While targeted marketing is our M.O., mass marketing also has its advantages. Like we mentioned in our insanely popular Targeted Marketing vs Mass Marketing blog post, mass marketing delivers generic messages to a large and relatively undefined audience (AKA the masses). This audience (if we can even call it that) typically isn’t narrowed down much more than a geographical area. While TV commercials, billboards, magazines, and newspapers are usually the first mediums that come to mind, mass marketing can also be done via online ads, email marketing, or direct mail marketing.
Does your product or service appeal to the masses?
If your product or service isn’t limited to a specific age group, or isn’t in a niche of any sort, then mass marketing may be right for you. While big businesses can market to an entire country, or even worldwide, small businesses can market to a city or two, or maybe a whole county or state. Below are some examples of businesses that can use mass marketing (and why they appeal to the masses).
A few examples of big businesses that could benefit from mass marketing:
- eCommerce stores that sell a wide range of products (Think Amazon, everyone could use something sold on Amazon)
- Cell phone service providers (Everyone needs cell phone service)
- Car insurance providers (Everyone needs car insurance)
- An upcoming movie release (Most people like movies)
A few examples of small businesses that could benefit from mass marketing:
- Restaurants (Everyone needs to eat)
- Grocery stores (Everyone needs to grocery shop)
- Hair salons / barber shops (Most people have hair)
- Home improvement / repair businesses (Most homeowners need services for their home)
The businesses above are samples from much larger groups. Any business that provides products or services, that literally anyone may want or need at some point in their life, can use mass marketing.
Methods of Mass Marketing
As previously mentioned, mass marketing can be done through TV commercials, billboards, magazines, newspapers, online ads, email marketing, or direct mail marketing. While mass marketing doesn’t typically have much filtering or limiting on audiences or marketing outlets, it’s still important to be strategic about it. Say an upcoming movie is looking to do some marketing. A newspaper ad wouldn’t be the best option since you would only be displaying an image from the movie and its title. A video trailer is probably the best way to market a movie, so you would opt for television or a video online.
On the other hand, a business that’s looking to market their product or service with a printed coupon shouldn’t seek advertising on TV or an online video. That’s when magazines, newspapers, email marketing, or direct mail marketing would be better outlets.
Conclusion
Marketing to the masses has both its pros and cons. A targeted marketing list (that we can provide) will help you reach a specific group of people, filtered down to be the most qualified for your product / service – Which is the con of marketing to the masses, there is no filtering. That being said, the pros are a high number of impressions and a wide range of audiences. Still undecided on which route would be best for your business, or interested in trying both? That’s where we can help. Don’t hesitate to call us or use the get a quote form below to simply get pointed in the right direction, or even kick-off a new marketing campaign.