Even when you are marketing to your entire audience or customer base, you are still simply speaking to a single human at any given time. Ann Handley
WHAT IS BELOW-THE-LINE MARKETING?
First, where does the term come from and what is the ‘Line’ in marketing?
The term BTL were first used in 1954 after Proctor and Gamble began paying advertising firms separately (and at a different rate) from other suppliers who dealt with more direct promotional efforts. In effect, marketing that was broader in nature was separated from marketing that was more direct in nature.
The ‘LINE’ in marketing – It separates direct marketing from higher level brand marketing.”
Now, Let’s know about BTL Marketing
Below-the-line marketing is an advertising strategy where products are promoted in media other than mainstream radio, television, billboards, print, and film formats. This kind of marketing is the kind of marketing that targets specific groups of people with focus.
Whenever a start-up, or a small business, begins advertising, it begins with Below the line marketing. Below the line marketing methods include comparatively low-cost methods which are targeted towards a specific audience, and the communication is meant to reach directly to the customer
VARIOUS TOOLS OF BELOW THE LINE MARKETING
1) Internet marketing
Quite undoubtedly, one of the favourite tools of marketing nowadays, considering the mass level penetration of the internet. In fact, till date, many marketers are confused whether internet marketing can still be considered as below the line. Internet marketing itself is divided into two types
a) Social media marketing - Marketing through social media channels like Facebook, twitter, linked in, google plus or others. Facebook pages can be used by companies to offer products to their customers and to get in touch with customers. Sponsored products can be used for promotions. Similarly, linked is in fact a proper B2B portal with many head hunters using LinkedIn for recruitment. Thus, social media marketing is by far the most commonly used tactics of below the line marketing
b) Email marketing – Email marketing does not only involve push marketing like the old days. It has instead converted to a combination of push and pull marketing nowadays. Major banks and corporates communicate various offers to their customers through email to retain them or to cross sell products. Many companies start tapping into a database via email marketing. Many blogs and affiliate sites are also using Email marketing to sell products.
Internet marketing can also use tools like Google or IOS apps. Viral videos too can be a part of internet marketing. The list of things you can do on the internet is ever growing and hence it is one of the strongest and fastest growing vehicles for BTL marketing.
2) Outdoor advertisements
Another massive tool of BTL marketing, outdoor advertising has been used since ages in the field of marketing. In fact, where outdoor advertising mainly involved large billboards, they have now moved to using large televisions or pixel screens in public areas like restaurants, parks etc. And the hoardings are reserved for highways or out of city locations.
The target of outdoor advertisements is to get a higher mind share from the customer. Just by looking at the ad in a restaurant, or while driving on the road, or while sitting in the park, the customer begins to recall the ad when he is making a purchase, thereby giving the ROI as well as the brand equity to the brand which is advertising via outdoor advertisements. However, calculating ROI via outdoor advertisements is very difficult.
3) Sales promotions
Ever noticed how E commerce companies have boomed in the last decade because of the word “SALE”. Every other month there is a sale. If not by one E commerce company, then by another. And each of them is at loggerheads on who can sell cheaper.
Why do these companies want to sell cheaper? Because then they can sell in high volume. Which is the dream of any company. And hence sales promotions are a common tactic used in below the line marketing.
Sales promotions of 1 + 1 free, 30% free, are all used to push the stock in the market or liquidate old stock. Alternatively, sales promotions can also be used as a product introduction gimmick.
Sales promotion is not used only at the customer level. At the dealer level, the dealer can be given additional discounts just so he picks up higher volumes and hence focuses on the product to sell it better. A dealer might have 10 different products in front of him. And he is bound to concentrate on the 1 product which is giving him better margins.
4) Pamphlets, brochures, paper inserts
The list of paper material which can be used for BTL marketing is huge. You can use visiting cards, flyers, pamphlets, banners, brochures, paper inserts, anything and everything that your mind can think of. Alternatively, nowadays even Kiosks are in high fashion. There are vehicles which have rotating ads on the sides, and these vehicles keep running around in a designated area to attract customers.
The ideas for various types of Below the line marketing techniques keep coming up and each of them are being implemented and polished. When people became blind to display ads, then most websites started showing related content ads. When people became blind to Outdoor hoardings, the ad guys started showing ads on televisions within restaurants and public places.
Like any other form of advertising, Below the line marketing too is ever evolving. However, the effectiveness of some traditional marketing techniques like Pamphlets and brochures cannot be ignored even today. On the other hand, in internet marketing, every new day brings a new way to market a product to customers.
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