There was a time when radio was the source of entertainment and information and when families sat together in front of the television. The pace of life was slower. If a business had a decent product at a decent price it was a matter of making customers aware. 

Life has changed.

The way people shop has changed.  Inbound Marketing is the evolution of marketing, keeping pace with the new way of life and shopping

Why should you switch to Inbound Marketing?

1. Become The Solution

Traditional marketing interrupts

Radio Ads, Television Ads, Billboards all interrupt customers in an effort to gain attention.  If translated to the digital world, this is seen in annoying pop-ups, flashy banners and spammy e-mails.   

Inbound marketing adds value

Today, if people have a question or problem the first place they turn is Google.  Inbound Marketing gently directs customers to your company by educating and providing answers to their questions.  In essence, when a customer searches a question, they find you as the solution.

2. Reach Your Target Customer

Traditional marketing is a gamble

It caters to a wide audience and hopes their target customer is amongst that audience.

Inbound marketing is highly targeted.

An essential element is creating a buyer persona.  It is important to understand who your customers are, and what pain points and problems they have, in order to successfully cater to them.  Because inbound marketing seeks to provide value and answers, it naturally attracts those who are actively seeking the solution your company offers.

3. Customer, Not Product!

Traditional marketing is product focused

 “Buy Me!”  Traditional marketing focuses on the product and it’s features.

Inbound marketing is customer focused

It focuses on adding value, providing helpful information, fostering relationships and engaging in conversation.

4. Plan An Effective Strategy

Traditional marketing screams “Me! Me! Me!”

ThePillars of traditional marketing

• Product
• Place
• Price
• Promotion

Inbound marketing engages with people where they are

Pillars

• Social Media
• Blogging
• Email
• SEO

5. Get Noticed!

Traditional marketing gets ignored.

• 86% of people skip tv ads,
• 44% of direct mail is never opened.
• Spammy E-mails are sent straight to “Junk” or “Trash”….unopened.

 Actually get results.

• 82% of consumers report they like reading content from brands if it is relevant
• 80% say they would rather learn about a company through a series of articles than an advertisement.

The heart of Inbound Marketing is to add value to the customer, providing answers they are already searching for.  Engaging with these leads, forging relationships and focusing on delighting the customer often results in far more than a sale, but rather, a devoted, lifelong customer.

Author: Naomi Sirmans (@naomisirmans)

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