It’s not easy to try to think of a world before the internet, and in the world of marketing that is even trickier. The evolution of the internet as a marketing tool has changed the way that marketers execute their plans and changed the way that audiences experience and interact with their brands. And while the internet has had a major impact how we view and execute marketing plans and strategies, we still recommend some of the original techniques. In this blog we will explore the two marketing styles which are very different, but still incredibly effective if done correctly.
Outbound Marketing
Outbound marketing is a traditional form of marketing where the business initiates the conversation. It is a marketing model that requires multiple messages to be pushed out through various channels in the hope that the right message makes it to the right person. Outbound marketing is regarded as the more traditional marketing tool than inbound marketing. Some examples of outbound marketing are print advertising, television and radio commercials, trade shows, and cold calling.
One of the challenges marketers face today with outbound marketing is that there are ways for consumers to avoid these methods. For telephone calls, many people have caller ID and won’t pick up unless it’s a number that they recognize. Heck, most homes don’t even have a landline anymore. If you want to listen to the radio and want little to no disruptions, you can purchase premium subscriptions such as Pandora, Apple Music or Sirius XM Radio. Marketing professionals have had to become more assertive to get the message out to the public, but by using a different method.
Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing is the process of attracting the attention of prospects through content creation before they are even ready to buy. It focuses on creating quality content and interactions that pulls people in to your business and brand, instead of your business pushing the message to them. Consumers are already searching for answers online, researching your industry, checking out your competitors, and trying to decide if they really need your service or product. The overall goal is to have content that speaks to all of these scenarios and stages of the buying process in order to capture these interested prospects. Examples of inbound marketing include social media, blogs, the use of Search Engine Optimizations (SEO).
Inbound marketing, as compared to outbound marketing, is more profitable and easier to track. Many success stories of inbound marketing have come from posting the right content at the right time to the right channel. Your posts should attract consumers, give them a reason to buy your service or product if they happen to be loyal to another brand, and delight them with whatever you are offering. In short, inbound marketing is one of the most effective ways to turn strangers into customers.
While marketing has dramatically changed over the last few years, it will continue to evolve. The rise of inbound and content marketing has made outbound marketing look outdated, and is now seen as a speculative way of finding customers. That’s not to say that outbound marketing is dead; there is still a place in your marketing plan for outbound services, but we recommend looking at your demographic and targeting those individuals with a marketing plan made of both inbound and outbound marketing strategies.
Which type of marketing do you prefer? Let us know!
