“Push” and “Pull” marketing are essentially two sides of the same coin that companies should use as core or guiding principles while planning their marketing strategy. The option to be selected depends primarily on the company’s short- and long-term goals. Push and pull marketing are used depending on whether companies want short-term conversions or long-term awareness.

Pull Marketing – the traditional marketing method

Pull marketing in simple terms means “pulling the customer to your brand” by using the traditional 4Ps of marketing – product, price, place, and promotion. Pull marketing creates a set of circumstances because of which a customer comes looking for the brand and eventually purchases it.

Pull marketing relies heavily on mass media, word-of-mouth referrals, and advertising to “promote the brand.” It is a long-term strategy focused on building a deep and enduring consumer–manufacturer relationship.

The main objectives of pull marketing are to create brand awareness, build brand loyalty, and develop customer interest in the products or services that are being promoted. It is not necessarily aimed at specific consumer groups.

Which tools can a company use for Pull Marketing?

There are multiple ways by which a company can use pull marketing to achieve its long-term goals. Some important examples of pull marketing include:

1. Advertising: A company spends many years advertising itself and its brands, and over time, the company and its brands become household names that customers are drawn to almost automatically.
2. Social media marketing: Companies can use content effectively on social media channels to pull customers to their brands. This does not necessarily mean using paid social media advertising but more content that builds and develops the brand story, such as videos, influencer content, or product images.
3. Word-of-mouth: The more a company and its brands are talked about positively by current customers, the greater the chances of attracting and pulling in new customers!
4. SEO: This is a very effective way of placing your brand and related content in front of people who are actively searching in that space. Optimise your web pages and other content to allow them to appear organically in front of your audience, and “pull” them towards your products!

What are some examples of Pull Marketing?

1. A company generates sales through current customers talking about its brands and products in a favourable manner.
2. Your brand designs and posts content that helps potential customers decide that your brand is working positively to address their concerns and is helping them choose the most appropriate product for their requirements.
3. An automobile brand advertises its products (cars) on a mass media channel, such as television and presents various positive features of the vehicle. The advertising is aimed at a general audience, but customers searching for information on a car to buy will be “pulled” in towards your brand by the information that this advertising is presenting.

Source: https://outgrow.co/blog/push-vs-pull-marketing

Push Marketing – the “new age” style of marketing

Push marketing is a tactic of presenting (or pushing) a brand to a specific customer set. Push marketing is also known as “direct marketing” and can be used for a short-term goal. Think sales promotion or a free product offer!

Push marketing uses social media, direct marketing tools, such as emails and SMS messages, and other “personalised” marketing channels to “push” their brands in front of the customers.

Push marketing can also be used by companies that have just entered the industry or want to create awareness within a specific target audience.

Which tools can a company use for Push Marketing?

Push marketing helps companies present their brands directly to the customer. The most popular forms of push marketing include:

1. Social media: The use of multiple social media channels can help engage customers at different points of their purchase journey.
2. Email campaigns: The well-known “drip” method of email campaigns is beneficial as a push marketing strategy. A series of well-drafted emails with content relevant to the interests of the customers help them decide in favour of your brand.
3. Direct mails: This is the most effective way of using push marketing. Highly targeted, relevant, and customised content aimed at a particular customer.
4. Print marketing: The use of print advertising helps channel a potential customer’s interest in your brand by being pushed through a suitable medium, which is a key source of information for the customer.

What are some examples of Push Marketing?

1. Your company is in the business of household durables and has launched a new vacuum cleaner that is featured prominently in your showroom. If a customer walks into the showroom, the sales team can “push” the new vacuum cleaner to this customer even if he/she isn’t immediately looking for this product. By highlighting various key features of the new vacuum cleaner, the customer is “pushed” to consider the product and may actually buy it sooner or later.
2. A pharmacy puts up a point-of-sale display to promote a particular “over the counter” product at a special discount for a limited period. This pushes the customer to examine the offer in more detail.
3. A new business in a particular neighbourhood sends out an email to all residents of the area offering them a discount for all purchases for a limited period.

Source: https://outgrow.co/blog/push-vs-pull-marketing

Push v/s Pull Marketing – which one is better?

The approach – Push or Pull – is best determined by deciding how you want to approach your customer!

Push marketing is a more “hard-sell” approach and can result in faster sales. It, however, may not help in developing long-term, sustainable, and deep relationships with customers. It is also not helpful in building brand loyalty because it depends on an “immediate offer customer conversion,” which may not happen again without a special deal.

Pull marketing, on the other hand, is best suited for building brand loyalty and strong customer relationships. This strategy actually “creates a brand” and builds a dedicated user base (customers) over time. However, pull marketing is a lengthy process and cannot be measured in immediate conversions or sales. It also requires careful study of potential customers and a lot of planning to ensure that the brand is targeting the right customers.

Differences between Push and Pull Marketing

There are only a few differences between push and pull marketing, but they are nevertheless important for a company to bear in mind when deciding how to approach customers.

1. The most important difference is – Pull marketing pulls the customer to your brand, while Push marketing pushes the brand in front of the customer.
2. Pull marketing is more capital intensive because it has to create brand awareness as much as possible. Push marketing involves less cost and is not always long term. The customer has already heard about your brand, and Push marketing makes it available to them.
3. Pull marketing is more long-term and needs continuous customer attention or patronage. Push marketing is always immediate or short-term and does not rely on long-term customer retention.

When should a company use Push or Pull Marketing?

Both push and pull marketing can be used by a company at different times and stages of its brand marketing cycle. Customers have to be “pushed” to create a demand for the company’s product/s. Once they have initiated a search for information that could lead them to your brand, they need to be “pulled” in to fill that demand.

We can present the following scenarios for each type:

Push Marketing:

1. To launch a new product or service
2. To create a new distributor sales channel
3. To improve brand awareness
4. To drive short-term sales
5. To promote the brand in a niche category or market

Pull Marketing:

1. To market an already well-known brand
2. To build a brand rather than drive sales
3. To build long-term customer relationships
4. To present your brand within the consideration set of the customer, when he already knows what he/she is looking for

Can Push and Pull Marketing work together?

Yes, of course! Both push and pull marketing strategies can be used together by companies at a growth phase when they have to gain customers and brand loyalty and also generate cash through immediate sales.

Push and Pull strategies can also work together if the brand is high-end or expensive, and the company needs the outcomes of both strategies to be successful.

Conclusion

Marketing before the digital revolution and the growth of the internet and digital media relied almost totally on push marketing. There was little search for information, and it was assumed that customers were aware of the brand and would be convinced to buy it with a bit of “push” by hard-sell and highly visible advertising.

Today online resources have helped customers get more information, and they are convinced more by a brand’s credibility than by its glitzy advertising. The more information customers have, the better is their decision-making power. Pull marketing has helped companies ride this trend to create a more long-term relationship with their customers and build a loyal and more profitable customer base.

In the current digital trend, Pull marketing can be called “outbound marketing,” while Push marketing can be called “inbound marketing.”

Push and Pull marketing can work together in a blended strategy that maximises revenues for a company.