Push and pull marketing are two different categories that ultimately aim to achieve the same thing.
Push marketing can also be termed as outbound marketing and direct marketing. It takes effort to reach new potential customers directly (pushing a message directly to the customers). Examples include printed mailers, point-of-sale displays, and broadcast spots.
If you target a massive range of audience, use flyers and commercials to push a brand message.
Pull marketing is contrary to push marketing, also known as inbound marketing. This approach involves letting loyal customers find your brand easily.
To understand in detail, here are the key differences discussed:
Difference Between Push and Pull Marketing
| Parameters | Push Marketing | Pull Marketing |
|---|---|---|
|
Approach |
Push marketing uses an aggressive approach, actively working to push direct messages to the customers. |
Pull marketing involves a subtler approach, creating demand for your product and letting customers find you. |
|
Strategy Focus |
Intended to make sales immediately. |
Engage a massive range of audience and generate leads. |
|
Customer Interaction |
Customer engagement is indirect, aims to make quick sales and engagement. |
Customer engages directly, the goal is to generate leads, and create brand awareness. |
|
Marketing Channels |
Involves using the marketing channels like TV, radio, email and in-person meetings. |
It uses social media marketing, SEO and PPC to drive customers to your product. |
|
Cost Implications |
Push marketing is expensive since it is involved in paid advertising and promotions such as billboard ads, TV commercials, ads and radio |
It consumes low upfront cost, focuses on marketing specific products or services. |
Tools Used in Push Marketing
CRM: CRM (customer relationship management software) is paramount to create and maintain a database to whom you can concentrate on direct marketing.
Print-on-demand Services: Flyers and mailers are the ways to focus around a particular product and to a specific audience.
Tools Used in Pull Marketing
SEO Tools: SEO is an integral part of marketing, helps improve the brand awareness through search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo! During optimization, Google Search Console is helpful in tracking your website ranking and finding competitive keywords.
Facebook ads: Social media marketing is a key to create brand awareness; telling stories via creative content either using graphic design or videos.
Pros and Cons of Push Marketing
Pros
- Push marketing is efficient for marketers who look to avail the immediate sales and engagement.
- It creates customer awareness, huge product exposure and product demand
- Demand can be predictable and forecastable
Cons
- Marketing efforts are more likely to be expensive
- Businesses may lose money while offering discounts to the products or services
- Trouble to balance end-users interest and long-term success
Pros and Cons of Pull Marketing
Pros
- You can enable direct contact with your potential customers and build customer loyalty
- It encourages customers to seek your brand
- Closely focus on creating product value and brand equity
Cons
- It takes long time to convert audiences into paying customers
- Consumers take time to evaluate your product in different aspects and compare it with your competitors
- You need focus more on educating the consumers
Conclusion
Both push and pull marketing have equal demand in today’s modern era. Businesses based on their preferences and requirements, choose one among them to target their potential customers. With the above-given comparison table, you may come to the conclusion which type suits your business goals.
Push Marketing : Sales promotions, trade shows, direct mail
Pull Marketing : Influencer marketing, social media marketing, advertising, public relations
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising falls under push marketing where we need to pay each time the ad is clicked on. The examples include search engine ads, display ads, shopping ads and banners.
