Subject areaChannels and tools
A pull strategy brings a product to market by creating demand directly in the end customer: the manufacturer speaks to them through advertising, content and digital channels, and the customer asks the reseller for the product.
The request travels back up the distribution chain, the sequence of wholesalers and shops that takes the product to its buyer.
Its opposite is the push strategy, which drives the product through intermediaries with margins and incentives. The two are often combined, and the choice depends on how the customer decides: pull pays off most when they reach the point of sale with the brand already in mind, which is why it needs a communication investment that bears fruit over time. Its digital relative is inbound marketing, which attracts prospects with useful content.
An example
The case below is constructed, because the term does not yet appear in the articles. A manufacturer of household paints invests in advertising and online guides on choosing a colour. Readers walk into the shop asking for that brand, and the reseller stocks it because customers request it.
Related entries
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Enrico Giubertoni. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: you may quote, translate and adapt this entry with the author’s name and a link, stating any changes. For commercial use, write to info@enricogiubertoni.com
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