The Types of Marketing Every Design Business Needs – PART I

As a designer, architect, or creative entrepreneur, marketing isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s essential for growth. But where should you focus your time, money, and energy?

I see so many job descriptions that list all-the-things one marketing person should do, and while it feels like a dreamy idea to hire one person who does everything, it’s just not possible.

How did we end up here? Because oftentimes, what regular browsers (i.e. non-marketers) see is a result of complete marketing team’s efforts. It’s not visible to the untrained eye to see exactly what skills and tools made the website copy stick, or the social posts generate engagement. And particularly when a great marketing team (with a strategic leader) knows that all experiences need to flow into others, and all assets need to link to each others, it’s even more difficult to see where the skills required to produce them are disconnected.

In this part of the Ultimate Marketing Guide, we’ll explore the key marketing types every design business needs – whether you’re an interior designer, architect, or creative entrepreneur. You’ll discover:

👉🏿 What each type of marketing is suitable for.
👉🏿 Which channels they thrive on.
👉🏿 What skills and tools are required to execute them effectively.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear understanding of the marketing toolbox available to you. In Part II, we’ll show you how to align these types with the four stages of business growth: Starting Out, Growing, Scaling, and Expanding.

The Types of Marketing

So what are the different types of marketing? Let’s walk through the most common marketing practices to identify the types of marketing design firms should engage in. I’m covering what the type of marketing is suitable for, what channels, skills and tools are typically being used and required. Let’s go!

Content Marketing

Focuses on creating valuable, engaging content to attract, inform, and retain clients.

• Suitable For: Establishing expertise, driving organic traffic, and nurturing long-term trust.
• Channels: Blogs, Portfolios, Case Studies, Educational Videos.
• Skills Needed: Storytelling, SEO, Copywriting, Analytics.
• Tools: WordPress, HubSpot, Semrush, Grammarly, Canva, Google Analytics

Social Media Marketing

Centers on building brand presence, fostering community, and showcasing design work visually.

• Suitable For: Visual storytelling, community engagement, and brand awareness.
• Channels: Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok.
• Skills Needed: Content Creation, Social Media Ads, Community Management.
• Tools: Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, Sprout Social, Meta Business Suite, Planoly

Search Marketing (SEO & SEM)

Combines organic strategies (SEO) and paid advertising (SEM) to improve search engine visibility.

• Suitable For: Driving website traffic, capturing high-intent leads, improving search visibility.
• Channels: Google Search, Bing Ads, On-site SEO Optimization.
• Skills Needed: Keyword Research, PPC Management, Analytics, Technical SEO.
• Tools: Google Ads, Google Search Console, Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, Screaming Frog

Email Marketing

Uses personalized communication to nurture relationships and drive repeat business.

• Suitable For: Lead nurturing, upselling services, client retention.
• Channels: Newsletters, Drip Campaigns, Automated Sequences.
• Skills Needed: Copywriting, List Segmentation, Automation Tools, Analytics.
• Tools: MailerLite, Klaviyo, ConvertKit, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Campaign Monitor

Paid Advertising (Media Buying)

Focuses on purchasing ad placements across digital and physical platforms for targeted exposure.

• Suitable For: Fast audience growth, driving measurable ROI, targeted campaigns.
• Channels: Social Media Ads, Google Ads, Display Ads, Programmatic Ads.
• Skills Needed: Ad Budgeting, Campaign Optimization, Analytics, Retargeting.
• Tools: Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, LinkedIn Ads, HubSpot Ads, AdRoll, Taboola

Brand Marketing

Shapes and strengthens the emotional connection clients have with your brand.

• Suitable For: Building trust, premium positioning, long-term loyalty.
• Channels: Brand Storytelling, Visual Identity, Consistent Messaging.
• Skills Needed: Storytelling, Visual Design, Brand Positioning.
• Tools: Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Brandfolder, Frontify, SurveyMonkey, Lucidpress

Product Marketing

Focuses on positioning, messaging, and promoting your design services and packages effectively.

• Suitable For: Highlighting signature offerings, launching new services, aligning product with market needs.
• Channels: Service Positioning, Go-To-Market Strategies, Sales Enablement.
• Skills Needed: Market Research, Messaging, Sales Collaboration.
• Tools: HubSpot, Productboard, Salesforce, Asana, Trello, Gong

Partnership & Affiliate Program Design

Designing systems where affiliates, influencers, or collaborators promote your services for mutual benefit.

• Suitable For: Expanding visibility through strategic partnerships, leveraging external advocates.
• Channels: Affiliate Networks, Partnership Outreach, Incentive Programs.
• Skills Needed: Relationship Management, Program Structuring, Analytics.
• Tools: Impact, PartnerStack, ShareASale, Rakuten Marketing, Affise, ReferralCandy

Event & Experiential Marketing

Uses in-person or virtual experiences to connect deeply with clients and showcase design expertise.

• Suitable For: Building emotional connections, showcasing high-value projects, networking.
• Channels: Pop-Up Design Installations, Webinars, Workshops, Trade Shows.
• Skills Needed: Event Planning, Customer Engagement, Experience Design.
• Tools: Eventbrite, Zoom, Hopin, Cvent, Whova, Trello

Customer Experience Marketing (CX)

Focuses on enhancing every interaction a client has with your brand, from inquiry to project delivery.

• Suitable For: Improving client satisfaction, fostering repeat business, encouraging referrals.
• Channels: Personalized Communication, Feedback Loops, Loyalty Programs.
• Skills Needed: Communication, Empathy, Data Analysis.
• Tools: Zendesk, HubSpot Service Hub, SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Intercom, Freshdesk

Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

Focuses on targeting specific high-value accounts with personalized marketing strategies to drive engagement and conversion.

• Suitable For: B2B relationships, high-value design projects, targeting key clients or partners.
• Channels: Personalized Email Campaigns, Targeted Ads, One-to-One Content, LinkedIn Outreach.
• Skills Needed: Account Research, Personalized Content Creation, Sales Alignment, Data Analysis.
• Tools: HubSpot ABM, Terminus, Demandbase, Salesforce, 6sense, LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Public Relations (PR)

Focuses on managing brand reputation, building trust, and securing positive media coverage to enhance visibility and credibility.

• Suitable For: Establishing authority, handling brand perception, building trust through media coverage.
• Channels: Press Releases, Media Outreach, Interviews, Industry Publications, Thought Leadership Articles.
• Skills Needed: Communication, Storytelling, Media Relationships, Crisis Management, Reputation Monitoring.
• Tools: Meltwater, Cision, PRNewswire, Muck Rack, Brandwatch, BuzzSumo

As you can see, the skills required to run a complete marketing ecosystem are beyond what any one-two person team can do. Now, let’s figure out what different types should be your focus depending on your business stage!

Next Step: Identify Your Current Stage & What You Should Focus on

In Part II of the Design Business Marketing Series, we discover what your stage is, and what you should focus on right now! Let’s continue: Marketing Stages for Design Businesses