What Are Marketing Techniques? (Plus 14 Strategies)

Updated December 12, 2022

Marketing techniques help you convert prospects into customers and can turn one-time buyers into loyal consumers. Effective strategies for marketing benefit both you and your customer base by increasing awareness of the business and its products or services. Understanding how to increase sales using these techniques can help businesses achieve their growth goals and objectives. In this article, we define what marketing techniques are and explain 14 different marketing methods to help you build a marketing strategy and increase your sales.

What are marketing techniques?

Companies use marketing techniques to communicate with consumers. These techniques help generate leads, build brand awareness, and close sales. The overall objective of a marketing strategy is to encourage the target audience to buy and increase the company's profit. The business can benefit from these strategies by gaining new customers and increasing sales. Understanding the different marketing methods and their use can help you create an effective marketing strategy. Not all marketing strategies work for every business, so it's essential to find the most effective one for the company. To help you get started, consider the following points:

Identify your target customer. Target customers are most likely to buy your product or service. To identify your target customer, think about what they need and want.
Choose the right marketing mix. The marketing mix is the combination of marketing tools that a company uses to achieve its marketing objectives. The mix includes the product, price, promotion, and place.
Evaluate and optimize your strategy. The marketing strategy is the plan that outlines your marketing mix and how you use it to reach your target market. To evaluate your strategy, consider what's working and what's not and implement changes as required to optimize your strategy.

14 different marketing strategies

Here are some of the most common marketing strategies businesses use to reach their target market and increase sales:

1. Word-of-mouth referrals

Word-of-mouth referrals can vary significantly from business to business and are one of the most important strategies available to marketers. What consumers say about a product or service relies on the impression you give them. Your role is to focus on excellent customer service and foster existing client relationships so they can recommend you to their friends and relatives.

For word-of-mouth referrals to work in your favour, try to provide a great product or service that meets customer expectations. Make it easy for customers to leave their feedback as reviews and testimonials. When potential customers see that others have had a positive experience with your company, they're more likely to buy from you.

2. Online presence

Developing an online presence is another effective marketing method for increasing sales. It's essential for businesses to have a strong online presence. Social media is an excellent way to reach and interact with consumers. Many people use social media to share their impressions and look for recommendations. Design an online presence that reaches your target market and convinces them to buy your product or service. Also, ensure you optimize your website for search engines so that potential customers can easily find you online.

3. Cold calling and e-mail marketing

Cold calling and e-mail marketing are traditional marketing approaches that can effectively increase sales. Cold calls include over-the-phone or door-to-door interactions, while e-mail marketing involves sending e-mails to potential customers to convert them into sales. Cold calling and e-mail marketing can boost sales when you focus on the quality of your leads and create a strong sales pitch. When cold calling, make sure you have a script and plan what you might say. An effective e-mail marketing strategy involves personalizing messages and ensuring they are relevant to recipients.

4. Customer testimonials and reviews

Following up with customers is a great way to get feedback and redirect your strategy if necessary. Customers are more likely to buy from a business with positive customer testimonials and reviews. You can collect testimonials and reviews by conducting surveys, sending follow-up e-mails, or asking for feedback on social media. All this information allows you to build customer trust, increase sales, and adjust your marketing strategy and product offering as needed.

5. Cause marketing

Cause marketing is a type of marketing that involves partnering with a charity or non-profit organization. Hosting charity events is an effective way to connect with different demographics and positively impact the community. You can also donate a portion of sales to a charity or non-profit organization. The objective is to communicate charitable intentions and show consumers that you share their desire to improve the world.

6. Improving your products and services

Increasing the quality of products and services shows customers that you're committed to meeting their needs and wants. It also demonstrates that you're keeping up with the latest trends. This is important because consumers often look for the newest and best offerings on the market. Making improvements often produces an increase in sales in four different ways:

Attracts additional customers
Generates repeat sales
Allows you to combine two or more products into special package offers
Boosts customer loyalty

7. Discounts and coupons

Offering discounts and coupons is another effective technique that marketers use to increase profits. This strategy can entice consumers who may not have made a purchase otherwise. Customers are also more likely to buy from businesses that offer discounts and coupons. You can offer a discount to customers who make a repeat purchase to encourage customer loyalty.

8. Tutorials, how-to guides, and product demonstrations

Tutorials, how-to guides, and product demonstrations are excellent ways to show customers how your product or service can benefit them. They also help build trust because you're providing value without asking for anything in return. Marketers use these techniques to improve sales by generating leads and fostering relationships with potential customers.

9. Value-added services

Value-added services are additional services you can offer to complement a product. For example, if you're selling a computer, you can offer a service plan that includes regular check-ups and maintenance. You can include value-added services in the product price. You can also charge for value-added services separately.

10. Online advertising

Online advertising involves paying for an ad on social media platforms and search engines. It increases sales by reaching a larger audience and can target specific demographics. By targeting your ads to specific demographics, you can help ensure that your message gets the right people. This marketing strategy also allows you to track results to see the effectiveness of your ads.

11. Reducing prices to meet customer demand

If customers demand lower prices, reducing your prices can increase your sales. This is because customers are likelier to buy from businesses that offer competitive pricing. It can also help you attract new customers and increase market share. It's important to ensure you don't reduce prices so much that it affects profits.

12. Hosting a contest or giveaway

Hosting a contest or giveaway is a great way to increase brand awareness and sales. Contests and giveaways can generate excitement and interest in your product or service. They're also a great way to build relationships with potential customers. When hosting a contest or giveaway, ensure you promote it across all of your channels and offer only those prizes you think might interest your target audience.

13. Blogging

Many marketers use blog articles to expand their audience and establish their brand as an authority on a specific subject. If you can provide value and share your knowledge, you can easily earn people's trust and encourage them to buy from you when they require a product or service you provide. Blogging can also help with your search engine optimization ( SEO) efforts. By optimizing your blog posts for keywords, you can attract more organic traffic to your website.

14. Billboard and TV advertising

Although expensive, billboard and TV advertising are two of the most effective marketing strategies due to their ability to reach a wide audience and expand brand awareness. They also help in building brand image, making products seem more premium. When advertising on billboards, using attractive visuals, colours, and fonts can help make your ad more memorable. For TV advertising, using a spokesperson or celebrity endorsement can also increase sales.

What Are Marketing Techniques? (Plus 14 Strategies)