Professional Web Studio

Web Development - Search Engine Optimization
Online Marketing

2011 Mar21

Why Inbound Marketing Needs To Be A Part Of Your Overall Marketing Strategy

Written by: Darlene

Should you focus your efforts and marketing budget on inbound marketing or on outbound marketing efforts?

Some experts say save your money and just do inbound marketing, others say just do outbound marketing, because either they are comfortable with that due to their past experiences or they are simply unaware of how to use the Internet to do inbound marketing.

With 10+ years of experience, we at Professional Web Studio, a Calgary SEO company, highly recommend a mixture of both inbound and outbound marketing in order to build maximum awareness around your business, increase your customer base and increase your sales.

inbound marketingMost business owners have a good idea of what’s required for an outbound marketing campaign. But how many people are aware of all the ways to use inbound marketing techniques to increase their sales? The number is increasing but among many businesses it’s still a mystery. If you leverage the power of inbound marketing you could gain a substantial competitive advantage!

You can either take the time to learn to do it on your own or you can get some professional marketing expertise to help you leverage all the available tools and resources that could work to your advantage.

What are examples of inbound marketing techniques?

  • Creating an informative website that provides solutions to people’s problems based on your products or services.
  • Authoring an informative business blog that helps people with issues they may have such as “how to get out of debt” or "how to go green" (related to your business model, of course)
  • Providing free online seminars or webinars.
  • Giving away free and informative Whitepapers, eBooks, etc.
  • Making and publishing instructional videos.
  • Writing articles and making them available for syndication.
  • Social Media
  • Organic SEO

Do you see a common denominator here? Information. People crave it and if you give it to them, there’s a greater chance of them coming to you for the next step in the process.

Save Money and Target Your Desired Audience

Inbound marketing is cheaper than yellow pages ads, magazine ads or other printed materials and they’re more effective in the 21st century. Inbound marketing also gives you the flexibility to easily change and update information about your business as it grows and develops new products and services. That won’t happen with a yellow pages ad, simply because they are only re-written once a year. Plus it’s easier to strategize with inbound methods because unlike traditional offline marketing campaigns, you can measure the success instantly.

By using online marketing tools you establish yourself as an expert in your industry and many of these tools are low cost as well.

They:

  • Pique interest
  • Improve your perceived level of expertise
  • Help you establish your brand

and, they attract more targeted visitors who will click through to your website to learn more about you and your business. As well, inbound marketing techniques will help you naturally and dramatically improve your online search engine rankings.

Provide the Solution to Someone’s Problem

By using various inbound marketing methods, you help people find you online when they need you. Those people are more likely to contact you because they already like what they have read or watched in regards to what your business has to offer. You’ve established yourself as a helpful expert.

Of course all of your marketing strategies, both inbound and outbound, will depend on who's attention you are trying to get and what goals you have set for your business.

Your Turn...

I’m interested in hearing about the inbound marketing methods you have used to attract new leads to your business?  Please share your ideas in the comments below...


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