We've all been there with those annoying cold calls, right? Let's face it, do they even work nowadays? I can't think of anything more irritating than getting a call out of the blue on a Monday afternoon trying to sell me a new mobile plan.
Well, there's a different way to do things. Have you tried inbound marketing?
In inbound marketing, you're not chasing after customers—they're coming to you.
But to make that happen, you've got to know how to set up your marketing system and use the right strategies.
Let's kick off by breaking down what inbound marketing really is.
What Is Inbound Marketing?
Inbound marketing is like making friends. Instead of going out and shouting about how great you are, you create valuable content and experiences that people naturally want to be a part of.
It's about attracting people to your business by providing helpful information, answering their questions, and offering solutions to their problems. So, instead of chasing after customers, you're drawing them in by being genuinely helpful and building trust.
How Is It Different From Outbound Marketing?
Outbound marketing is more like traditional advertising. For example, pushing your message out to a large audience, whether they're interested or not. Think TV commercials, radio ads, or cold calling.
In contrast, inbound marketing is all about pulling people in by providing valuable content and experiences. Instead of interrupting people with ads, you're attracting them with helpful information and building relationships over time.
So, while outbound marketing helps you reach out to anyone and everyone, inbound marketing focuses on connecting with the right people who are already interested in what you have to offer.
4 Inbound Marketing Strategies
Work On Your Content Marketing
At the heart of inbound marketing is creating content that really helps your audience.
This means:
Solving their problems
Answering their questions
Teaching them something new
Making them smile or laugh (basically, engaging with them)
There are different types of content you can create to do this:
Blog Posts and Articles: These are pieces of content published on your website, covering a wide array of topics pertinent to your industry, product, or service.
Infographics: These are visual representations of data, information, or knowledge using graphics, charts, and text.
Videos: Visual content presented in a video format, that can be short or long, educational or entertaining.
eBooks: These are comprehensive digital books or guides focused on specific topics or issues.
Case Studies: Detailed reports of specific projects, highlighting challenges, solutions, and outcomes.
Whitepapers: In-depth reports or guides focusing on complex industry matters or providing solutions.
Webinars/Courses: These are online classes or workshops people can attend.
Interactive Tools/Apps: These are online tools or apps that offer value or solve problems for users.
PRO TIP: Since this is an inbound marketing strategy, people need to be able to find your content easily. That means making sure it shows up when they search for it on Google. So, remember to tweak your content to rank well on Google.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a key part of many inbound marketing plans. It's great for keeping in touch with potential customers and building connections.
Here's how email marketing fits into inbound strategies:
Lead Generation: Get people's email addresses through sign-up forms and send them helpful emails to turn them into customers.
Welcome Emails and Onboarding: When someone signs up or buys something, send them a friendly welcome email and help them get started.
Sharing Content: Send out emails with your latest blog posts, articles, and other valuable resources you think your audience will appreciate.
Product Updates: Use email to let people know about new products, features, or any changes.
Surveys and Feedback: Ask your customers for their feedback to enhance your products, services, or overall customer experience.
Special Offers: Treat your email subscribers to exclusive discounts or early access to sales to make them feel special.
Keeping Customers Engaged: Send out emails to keep your existing customers happy and interested in what you're doing.
Abandoned Cart Reminders: If someone adds something to their cart but doesn't buy it, send them a friendly reminder to complete their purchase.
So, email marketing is basically a way to stay connected with your audience and keep them interested in what you have to offer.
How Great Is Your Landing Page?
Landing pages are like special invitations on the internet, designed to get people to take action, whether it's signing up for something or buying a product.
Unlike regular web pages, landing pages are created for specific marketing goals. They focus on getting visitors to do one thing, like downloading an ebook or registering for a webinar.
Here's what successful landing pages usually include:
Compelling Headline: A catchy headline that grabs your attention and communicates the value of your offer.
Persuasive Copy: Straightforward text that highlights the benefits of your offer and unique selling points.
Engaging Visuals: Utilise high-quality images or videos that relate to your offer and enhance the overall experience for visitors.
Strong Call-to-Action (CTA): A big, obvious button or link that tells you what to do next.
User-Friendly Design: An easy-to-use design that works well on both computers and mobile devices.
Trust Signals: Incorporation of trustworthy elements like customer reviews or security badges for credibility.
Form Optimization: Forms that ask for only the essential information.
Loading Speed: Fast loading times to keep visitors from getting frustrated.
SEO Optimization: Optimization for search engines so people can find the page.
Analytics & Tracking: Tracking tools to see how many people visit the page and what action they take.
A/B Testing: Testing different elements like headlines, visuals, and CTAs to see what works best.
Use Chatbots
Chatbots are great because they're robots, so they can help you out anytime, day or night, even when the humans are off-duty. This makes them super useful for giving customers a hand and making sure everyone's satisfied.
They might not always nail the trickier questions, but they can tackle the ones people ask all the time and guide them through typical inquiries. While the specifics might change depending on your field, here are some usual questions customers might ask:
General inquiries about products or services. For instance, "What is your return policy?"
Questions regarding pricing and available discounts. For example, "Are there any current promotions on [product/service]?"
Assistance with order tracking and shipping details. Such as, "When will my order arrive?"
Help with account management and login issues. Like, "I can't access my account. How can I reset my password?"
Technical support for common issues. For instance, "How do I fix [common technical problem]?"
Booking and reservation inquiries. For example, "Can I schedule an appointment for [specific date]?"
Final Words
To sum it up, when it comes to digital marketing, there are a few important things to focus on: making interesting content, sending out emails, creating user-friendly web pages, and using chatbots.
These strategies help you engage with your customers, keep them interested, and make it easy for them to do business with you. When you use these tactics, you're not just reaching out to new customers but also keeping the ones you have happy.
SO, WHERE DO YOU FIND THIS PARTNER?
Well, aren’t we glad you asked! We at DigiCom are obsessive data-driven marketers pulling from multi-disciplinary strategies to unlock scale. We buy media across all platforms and placements and provide creative solutions alongside content creation, and conversion rate optimizations. We pride ourselves on your successes and will stop at nothing to help you grow.
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