(Photo by Elme-Wych)

When most people think of marketing, they think of pushing information to as many channels as possible (television, radio, billboard, flyers, newspapers, magazines, mailers, trade shows, showrooms, skywriters, etc.). The bigger the audience, the higher the likelihood to get noticed. That worked well when there were few channels that had a rapt audience. It was efficient and simple. Nowadays, such blanketing efforts requires a large budget to cover the ever-increasing marketing channels.

Pull marketing seeks to connect with people who are looking for what you have, when they need it. That means you need to first understand who‘s looking:

• Where are they located?
• What age range are they typically?
• Gender?
• Income level?
• When do they look?

Then, where are your audience looking for solutions:

• Yelp?
• Online Search?
• 3rd party Independently verifiers?
• Friends?

And you’ll need to understand how they ask for help finding solutions:

• Is it a phrase they type into search engines?
• Are there already expert communities that serve this group?
• Are they looking for proven answers or clues?

Once you understand their process, you can put yourself in the right spot to be discovered. You’ll still need to do your homework clearly articulating your message, but for each different location they look you have the ability to craft an appropriately targeted message – that shows you’re attuned to their needs and terminology.

The right mix of push and pull marketing isn’t an absolute number. It’s based on studying the effects of your marketing efforts over time, and revisiting assumptions you make (what worked last year may no longer work this year). A trade show + pay-per-click campaign may be the right mix for your business.

If you’re just starting out, think pull. Push is too expensive and you likely don’t know why/if people will purchase from you. Use pull to learn about your prospective customers first, then introduce push once you’re sure you’re targeting them well.

(Photo by Viva Iquique)

If you’re selling a product or service for the masses, then your goal isn’t to sell one at a time – it’s to create a passionate fan club – or a movement. Lady Gaga. The Marines. They each have names for their followers. So where do you start to create your own fan club?

It begins by having a core group of people who love what you’re offering. These early adapters are generally seeking for the next “new thing” and share their “finds” with their followers. But because they are used to having businesses trying to attract their attention (and usurp their followers), they are a bit selective. After all, they build their status by carefully curating discoveries with their audience. The better their insights, the bigger the following they hope to create. Therefore, it’s not enough to simply announce “I’m here” and let these adapters find you.

So you need to find them – and figure out what piques their interest. Once you understand their passion, build on it. Make them proud to be part of the “big picture”. Give them a reason to not simply share your information, but to rally behind your message. Give them access to “inside information”. Help them to look even more special by sharing this special knowledge with their people.

Don’t forget to thank them for achievements. Show them how what they’re doing matters to your company…and the world. Cede some public relations power to them. Keep them engaged. Ask them questions. Listen. Respond. But keep leading – it’s not a democracy. Many people simply want to follow something they love.

But like any fan club or movement, people get tired of “your message” and will move on to the next “new thing”. That’s natural, and expected. So don’t make your entire marketing strategy about getting buzz. Make this a piece of the whole – perhaps think of this as kindling for your marketing fire.

And be sure to not disappoint your fans – they can turn quickly – and undo the hard work you invested in them.