What Are The Different Types Of Promotion Methods?

Promotion is the third P of the marketing mix, a pre-eminent and integral channel to communicate to the consumers.  Such an eclectic amalgam of activities is this third segment of the marketing mix that just like the marketing mix, there is a promotion mix as well, which is inclusive of both direct and indirect methods to bring the brand communication forward to the target market and shape the positioning of the brand and the company.

Precisely, there are two types of promotion methods.  One set of methods deals with the direct mode of promotion while the other strategy aims for the oblique and indirect methods.  

The direct methods are inclusive of some of the most conventional and well-known methods, the most popular of which is advertising.  Then follows personal selling (used mostly in pharmaceutical companies), publicity, attractive displays (kiosks), special event sales and manufacturer's aids.

Coming to the indirect styles of promotion, they are the more unconventional and not so popular yet effective methods.  In the recent years, these methods have managed to reach a large number of target audiences in a cost-effective manner.  These indirect methods of communication include public relations, customer relations, customer services, product styling and packaging and community goodwill.

A Marketing plan is based on the Marketing Mix. And marketing mix is the mixture of Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Since this marketing mix ingredients are regarded as the 4 pillars of marketing. Without them no strategy is successful. In product section the product design, features, packaging and quality is decided and later on when the product is prepared the marketer comes to the pricing stage where price is decide and in placement the product is made available to the market. Now this whole process is done but how will the consumer know the product that can fulfil its demand is made available to the market.
Now here comes the promotion part of the product. Some times companies do the promotion first in order to create suspense and curiosity to use the product and after few days the product is delivered to the market by distributing channel.
In Promotion part of the Marketing Mix companies make sure that they are in direct contact with their customers. As promotion involves the publicity techniques like advertising the product both in print and TV media through ads, Using billboards and hoardings to promote your product. Door to door promotion in which the company's representative visits the houses and communities and sell the product to the consumers on low cost and even free to use the product. Since posters pasting, wall hanging cards are also included in promotion technique. Personal Relations, Direct contact with the customers, using your distribution channel for the product promotion are also some of the good and effective methods of Promotion.
Stronger the promotional campaign is the higher the margin of success is or else vice versa.

Is direct marketing or indirect marketing more powerful?

Depends on what you're marketing and the intended demographic (Target audience)

T.V advertising, sponsorship, offers, billboards, other advertising, anything that promotes a company