Top Marketing Channels in 2014

Here is another set of numbers from a survey carried out by GlobalSpec’s 2013 Trends in Industrial Marketing. This is where you will find what others are doing or planning to do in 2014 which will help you with your focus on the different channels to use to market your business.

Top 10 Marketing Channels

The results from this survey is rather similar to one published in our previous article save for some change in positioning of the different channels that businesses perceive as more important than others.

The The top 10 marketing channels are listed below:

1. E-mail marketing using in-house lists
2. Tradeshows
3. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
4. Social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook)
5. Online directories/Websites
6. Trade magazine advertising
7. Internet banner advertising on individual site
8. Video
9. Public relations
10. Online newsletter sponsorships/ads

Other Marketing Channels You Can Use

It is a little disappointing to see that businesses do not leverage on the Internet more given the number or Internet enabled devices out there from smartphones to tablets. The following channels while it did not make the Top 10 Marketing Channels list above are still equally effecting in our opinion

1. Search engines (paid traffic)
2. Blogs
3. Direct mail using in-house list
4. Printed directories
5. Webinars
6. E-mail marketing using rented/purchased lists
7. Internet banner advertising networks
8. Telemarketing
9. Online events
10. Direct mail using rented/purchased lists
11. Mobile marketing
12. Podcasts

We see the result of this survey as somewhat skewed towards conventional tried and tested marketing channels e.g. trade magazine advertising, direct mail and printed directories. While 7 out of the top 10 channels involves engaging customers online or via email, conventional methods are still effective and should not be ignored more so if you are a local business.

Create Your Online Marketing Channels

If you are starting out in your journey as an entrepreneur, here are three basic steps you need to take to set the foundation and work on your marketing channels.

1. Establish your online presence: create a website for your business
2. Start off early in the Social Media scene and get acquainted with potential customers
3. Build a mailing list (if you don’t already have one) give them reasons to sign up to your list

Check out our Tools and Resources section to find more useful guides and tips to help you grow your business.

Over to you

Take as much away from this survey as you wish, consider if you are running working on an online business that is trying to reach out to International audience or one that is local and community centric.

If the later, the marketing channels listed above such as trade magazine advertising, public relations, direct mail and printed directories for your chosen location would be more effective.

Tell us your strategy for the marketing channel that you have attempted and what is its success rates. We would love to hear from you.