How to market indirectly?
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As opposed to the direct marketing technique, the indirect marketing strategy focuses on channels where there is no direct communication with customers by the companies. Therefore, it is mainly used to retain customer, increase customer's loyalty, and develop more business.
An example of Indirect marketing is when you read about a latest event of your favorite brand in the newspaper. This technique is also known as public relations wherein companies regularly give updates and interviews about the brand so as to have better communication in the market and provide a vision for the brand to their customers. Thus, this indirectly influences customers in the long run.
Considered to be the next step for brand recognition and awareness, the indirect marketing strategy is used in the point when customers are already aware and familiar with the product, possibly by previously employing the direct marketing tactic, or because customers have purchased / heard about the product. Thus indirect marketing is used when customers need to be reminded about the product or the brand.
Unlike direct marketing, in case of indirect marketing there are no possibilities of feedback or two way communication. The response of indirect marketing is difficult to be measured. One of the possibilities to gain feedback of indirect marketing would involve preparation of questionnaires for recording and analyzing answers by customers. But this step can be very tricky as it depends on numerous factors which not give the real results.
Basic examples of indirect marketing strategies consist in coupon mailing, trade shows, public relations, blogging, work shops and the most powerful at the moment, social media.
A big disadvantage of indirect marketing is in the high costs of applying this strategy. The high costs can be incurred for publicizing the brand, or the costs for hiring the right people with the relevant skills and capacities for providing good content marketing. At the end, these high costs might not generate the anticipated number of customers in the future.
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