What’s Inbound Marketing? Why is it important? Has it replaced Outbound Marketing? Lots of questions. Lots of solutions. Today’s marketing and selling environment can be pretty confusing.
Everyone agrees that selling to your customers today is becoming more challenging. Why? Because your customer is in control. They are more informed. The Internet and the digital world have given them the opportunity to find exactly what they want, when they want it. Smart companies know this and are creating strong relationships by providing good content. Content that is authoritative and has intrinsic value that keeps your company top of mind and establishes you as an industry thought leader. B2C companies got on the band wagon a while ago. B2B companies, and especially the industrial/manufacturing sector, were slower adopters…but it’s not too late to start for anyone, regardless of your company’s size.
What is Inbound Marketing? Inbound Marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls customers toward your company’s products and services. By aligning your content with your customers’ needs you attract “inbound” traffic (and opportunities) which you can then nurture and convert. Inbound marketing is about creating and sharing content, whether it’s via Social Media, blogging, website landing pages or other tools such as eBooks and White Papers, providing something that is helpful and useful. As you do so, you will be attracting the right kinds of opportunities. And tracking or capturing your prospects using marketing automation tools allows you to segment them and in turn give them more of what they want…at the right time.
Today’s buyers want to interact with business in very different ways. The new influencers are here to stay. Your challenge – and opportunity – is how to influence them. Get your company into their mindset when they don’t have a need, so they think of your company – and hopefully first – when they do! Or provide something of value that they need now and you’ve increased your chances of their responding to a Call to Action.
Has Inbound Marketing replaced Outbound Marketing? Inbound Marketing without promotion and follow-up won’t be nearly as effective. Inbound Marketing is an important piece of a comprehensive sales and marketing plan, but what you do in your bricks and mortar world is still necessary. Stay tuned for more on Outbound Marketing and how the two work together to help you grow your business.
-Michele Mischler, Sales & Marketing Consultant
Michele has over 30 years of experience in the advertising, sales and marketing arena. Michele currently works with clients on developing inbound and outbound marketing strategies and helps them implement these programs as part of her portfolio of services.
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