.

 

Allocating a Marketing Budget For Business

A very common question posed by business owners who are considering a viable marketing budget often ask: How much does should it cost to market my business?

Your Business Type Matters

Consider the business owner who is approaching a grand opening and wants to attract customers in a big-bang fashion.  Or consider the business owner who has been marketing for many years, using the same media source that has worked well over the years, but knows more is needed. Both are great examples of business owners who realize the full potential of marketing and the great rewards that come with a successful balance of media. The biggest factor for each decision maker is ultimately; what is the cost of marketing, and how will it make the most impact on ROI?

Important Factors to Consider

There are handful important factors to consider when allocating a marketing budget. First step is to allocate a percentage of projected annual sales; 5-15% is common, and is important to see what your competition is doing to keep up or even up your game. Second, your geographic location plays a role and costs are typically higher in metro areas vs. rural areas, as media in those markets will typically hit a larger population.  Third, your media selection is a major factor in the costs. If you have a small business, certain media can be costly (production and media placement) and your budget could be better spent elsewhere, where it can be more targeted. Lastly, there are free alternatives that can be effective, but require effort and some creativity. Examples could include a ribbon cutting ceremony to gain free coverage in a newspaper or by participating in community events which helps generate word-of-mouth.

Plan on it!

Simply put, businesses need marketing to thrive in today’s economy. Budgeting and planning based on projected annual sales is a fundamental key to success. A strategic, long-term plan is effective and best-spent when hiring a full-service marketing firm who is familiar with various media options and how to strategize for a variety of markets and businesses. Make the most out of your budget and contact Epic Marketing today!