Understanding Inbound Marketing: What Is It and Why Should Your Business Use It?

You may think there’s a one size fits all formula to marketing. But, when you create the best marketing plan, you combine different strategies and types of marketing to grow your brand or business. You created your business to meet certain market needs.

Your marketing strategies must fit your targeted customer and market. You might ask yourself if you should choose between inbound vs outbound marketing. While you must find what works for your brand, you can’t forget about the power of inbound marketing.

Don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered. We’ll tell you what is inbound marketing and why you should consider prioritizing inbound vs outbound marketing.

Keep reading to learn why you should consider tweaking your current marketing strategies to bring customers to you.

What Is Inbound Marketing?

The simple answer to this question is marketing strategies that get your customer to come to you. Yes, it’s as simple as it sounds. When you use this type of marketing, you aren’t in a constant cat and mouse chase with your customer.

Instead, you’re pre-qualifying your leads through your inbound efforts. These customers contact you to buy your products or learn more about your business. When you compare inbound vs outbound marketing, your conversions skyrocket when you use the first type of marketing.

Remember your customers are contacting you not the other way around. Today, customers receive a lot of unwanted outbound marketing media 24/7. This makes potential leads reluctant to hear from you or your sales reps out when you contact them.

If it’s the first time you hear about inbound strategies, you may think it’s difficult for you to implement them in your business. Believe it or not, simple tweaks and strategies can create a revolving door of clients coming your way.

Don’t know how? Here are some successful inbound techniques you may consider implementing today.

  • Search Engine Optimization: You might’ve heard marketers emphasizing the importance of SEO. While you may think it’s a lot of work, this strategy brings great long-term results. Optimizing your website will help customers find you during their online searches.
  • Share a Free Industry Guide: Establishing your brand as an expert in your industry may take time. Creating and sharing a free industry guide can be a great strategy. It can improve your organic traffic while getting more leads that don’t cost you a thing.
  • Engage on Social Media: Some businesses think it’s enough to open their social media pages. Yet, that’s only half the game. You must engage with your customers on your social media pages to bring those inbound leads your way.

Why Should You Prioritize Inbound Marketing?

Most businesses focus on outbound marketing. Yet, you should consider prioritizing your inbound efforts. The benefits of inbound vs outbound marketing range from lower costs to a higher return on your investment.

Are you prioritizing your inbound over outbound marketing strategies? Maybe you’ve been thinking about it twice about changing your current marketing plan. If that’s the case, here are 4 reasons why you should start prioritizing inbound vs outbound marketing today.

1. Educate Your Customers

These marketing strategies give you a chance to educate your customer about your industry, services, and products. Through sharing valuable and relevant content, you can show them why they should choose your company over your competitors. Don’t go for the hard sell.

Aim to answer their everyday questions and solve their problems. Some inbound marketing examples that help you educate your customers are social media, and blog content around valuable and relevant topics.

Some businesses even use webinars to educate their customers. If you’re uncertain about the best approach in your business marketing, you should consider consulting a marketing expert. They can help you bring your customers to you.

2. Increase Your Conversions

If you implement inbound instead of outbound marketing, you will increase your conversions with a higher return on investment. When you prioritize these marketing strategies, you won’t be running ads on social media or other marketing outlets.

While you will spend on search engine optimization, content creation, and other strategies. Your results will be long term and cost you less.

Also, if you have an in-house outbound marketing team, you may consider assigning most of the team to increase your inbound efforts. It’s a great way to lower your costs and increase your team efficiency without hiring more staff.

3. Earn Your Customer’s Trust

Inbound strategies separate your business from your competitors. Since you won’t focus on the hard sell, you will gain your customer’s trust. Remember you will focus on providing value to your customer.

If you choose relevancy and value over the sale, you will show your audience that you care. When your customer feels like your number one priority, they will become your biggest brand ambassadors. They will recommend your products and services to friends and family.

Believe it or not, word of mouth marketing is more powerful than you think. About 82 percent of Americans will consider purchasing products or services recommended by friends and family. That’s only the tip of the iceberg considering that word of mouth referrals don’t cost you a thing.

4. Generating Long-Term Growth

When you choose inbound over outbound marketing, you promote long-term business growth. Due to the nature of your inbound efforts, your content doesn’t go away. An example is how your blog content can turn you into your industry’s guru.

Keep in mind that your consistent marketing efforts are the only way to set yourself as an expert. If you achieve this status in your industry, you will be the go-to resource for your audience. Therefore, generating long-term growth that keeps on giving.

The Bottom Line

Understanding inbound marketing in the first step to improve your current marketing plan. While you may think having more outbound sales reps is the best way to grow your business. You should consider increasing your inbound over outbound marketing efforts.

Keep in mind that your inbound strategies focus on long-term growth and bringing your customer to you instead of playing the cat and mouse game. While it may require time and patience to find the right approach to target your audience. Your results will promote long-term growth and take your business to the next level.

Now that you know what is inbound marketing and why you should care. Want to implement the right inbound strategies to market your business? Contact us today to schedule your free consultation to bring those leads.