Mass marketing or “push” advertising worked very well in the beginning. But times are changing and so are consumer preferences.
It’s an undeniable fact that online consumers are doing their homework before buying something, especially when faced with multiple options. They’re using Google to research products and social media to seek recommendations from friends/family.
This is why inbound marketing is gaining more architects mailing lists importance than regular outbound marketing. So, as a business, you need to understand how “aware” consumers are and what you need to do to get on their radar with a real inbound marketing strategy.
There is no doubt that today's consumers want…
Receive priority and be educated about your own issues.
Do business with brands they are familiar with.
Know your history and how you have helped others in the past.
Become more comfortable with the solution they are purchasing.
This new era is about hyper-personalized marketing, which goes beyond relationship marketing.
What does it mean…
If you are building a relationship with your target audience, you are increasing the chances of getting more sales.
If you are educating them upfront and giving them the information they need to make a decision, you are making it easier for them to do business with you.
If you’re delivering value first, you’re giving them a reason to trust your brand.
If you are pulling consumers towards your brand, rather than pushing your products on them, you are gaining their attention.
By focusing on inbound marketing, you’re doing all of the above. Which not only helps you get more out of your marketing efforts, but also allows you to stand out from the competition.
What is inbound marketing?
Inbound marketing is about creating real value by helping people improve in a chosen area, while making your business stand out from the rest. In other words, it’s about attracting the right people and making a positive impact on them. Which in turn makes them want to trust your brand and spread the word.
The first and most obvious step to inbound marketing is to create useful content that is relevant enough to attract your target audience. This includes potential customers you want to turn into customers. And customers you want to turn into repeat buyers.
When these people land on your website, they expect more from you. So, you promise them more value by engaging them with the right tools, like email. Once they’re engaged, the final step is to continue delivering more value to them by sharing your helpful expertise with the intention of delighting them. When compared to outbound marketing, inbound marketing works on a much larger scale because you’re not trying to get your message out there. You’re not forcing yourself to get your target audience’s attention. Instead, you’re creating valuable content that helps your prospects not only understand their problem, but also find the ideal solution.
Using inbound marketing, your company can consistently…
Attract potential customers
Build trust
Build credibility
Improve sales
Grow consistently
Let's now move on to better understand inbound marketing and the dynamics involved.
How does inbound marketing work?
Having a good inbound marketing strategy works for all types of businesses, regardless of their size. Because it’s simply a more effective and reliable way to sell while giving your customers the experience they deserve. It’s a type of marketing that benefits both you and your customers, which is key to achieving higher quality results in the long run.
But before you create an inbound marketing strategy, it’s crucial that you understand the inbound methodology, which comprises four steps:
Attract
Convert
To close
Enchant
With the right inbound marketing strategy up your sleeve, your brand can consistently deliver value and progress at every stage of your customer’s journey. This not only helps you build trust with them but also gives your business the boost it needs.