In sales, it’s always preferable and more efficient to have people come to you, rather than having to go out and get them. This is the crux of what inbound marketing is all about. Inbound marketing is basically any strategy or technique that sends prospective clients directly to you. With the Internet, it’s possible to streamline this system and ensure your sales team is kept busy.
Inbound marketing on the web can be done in a variety of ways. For instance, you may market your services heavily through social media platforms. You may also have a corporate YouTube account or consistently run a podcast show on a very narrow niche topic that complements your business. In terms of paying for inbound marketing, you can engage in pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns. The sky really is the limit in terms of the number of inbound marketing tools available, and the opportunities are changing all the time as technology evolves.
What makes inbound marketing so effective?
- Qualified leads who are actively looking to purchase something come to you. When potential customers have prequalified themselves (why else would they contact you?), they have eliminated a step in the process. They’re interested in hearing more about your product or service, with a potential intent to buy, invest or take another step.
- People who come to you thought inbound marketing can be easier to sell. This dovetails with the fact that they have labeled themselves as possible customers. As long as you have what they need, and they see the value in it, you may be able to make a faster sale.
- It can be easier to predict the sales dollars generated each week, month, etc. Being able to predict your company’s revenue streams is an enormous asset. As soon as your inbound marketing starts to stabilize, you should see a baseline amount of revenue coming into your business. You can then use this baseline to plan for the future. One note: Make sure you track your inbound marketing for more than one season to get an accurate understanding of cash flow.
- You’re making it simpler to develop a relationship. These are individuals who are coming to you with a problem or are making an inquiry. What a perfect chance for you to start a conversation! Just remember that not everyone buys the first time they visit a particular website. That shouldn’t be a turn-off to you or a disappointment. Get a discussion started and earn their trust by using inbound marketing as a way to begin a long-term relationship.
- You can always try another inbound marketing tool. Because there are tons of inbound marketing techniques, you are never limited to one or two. If something isn’t working for you — and you’ve tested it to make sure it really isn’t a preferred inbound marketing tool — you can move to another choice. Plus, you can utilize two or more inbound marketing tools to improve their effectiveness. One example would be sending press releases to a distribution channel and then reporting about your press release through your social media posts every time it is picked up.
- It makes it possible to automate part or all your sales funnel. Automation of the sales funnel is a big plus. Not only does it take the guesswork out of sales, but it ensures the sales funnel is being followed. The less “human error,” the better.
- Inbound marketing can be quite cost-effective. You have a limited amount of marketing dollars budgeted for your business. Why waste it on marketing strategies that don’t stretch those dollars as much as you can? Internet-based inbound marketing can pay for itself, and you can be sure it’s paying for itself because it’s trackable. Talk about peace of mind!
- It levels the playing field. It can be tough for small organizations to compete with very big ones, or for start-ups to grab a piece of the pie. Inbound marketing is a robust solution for all companies of all sizes to finally feel like they have equal standing.
We all know people are using their devices to look for information on the products and services they want right now. Make sure your inbound marketing is sending those people to you.