Inbound marketing is a process and a continual learning curve. It’s not a mountain to climb that once you’ve reached the top, you’re done. It doesn’t work that way, which makes it that much more intriguing and important in the way we conduct business today.
Mike and I had an excellent meeting with a prospective client this past week. Besides a basic website, they have been primarily using outbound marketing methods (print ads, radio, etc.). Many are still using these methods simply because they don’t yet understand how the world of inbound marketing works. We understand that online strategies can seem overwhelming, especially for the (let me say this delicately) “older generation”. There IS a lot going on and tactics change almost daily, so for many, it’s easier just to avoid the entire concept.
However, the reality is that sooner or later, every business is going to need to utilize the power of online and inbound marketing. The longer you wait, the better head start your competition WILL have on their online strategy.
So why is inbound marketing so powerful? Below are some of the basic reasons why inbound marketing is taking over the world of “marketing” with such promise:
- Cost Effective: Compared to traditional marketing strategies (print ads, radio, T.V., etc.), inbound marketing is WAY more cost effective. Obviously the term “cost-effective” is different for each business and each individual – what is “cost-effective” for one may be extremely expensive for another. What I mean when I say that inbound marketing is “cost-effective” is that in comparison to traditional marketing strategies, inbound marketing far exceeds the value provided by any other medium.
- Measurability: Every effort of your inbound marketing strategy is measured, which is extremely powerful! Hard numbers don’t lie. These numbers enable you to analyze the effectiveness of your campaign and tweak as you go to find the strategies that work best. No other advertising tactic provides such detailed analytics about the performance of your marketing efforts.
- Content is King: We are living in the age of content. In order to establish yourself as the ‘trusted authority’ in your market, prospects like to consume information (hopefully produced by you) on their own time and make their own decision on where they are going to purchase said product/service. Prospects will now research every little element of you and your business, read reviews, check your website and/or blog before even considering purchasing from you. Given this reality, you’d better be out on the internet with professional, relevant content that compels prospects to buy. If not, they will find your competition and buy from them.
So what all goes into inbound marketing? Well, that depends on your business. What works for one may not work for yours. However, here’s the most important thing to remember – inbound marketing is a puzzle, and without a single piece, the puzzle is incomplete. Speaking from experience, an inbound marketing strategy that only uses Social Media, or only uses a single Blog, is incomplete. Yes, you may see some success, but you are leaving SO much business on the table!
I don’t mean to scare you with this information, but rather to educate you. As we hear more and more rumours about heading into global recession, businesses of all sizes will need to tighten the reigns and operate their business as lean and efficient as possible. The best way to do this is to scrap the old-school, outbound marketing strategies that, for many, is like throwing money into a black hole. INVEST your money into inbound marketing strategies or partnering with an inbound marketing agency, and trust us, if done properly, it will be one of the best moves you will ever make in your business and marketing strategy.
