Sep 17, 2015 Written by Guest
In the contest between the two sides to marketing, inbound and outbound, inbound is winning. While traditional marketing efforts have been placed on obtaining customers through creativity, understanding customers' wants and needs, going out and finding the next sale, the sneaky inbound marketers are servicing customers coming to them.
There will always be a need for outbound marketing, but for any company that wants to engage with their customers and is looking to offer a unique customer experience, inbound marketing is really the only way forward.
There will always be a need for outbound marketing, but for any company that wants to engage with their customers and is looking to offer a unique customer experience, inbound marketing is really the only way forward.
Since obtaining my Master of Business Administration (MBA) nearly 20 years ago, I have found that marketing has changed more than any other business discipline. Even more than finance, with its new rules and regulations. What created this complete change in marketing is the internet. We all consume information much differently than we did 20, 10, even five years ago. With the rise in the prominence of the Internet, I have found myself caught up in the need to learn new ways of marketing, or staying true to what I have always done. Marketing as I was taught in the 90's and practiced in Corporate America through the 00's has been turned on its head, and any marketer that didn't move with the times has fallen to the wayside.
Does it work? Statistics show that 54% more leads are generated by inbound tactics than traditional paid marketing. Inbound is also more cost effective than outbound methods. A recent study showed the average business saved $20,000 a year by investing in inbound marketing efforts than by outbound.
When I mention inbound marketing to my customers, they want to know exactly what it is and how it works. There are basically four steps.
1. Attract
You want to drive traffic to your website. Not just any traffic, but the 'right' persons who fit your ideal customer profile. You will know who they are by examining the buyer persona. This includes what your customers are really like, inside and out, their goals, challenges, pain points, common objections to products and services. This also will include personal and demographic information shared among all members of that particular type of customer.
There are several ways to attract and speak to your customer base.
Blogging - Speak to your target market. What do they like, what are their pain points, what motivates them? Engage in topics that excite and interest your audience.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Can your information be found online through an organic search? If you are buried somewhere past page one, you might as well be floating in the big blue ocean. SEO is done by creating content with key words, optimizing your pages, building links into content, and communications that drive back to the website around the terms your ideal buyers are searching.
Social Media - This may be the best avenue to share, engage, and drive customers to your website. You are able to put a personal touch on your brand and talk with customers in a manner that you could never before.
Website - This may be obvious for our B2C companies, but many B2B companies overlook the effectiveness of a good website. You need to ensure your site is visually appealing, contains easy-to-find information, and speaks to your audience. Just because you are not Amazon, don't overlook the need for an effective, well-maintained, and updated site.
2. Convert
So you're driving the right people to your website, they are following you on social media and they are reading your blogs, now it's time to convert them to a customer.
You need to make sure visitors to your site can easily buy, contact and engage with you. Offering free books and information in return for an email is a good start. Even a monthly or quarterly newsletter, coupons or special offer will intrigue possible buyers.
The key is to know your audience. What do they value, what do the need or want, and what can you give them, or problem can you solve? Email addresses and contact information are often exchanged as 'payment' for the quality information you provide.
Once you get emails and contact information, catalog the data in a proper customer database and then speak to your base in a consistent manner with information that is specific to their needs and wants.
3. Close
Take your old-school ABCs (Always Be Closing) to the modern age with updated Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM) and marketing analytics. Phone calls, emails and a personal touch are still effective even in the modern age of marketing.
4. Keep them Coming Back
I have a client whose Lean consulting business does not lend itself to repeat business. However, what it does lead to are referrals. Even if you don't expect to engage with the same business, executives move, and people talk. Don't drop a contact after a single sale. Stay in contact through electronic newsletters, social media, and even surveys after service or products have been delivered.
If you get positive feedback from a survey or you know a customer is happy with what you delivered, ask for a referral. These can be shared on Google and Yelp, online and in newsletters.
I recently had a new security system installed in my office. Before the company's rep left, he asked me who else I could refer. He told me that for every referral that purchased a security system, I would receive cash back. I referred several other people, not just because I liked the system. I was motivated, because I was asked and I was offered a reward.
Outbound will always be there to stay and much of that has to do with marketers more so than what is the most cost efficient and effective way to reach audiences. Inbound is definitely the future and it is here to stay. As more and more tech companies invest in the research and development of technology solutions aimed at reaching customers more frequently and more intimately with marketing automation - inbound will hold the majority of any marketing budget.
If you find inbound confusing, overwhelming, or time-consuming, we can help. At Marketing Eye Dallas, we help many firms who understand the buying process is changing and so should their marketing.
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