Inbound marketing is a relatively new concept, but it’s one that most would agree gets the job done when it comes to bringing in new highly qualified customers for your business. While there certainly was a time and place for outbound marketing in the past, going forward inbound marketing is simply the best choice. Below you will find 14 reasons why inbound marketing is better than traditional outbound marketing for your business needs.
1- The Customer Comes to You
Instead of going out and paying for numerous ads that your target consumer may never see, you can instead invest your time, energy, and money into quality content that your target consumer will already be searching for online. Once they discover this content, they are likely to make their way to your website to find out more information. The odds of this happening are much greater than with traditional outbound marketing.
2- It’s More Affordable
According to Mashable, inbound marketing costs 62% less per lead than outbound marketing. There’s no arguing with numbers like that. Every business out there is looking to save money on marketing and bring in more profit. Inbound marketing can help you do both.
3- It’s a More Enjoyable Experience for the Customer
Rather than being inundated with constant ads from your company that may or may not speak to them, your target buyers will instead discover the useful, informative content that you create with them in mind. They will view this content as something of value that they appreciate, which may lead to a natural progression into a loyal customer.
4- It Returns More Qualified Leads
The leads you will gain through your inbound marketing efforts will be potential customers who have shown an active interest in the products and services that you have to offer. Leads gained through traditional marketing are often consumers with very little intention of ever making a purchase from your company.
5- Consumers Love Helpful Content
The quality content that you create and publish through your inbound marketing efforts is specifically crafted with your target buyers in mind. Therefore, they will find an incredible amount of value in this content, which will be much appreciated. Content that is of value to these potential buyers will likely be saved, shared, and referenced in the future, spreading the potential reach even further.
6- People Don’t Like to be “Sold” to
Pushy car salesmen have a bad rep for a reason. No one enjoys feeling pressured into a buying decision. Often, traditional marketing methods feel over the top, insincere, or, even worse, dishonest. Being sold on a product you didn’t originally set out to purchase is rarely an enjoyable experience.
7- Your Business is Seen as a Valuable Resource
The blog posts, eBooks, infographics, and whitepapers that you publish through your inbound marketing efforts include content that your target buyers have sought out on their own. This often means they find such value in the content that they will refer to it again and again, and will begin to rely on your business as an authority in the industry.
8- Your Customers are Already Online Searching for Businesses Like Yours
If you aren’t taking advantage of the opportunities available through inbound marketing, you’re missing out. The majority of consumers go online to conduct some form of research before making a purchase. It’s important for you to be there when they’re looking, providing the info that they need.
9- It’s Better for Building Relationships
It’s pretty basic. People like businesses that provide info they need, content they value, and are there to answer questions when they have them. They don’t typically like businesses that constantly shove products and services they don’t necessarily need in their face. Inbound marketing makes for a much more successful consumer to business relationship.
10- You Won’t Get “Skipped”
With the rise of DVR, online radio services, Netflix, and the like, consumers very rarely have to view an advertisement if they choose not to. Investing thousands of dollars into traditional marketing methods just doesn’t make sense when you face the fact that the majority of consumers out there will never see your efforts.
11- Your Content Can Spread Virally Without You Lifting a Finger
One of the best things about putting time and effort into crafting quality content that is of value to your target buyers is the fact that they may share this content with others. If your company creates an eBook, article, infographic, etc., that is informative, entertaining, and highly valuable, then it’s potential to be spread far and wide is great. After the initial work that goes into creating and distributing the content, your work is basically done.
12- It’s the Polite Thing to do
Have you ever heard outbound marketing referred to as “interruptive marketing”? Well, there’s a reason for that. With traditional marketing methods, you are constantly trying to butt in to people’s lives and convince them they need the products and/or services that you offer. With inbound marketing, you are only providing valuable information that these consumers will be searching for on their own. You’re actually helping them out rather than potentially becoming an annoying interruption they would rather not be bothered with.
13- Consumers Don’t Even See Your Outbound Marketing Efforts
The average person is hit with more than 2000 outbound marketing attempts every single day. They are learning to simply tune out these interruptions as they very rarely find them to be useful. Why waste your time on commercials, billboards, or ads that your target consumers will most likely ignore?
14- Inbound Marketing Works. Period.
When it comes down to it, the number one reason to choose inbound marketing over outbound marketing is that it works, plain and simple. According to the Custom Content Council, 61% of consumers say they feel better about and are more likely to purchase from a business that provides custom content. Inbound marketing is the way of the future when it comes to marketing for your business. It’s time to get on board.
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