In the battle between inbound and outbound marketing, who will win? What if the answer was both?
Now if you’re someone who is fully on the inbound bandwagon, you might be a little surprised by this idea. However, thinking of these two marketing methodologies as allies, rather than enemies, can be a successful strategy for your business. It is possible to apply an inbound marketing approach to traditional outbound tactics.
Inbound marketing is a way to draw leads to your company organically with relevant and engaging content. Its foundation is centered on people rather than being disruptive to the audience and putting business first. However, if you are producing a ton of great content, but no one is seeing it, then that’s not the desired outcome either.
Advertising
Buying an ad in a newspaper or magazine, or putting a commercial on TV or the radio, are traditional outbound strategies. Although this can be a more expensive option, it can still work for some companies. Use what you know about your buyer personas to plan a targeted ad campaign. This can work better at the local level. HubSpot estimates that 69% of adults still trust their local newspaper, and 54% of people are more likely to purchase a product they saw in a newspaper or magazine.
A more inbound marketing approach would be to create a content offer for a targeted audience and use a promoted post on Facebook or LinkedIn. Another option is to place an ad for your brand on Instagram based on someone’s search history.
The Sales Call
We are firm believers that cold calling is dead. Over 70% of buying decisions are made before even contacting a company or filling out a form on their website. But that doesn’t make your sales team obsolete. They still can provide valuable information to leads, especially in complex, solutions-based industries. Most people will do the majority of their research online, but when they are nearing the decision stage and preparing to buy, they may want a conversation with someone on your team to help them finalize their decision. This conversation is an opportunity to build a relationship with a lead. After a lead talks with a sales rep or begins a free trial, for example, follow up that action with a thank you email that contains some additional content that they might find useful. This personalization will make the lead feel valued by your company.
Trade Shows
Trade shows and conferences are a good example of an outbound marketing channel. You can reinvent your trade shows using inbound marketing strategies. Start by having consistent messaging with all of your materials. Have links to direct people to your website and blog, or hashtags related to the event for social media. Printed materials like pamphlets and brochures are a good option, especially if they include a CTA with a landing page related to the event. Think of how you can provide relevant content to the specific audience you are encountering at the trade show or conference, just as you would with attracting your buyer persona with a blog post.
Direct Mail
Because so much happens online now, getting mail has almost become more of a novelty. Avoid becoming junk mail by segmenting your contacts to create a focused list to include in the mailing. A postcard with a promotional offer or a catalog can help drive traffic to your website. If contacts have already engaged with you online, a well-timed mailing with additional information or a compelling call to action may just convert them into a customer.
Email is an interesting marketing channel, because it can easily be either inbound or outbound, depending on how it is used. Purchasing lists is a waste of time and money, and will most likely just get you marked as spam. Increase your email open rates by sticking with inbound strategies for this channel. Use email to nurture leads and delight customers.
Just because you’ve adopted an inbound-first marketing strategy, does not mean that you need to abandon all of your outbound marketing methods all-together. There are ways that they can be integrated. The power of inbound marketing comes through the Internet, allowing your expertise to live online forever. The content you create is available to be accessed by anyone in the world at anytime.
