Mustafa Mekraz’s Post

The "push and pull" strategy is a marketing approach that involves two distinct methods for generating interest in a product or service: "push" and "pull." Push Strategy - Definition: Push marketing aims to "push" products towards customers. The focus is on promoting products by pushing them to customers through various channels. - Methods: This can include direct selling to customers, trade shows, point of sale (POS) displays, and promotions targeted at retailers or wholesalers. Essentially, it's about making the product available to the customer. - Example: A company might use a push strategy by offering discounts to retailers to encourage them to stock more of their product or by sending sales teams to retailers to convince them to carry their products. Pull Strategy - Definition: Pull marketing aims to create demand for a product by "pulling" customers towards it. The focus is on attracting customers through engagement and building brand loyalty. - Methods: This can include advertising, social media campaigns, content marketing, and SEO. The idea is to create a strong enough demand so that customers actively seek out the product. - Example: A company might use a pull strategy by running a social media campaign that highlights the benefits of their product, thereby creating interest and encouraging customers to seek it out at stores. Combination of Both - Balanced Approach: Many companies use a combination of both push and pull strategies to maximize their market reach. For example, a company might use advertising (pull) to generate consumer demand while simultaneously offering retailer incentives (push) to ensure that the product is readily available when consumers come looking for Application In practice, the choice between push and pull strategies depends on various factors such as the nature of the product, market conditions, competition, and consumer behavior. A well-balanced approach often leverages the strengths of both strategies to effectively reach and engage the target audience.

READ HERE: Trader Joe's Marketing Case Study Trader Joe's marketing strategy stands out in the competitive grocery industry due to its unique approach, which combines a limited product selection with an engaging, unique, one-stop shopping experience. Central to this strategy is the company's emphasis on private-label products, which not only differentiates Trader Joe's from traditional grocery stores but also fosters customer loyalty. By offering exclusive items that cannot be found elsewhere, Trader Joe's creates a unique value proposition that resonates with consumers and has captured a marketing ecosystem from within their stores. While Trader Joe’s has been around for a while, an established chain that has built up a loyal customer base, they continue to show stellar efforts in their marketing consistency regarding products. By establishing the majority of their marketing within store, Trader Joe's have all focus on creative, distinct marketing to the long-term customers, who have demonstrated value.  In contrast to adopting Trader Joe's exact strategies, I would advise industry players to focus on identifying their own unique, niche selling points. Such quality-forward, differentiated branding can be an effective way to carve out market share, similar to how a favorite artist establishes a distinctive appeal. How far can traditional marketing go in terms of retaining a market share? Is there value in investigating the niche, quality-forward methods of brands such as Trader Joe's? Trader Joe's Sean Choi 🫰

Marketing is not advertising, comms nor an execution of a strategy. In the past week or two I’ve seen so many people declare that marketing is just these things. And while, yes, so many businesses treat marketing departments in this way, it was not the intention of marketing. It’s in the name… Marketing exists to represent the market. It’s about understanding customer needs and wants. It’s about identifying how those needs and wants are being served by your business and the competition. It’s about galvanising a business around those findings to deliver: ➡ A Product or service that customers want and is better, in some way, than the competition ➡ At a Price customers are willing to pay (this could be more than you’re currently charging) ➡ In appropriate Places that make it easily accessible for customers or even more desirable (e.g. FMCG products need to be readily available round the corner while luxury items are elevated as a result of being available only in luxury environments. In some cases, like Oasis tickets, limiting availability generates more demand) ➡ Promoted to make it known and desirable, using PR, advertising, comms, events and activations Advertising and comms are a crucial part of the 4Ps and done well can make a significant difference to performance. But they are not the sole purpose of Marketing, and require creative, media and channel experts to deliver them, not marketers. Marketing-led companies are the most successful because they prioritise the monitoring of customer feedback, the competition and trends. Instead of falling behind, they innovate to drive and deliver value that the customer actually wants and is willing to pay fair money for. ✔ Think of product improvements at Apple ✔ Think of limited edition chocolate bars and drinks with The Coca-Cola Company and Nestle ✔ Think of online check in at Premier Inn ✔ Think of tiered pricing at Netflix ✔ Think of exclusive content at Sky ✔ Think of the incredible retail activations at Tiffany & Co. There’s something in that... ♻ Please repost if you find this interesting

Marketing ≠ Advertising. When someone reaches out to me to run an ad and they go straight to "we want to run an ad for this artist song or for this event or this product we are launching." Just know they know what they want — they are running ads for a specific goal and that's what 'advertising' means. Not joining the people to run ads! As a business there's a need to understand that sales don't happen overnight — major reasons I feel so sorry for social media managers, they go through a lot trying to please the client with unreasonable results. That advertising is mainly for the purpose of sales and should be done by marketers is a no no! Marketing is a whole and advertising is a bit of marketing. When advertising, you call the attention of people to products or services to attract INTEREST, ENGAGEMENT, and SALES. Sales is last here! ***Look at the postcard very well*** And at BELZEEZ CONSULT NG we say, in marketing the qualities of interests of prospects and consumers should be prioritised. Because it is the ability to research, analyse and understand a market for a particular product or service. With that you can engage the audience, retain them and present them what to buy. Thanks for coming this far. Like, repost and CONNECT 😊

"I don’t need to spend on marketing; my product is great." or "I want to spend as little as possible on marketing because my product is great." How often have you heard this from clients? Probably too many times. For those who think a great product guarantees business growth—think again. 🚨 The idea that great products sell themselves? That’s a myth. History shows that even the most innovative products can fail without strong marketing. Here’s why marketing is essential, backed by real-world examples. 1. Apple Without Steve Jobs and Marketing: Jobs’ Genius: Steve Jobs wasn’t just launching products—he was telling stories and creating emotional connections. Without his iconic presentations and sleek marketing, would the iPhone be a cultural icon today, or just another tech gadget lost in the crowd? 📱✨ 2. The Myth of “Build It and They Will Come”: Betamax vs. VHS: Betamax had better technology, but VHS won the market with smarter marketing and strategic partnerships. Betamax’s failure wasn’t about product quality; it was about failing to connect with consumers. 🎥🛑 Google Glass: Revolutionary but poorly marketed. Google Glass didn’t resonate with consumers, seen as invasive & lacking a clear purpose. Despite its innovation, poor marketing led to its downfall. 👓📉 3. Marketing Shapes Perception and Builds Trust: Tesla: Tesla’s success isn’t just about electric cars; it’s about marketing them as the future. Through Elon Musk’s personal brand and savvy social media, Tesla became synonymous with innovation. Without this strategy, could Tesla have persuaded people to buy into high-priced, cutting-edge technology? 🚗⚡ Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola has been a market leader for decades. The secret? Consistent, powerful marketing. Coca-Cola isn’t just a drink—it’s a symbol of happiness and celebration. Without strong marketing, would it still be the world’s favorite beverage? 🥤🎉 4. The Risks of Cutting the Marketing Budget: Blackberry: Once the go-to smartphone, Blackberry lost ground as competitors like Apple and Samsung intensified their marketing. Without keeping pace, Blackberry’s market share dwindled rapidly. 📉📱 Nokia: A former mobile giant, Nokia’s failure to market its transition to smartphones effectively led to its decline. Even well-known brands can fade into obscurity without strong marketing. 📲🔻 5. What If You Lack a Marketing Budget? Creative Strategies: Limited budget? No problem. Dollar Shave Club disrupted the razor industry with a low-budget viral video—proving that creativity can outweigh a big budget. 🎥💡 Niche Focus: Tight budget? Target a niche. GoPro started by focusing on extreme sports enthusiasts, crafting tailored content that resonated deeply. This focus helped GoPro build a loyal base before expanding. 🎥🤘 Are You Cutting Marketing Costs or Cutting Your Business Growth? Comment Below! #MarketingMatters 📈 #BrandGrowth 🚀 #BusinessSuccess 

~ A Nice Marketing Paradigm ~ One time I visited the Dufferin Mall in Toronto. I saw inside the mall a man selling corn kernels in a kiosk. He sells a large cup of corn kernels by several dollars. I bought one cup then he gave me a card and he drew a special line on the card. He told me that if I buy four cups of corn from him, he will give me the fifth cup for free. And he told me to bring that card every time I buy corn kernels from him so that he tracks the total number of my purchases. I liked this simple, yet attractive marketing paradigm of this smart man. Get four paid cups and then get the fifth for free. This guy ensures that people remember to visit his kiosk frequently in order to accumulate the four purchases so that they get the fifth cup for free. We can transform this marketing paradigm to a larger context: the context of services and products. For example, an IT company might provide for every four paid services a fifth free service. A product company might provide a free product for every ten products purchased, an so on and so forth. I do not know if this marketing paradigm has a name in the marketing world.

I had a refreshing chat with a client recently that I feel needs to be talked about. Advertising and marketing are not the same thing. Marketing is far more philosophical and involves getting into the helicopter and zooming out to see how you're positioned as a brand. Marketing is the values, positioning, and rules you've outlined for your brand that ultimately dictate your advertising efforts. It's far more tied into your "why." There are a lot of advertising pros that know nothing about marketing AND there are a lot of brilliant marketers who know nothing about advertising. Marketing is what led Red Bull to invest 50 million dollars into sending Felix into space for a jump that would inspire people to believe they can achieve anything. There was no ad for their drink or a single can in the video, yet that campaign and feat tracks back over a billion $$$ in revenue. Marketing is what has positioned A24 Studios to be the premier mid-budget production company. Many go to watch A24 films because of the brand of A24, not because of the content of the film--it's because no matter the content they know it will align with certain principles. No ad campaign inspired that, but rather the core values that drive their investment decisions. P.S. The Iron Claw is fantastic (despite a meh Ric Flair). Advertising is temporary. It's centred so much on short-term gains, CPA targets, trends etc. Which I understand has cash flow incentives, but it isn't what will leave you as a household brand. A question to ask yourself as you perceive brands, do you care about the brand or its products? And why? I love Red Bull--but I haven't had their product in nearly a decade. Because their brand is more important than their product. It inspires. And it's clear.

The Power of Marketing: A Case Study with Kinder Joy's Harry Potter Edition Marketing has an incredible ability to influence and drive consumer behavior, as I recently experienced firsthand with Kinder Joy's special Harry Potter edition. Here's how it played out: Objective: Collect all the Harry Potter figurines included in the Kinder Joy boxes. Strategy: I decided to maximize my chances of getting different figurines by purchasing Kinder Joys from various supermarkets, thinking this would reduce the chances of getting duplicates. However, despite my efforts, I still ended up with many doubles, regardless of where I bought them. This was an interesting lesson in buyer behavior! Results: I spent a considerable amount of money, driven not by the chocolate (which I didn't eat) but solely by the desire to complete the figurine collection. Influence: After sharing my objective with friends, I noticed they too began collecting the figurines, even though they weren't as big Harry Potter fans as I am. This demonstrates the contagious nature of enthusiasm and how it can spread through social circles. Summary of Marketing Power: - Emotional Appeal: Leveraging popular themes like Harry Potter can create a strong emotional connection and drive purchases. - Collectibility: Limited edition items encourage repeated purchases as consumers aim to complete their collections. - Consumer Behavior: Buyers may go to great lengths and invest significant resources to achieve their goals, influenced by marketing strategies. - Social Influence: Sharing objectives and experiences with others can amplify the impact of marketing, turning individual actions into trends. Marketing isn't just about selling a product; it's about creating experiences and emotions that drive consumer behavior. Kinder Joy's Harry Potter edition is a perfect example of how powerful and effective these strategies can be.

How effective is "WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING" VS Traditional Marketing and Retail? Word-of-mouth marketing is as old as marketing itself. Brands create awareness about their business by getting others to talk about them. Having been around for centuries, how does this marketing strategy appeal to today’s audience? Studies reveal that brands benefit substantially from positive customer experiences, with 72% of consumers eager to share satisfactory encounters. This sharing drives a significant spike in sales, outperforming paid advertisements by a factor of five. Moreover, the trust instilled by personal recommendations is unparalleled; a staggering 88% of people trust brands endorsed by their friends or family. Key Word-of-mouth Marketing Statistics Word-of-mouth is directly responsible for 90% of all purchases Word-of-mouth marketing is 37% better for retaining customers. 78% of social media users talk about brands they follow. A trusted review makes 92% of B2B buyers more likely to purchase. 32% of people come across new podcasts from word-of-mouth recommendations and 29% specifically from friends’ recommendations. 73% of consumers prioritize reviews from the past month. 70% of consumers believe the opinions of other consumers. Word-of-mouth is even more effective than paid ads, resulting in five times (5x) more sales. 23% of consumers consider buying their Christmas gifts because of word-of-mouth recommendations

Marketing isn't just a conversion game—it's a memory game 🧠 Think about your own buying habits. When you need a solution, which brands pop into your head first? Probably the ones you've seen everywhere, right? That's not coincidence—it's pure exposure. The brands you choose aren't necessarily the best ones. They're the ones that have been living rent-free in your head because they showed up. Again. And again. And again. Most companies - especially in the B2B space - expect every marketing dollar to map directly to a sale. But market data tells us something far more interesting: the companies that dominate their markets consistently punch above their weight in share of voice. Want to grow your market share? You need to make more noise than your size would suggest. While everyone's obsessed with conversion rates and funnel metrics, they're missing the bigger game. It's not just about persuading people to buy and pushing them down the funnel (like food down the throat of a duck being fattened-up for foie gras)—it's about being unforgettable. Bottom line: Marketing isn't just a conversion game—it's a memory game. And in that game, the most visible player wins. Footnote: Is there such a thing as over-investing in visibility? Well, consider this: Nielsen reported years ago that a positive Excess Share of Voice (ESOV) correlates directly with market share growth and that for every 10% increase in ESOV, a brand may look to grow its market share by around 0.5% annually. This means that a brand with a market share of 20.5% and an ESOV of 10 points would grow to 21% market share over a year. Conclusion (at risk of restating obvious): brands aiming for growth should strive to maintain a positive ESOV by investing in marketing and visibility beyond their current market share 🥊