Traditional, outbound marketing is a method companies would use to seek out prospects and interrupt them in their journey as a potential buyer. However, as these buyers have gained far more power with the help of the internet, marketers now need to be much cleverer in their methods. The solution? Inbound marketing.
What is inbound marketing?
Inbound marketing is a method of aligning compelling content with your customers’ interests, causing them to be naturally attracted to your company. Potential customers can become aware of your content through channels such as blogs, search engines and social media. This awareness begins the process of:
- Attracting them as visitors.
- Converting them as contacts.
- Closing them as customers.
and - Delighting them every step of the way.
“Don’t interrupt what your buyers want to consume – BE what they want to consume” - Mike Volpe
What are the benefits?
So, inbound marketing is a method to enable your business to reach potential customers in an organic way. But what can your business expect to gain by adopting this approach?
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Better cost efficiency.
Methods such as posting on social media and blogging on an existing website are inexpensive but are very efficient in attracting new customers. According to HubSpot, inbound marketing leads cost on average 61% less than outbound leads. -
More qualified leads.
93% of buying cycles start with an online search. Potential customers who interact with inbound marketing content are looking for information similar to what your company offers. This means they are closer to being qualified compared to contacts who have been interrupted and presented with content through outbound marketing methods. -
Clear alignment between sales and marketing.
With inbound marketing, your sales and marketing teams work more closely together to create powerful content for prospects. Salespeople are the main source for insights into what the customer needs and wants at different stages along the buyers’ journey. With that information in mind, marketers can create targeted content that educates buyers, answers questions and solves problems. This process is far more efficient than random outbound touch points and decreases the marketing costs by 61% per lead compared to traditional outbound marketing. - Builds long-lasting relationships.
HubSpot’s inbound methodology shows how a company should attract visitors, convert them as contacts, close them as customers and delight them every step of the way. The delight element of this methodology ensures a good relationship between your business and a prospect.Even after a prospect has conducted some initial research on your industry, they may not make an immediate purchase. The odds are better that they will continue to research, learn and educate themselves before reaching out to your sales reps.
The content you provide gives you a perfect opportunity to create a relationship with these prospects by positioning tips, suggestions and insights into their queries. They will begin to view you as a trusted authority, which in turns increases the odds that your company will be their chosen source when they are ready to make a purchase.
In a fast moving environment where the internet and social media are dictating daily decisions, buyers have more information than ever. Inbound marketing is not only making them more educated but is also shifting buyer behaviours.
Want to learn more? Our guide “Secrets of Inbound Sales” has enabled our clients to grow by three times the average for their sector.
