For many years, consumers and marketers alike understood how products and services were sold. Print advertising, television and radio commercials, direct mailers, press releases - even the dreaded cold call were tools marketers used to communicate or "push" their messages to the consumer. Marketers controlled the type of media used. Studies and focus groups were conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of an image, how specific text was worded, the best media venue for reaching the market, performance goals were set and the campaign launched.

This push method is exactly as it sounds - pushing a message out to a vast number of recipients with the hope of capturing/converting a certain percentage - typically a small number. You might say push marketing success depends on being "found" by your market. We also refer to this as outbound marketing. While many of the traditional avenues of push marketing were the hallmark of yesterday, their technological counterparts are still valid and widely used.

In the mid to early 1990s the Internet was getting legs ... a little shaky but, like an infant, soon it would be standing, walking and eventually running. This tech development has brought "pull" marketing - or inbound marketing - to the forefront. Inbound marketing relies on your market "finding" you - primarily your business' website and/or presence - through various online techniques including social media and content marketing - think Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and search engine optimized press releases. Prospects are narrowed providing marketers a very interested and targeted list. Today's inbound marketers work hard to create and sustain relationships with their target market, listening to what they have to say about brands, products, services and customer service. The natural evolution, of course, is a soft call to action.

Which Method to Choose?

One might think that because of where we are in the technology-development cycle, inbound marketing is where they should be focusing their efforts, right? Wrong. Savvy marketers know that a mix of outbound and inbound techniques will garner the best results for their businesses. Potent combinations might include a print ad directing the viewer to the advertiser's website, a direct mail campaign urging the recipient to learn more about the offer via a YouTube video or a site map inviting guests to connect on Facebook or Twitter.

They also know that the same type of media - used in a different manner - can serve as an outbound tool and an inbound tool. When developing your marketing mix, don't overlook tried and true methods. Instead, be aware of how they can serve you in delivering benefits of both push and pull.

For example, let's look at social media marketing. Certainly it should be used to understand what's being said about your product or business, what consumers are talking about, and entering the conversation with the intent of building relationships. But once established, these networks can also be a place for you to push your message - specials, events, sales, new products, etc.

E-mail marketing could be considered both. To build your list, chances are you've got a subscription box on your website and maybe even an invitation to sign up in your printed collateral - you're pulling prospects into your funnel via the offer of interesting content. But you just as easily could have taken advantage of the GoRVing lead database - pushing your message to a large number of semi-qualified leads and hoping your message encourages them to take action (subscribe).

Using permission marketing allows you to send a newsy, info-rich e-newsletter to subscribers on a frequent basis keeping your brand top of mind and is a pull. Advertisers in your e-newsletter are pushing their message out.

Press releases sent to media outlets with the goal of obtaining coverage - a story, mention, interview, etc. is great push marketing. Add specific, well-researched keywords and phrases to the mix and distribute via the many online press release distribution sites that offer a portal into search engine submission and you've morphed a traditional marketing tool into a dual performer. Your business' website will have a much better chance of being found and visited - a pull.

Changing Channels

Whether you are an outbound or inbound marketing advocate, one thing is for sure: the channels available to all of us have widened considerably and show no signs of saturation. Trade shows, while still the way of showcasing your product or service, are being augmented with webinars and virtual trade shows; newsprint newspapers are being replaced with digital editions; radio's gone satellite and our favorite TV shows (a huge advertising platform) are being TiVo'd to avoid commercials; not many of us actually get up in the middle of dinner anymore to answer a telemarketing call thanks to caller ID and the do-not-call registry; and hard selling methods are rejected faster than you can say "wanna buy a timeshare?"

There's no time like the present to review your marketing mix, analyze your results, review new opportunities and take action. Join me on this wild Internet ride - Modern Marketing - and each month we'll take an in-depth look at technology and modern marketing at its best. Until next month, market smart!

This year is shaping up to be another good year for the campground business, despite rising fuel costs, according to California campground and tourism industry officials.

"As long as people aren't worried about losing their jobs, they're going to go camping," Debbie Sipe, executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (CalARVC), stated in a news release.

Speaking at last week's gathering of roughly 65 parks, 22 vendors and industry officials at CalARVC's Education Forum and Tradeshow at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Anaheim, Sipe said it behooves park operators to step up their local marketing efforts, since rising fuel costs will likely prompt people to take shorter vacations and travel to destinations closer to home.

Sipe also noted that there could be additional business opportunities for California campgrounds as continuing state budget problems could result in state park campground closures as well as invitations for private companies to manage public campground operations. "This is something we're watching very closely," she said.

Other campground and travel industry officials who spoke at CalARVC's March 1-2 Education Forum were similarly upbeat.

Annie Hess, tourism development manager for the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC), said state officials expect California to experience a 3% increase in domestic travelers this year, while visits by international travelers are projected to jump by 6%.

Travelers in California are also expected to spend more money this year, with domestic travel spending growing by 5%, while international visitors increase their spending by 9%, Hess said, citing CTTC projections.

Tourism, in fact, is one of the four strongest growth pillars of the California economy, said John Severini, president and CEO of the California Travel Industry Association (CalTIA) during his remarks to California park operators.

Travel, tourism and hospitality produced $87.7 billion in direct spending in California in 2009, while having a financial impact on one in nine jobs, Severini said.

Campgrounds, for their part, can do even more to bolster their share of the travel and tourism business by stepping up their marketing efforts to younger people, said Paul Bambei, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).

"There is a young family demographic that hasn't been attracted to this industry," Bambei said, adding that the GoCampingAmerica website has been primarily visited by people who are 55 and over.

That's about to change, however, Bambei said, as ARVC rolls out new marketing and public relations initiatives that are designed to capture the attention of Generation Xers, who range in age from 27 to 40, and Echo Boomers, who are under 26.

These initiatives will include video outreach promotions and a redesigned GoCampingAmerica website that includes an e-coupon discount program to promote camping at participating ARVC-member parks as part of the national "Great Outdoors" promotion in June.

Bambei added that ARVC's marketing and public relations efforts will focus on attracting growing numbers of young families to private campgrounds without alienating existing customers.

One thing that bodes particularly well for the campground industry, Bambei added, is the fact that camping is the most affordable vacation option. Having a "recession proof marketing message" should resonate with young families, he said.

In addition to providing California park operators with presentations by top state and national campground and tourism industry officials, the CalARVC Education Forum included several marketing and social media training seminars by Evanne Schmarder of Roadabode Productions Inc. as well as a session on how to make your ads sizzle by Rick Wiseman, Camp California Marketing's advertising director.

Bob MacKinnon of GuestReviews.com provided a workshop on how to respond to negative customer reviews, while Larry Brownfield of Kampgrounds of America (KOA) led thought provoking seminars on park management and how customers can see things differently than campground operators do.

Gary Pace and Deb Kohls of Leisure Interactive also held seminars detailing the latest requirements for PCI compliance and credit card security as well as an overview of electronic travel marketing distribution channels.

John Pentecost from the law firm of Hart, King and Coldren also provided seminars on the latest laws and recommendations involving RV park rules and regulations and eviction procedures.

The trade show itself featured over 22 vendors, including representatives from Cavco Industries, Airwave Adventures, Affinity Group Inc., Southeast Publications USA, Evergreen USA, Southwest Insurance and Wilcor International. For more information, visit www.calarvc.com .