As a small business, it can be difficult to get your content noticed. Large companies are fierce competition, and small business owners across the country have been left scrambling as big corporations target their customers. With more personnel and more resources, the big businesses can often seem unbeatable. Don’t get too discouraged, though – inbound marketing is the solution that smaller companies have been looking for! Small businesses need inbound marketing to compete with their larger counterparts. You may ask: why inbound marketing? What makes it so special? Here are 4 reasons why inbound is the perfect fit for your small business:
1. Lower Costs
Marketing costs can be notoriously high. Newspaper ads, TV commercials, radio jingles, billboard designs – these all require a big budget. And, they’re not always cost-effective. These traditional ads are broadcasted to a wide audience, and not everybody in the audience wants to hear the message. There’s no point in paying for the ads if they’re not going to attract customers. That’s why inbound marketing is so effective. You don’t need expensive ads draining your company’s resources; all you need is some great content, like a blog, to draw customers to you.
2. Less Aggressive Tactics
Cost isn’t the only problem with outbound marketing. When half of your audience doesn’t want to see your ads, they lose interest in your brand very quickly. Even those who do fit your buyer personas might get annoyed with a constant barrage of ads. Some companies rely on these aggressive marketing strategies, but the last thing you want to do is alienate your customer base. Inbound marketing eliminates this problem. The inbound methodology states that if you make yourself easy for customers to find, you’ll attract exactly the type of customers you want, without estranging them.
3. Communication and Engagement
Inbound is also a great way to foster communication with your customers. With such a strong focus on blogging and social media channels, inbound provides customers with a number of ways to get in touch with you. And, of course, you have just as many ways to get in touch with them! One advantage of a small business is the common perception that your company is warmer and friendlier than many large corporations. Capitalizing on these communication channels to humanize your business can make your brand stand out to customers looking for a welcoming experience.
4. Loyalty and Brand Ambassadors
Inbound makes for great client relationships. And, after you gain customers, often they’ll promote your brand for you! An important part of the inbound methodology is turning satisfied clients into brand ambassadors. If you delight your customers, they’ll reward you for it, and word-of-mouth is a powerful tool. Having loyal customers who vouch for your business is a fantastic outcome of using inbound marketing!
Now that you know the importance of inbound marketing for small businesses, you can start to reap the benefits!
To kick-start your inbound marketing strategy, why not start writing a blog? Check out this guide to better business blogging!
