February 13, 2018
TACTIX5
We’ve discussed the differences between outbound marketing and inbound marketing and come to the conclusion that inbound marketing is the more popular form of marketing nowadays. It makes sense: If the content is engaging and relevant, the right customers will come – and they’ll be the right customers because they’re consuming content on their own accord.
While this is true and explains the rapid rise of inbound, not all potential customers come knocking. The most successful marketers are those who strategically balance inbound and outbound marketing tactics. You do not have to select one method over the other; successful marketers know how to leverage both.
Too many times businesses tend to focus on individual pieces and ingredients and turn a blind eye to the idea of how to concoct this proper combination. This is a byproduct of a culture in which immediate returns are demanded – placing marketers under such pressure to demonstrate quick returns and show results, that little credence is paid to a combined approach that is built for endurance, not speed.
The secret to getting the most out of outbound marketing is to use it in coordination with inbound marketing. Prospects get the best of both worlds when they can experience quality content while benefitting from the personal touch provided by your sales and outbound marketing teams.
Here are 5 ways to make your inbound marketing and outbound marketing work together:
1) Targeted Content
Today’s customers demand highly personalized experiences. When prospects interact with your brand, they want to feel like you are speaking directly to them. Developing personas that capture your ideal clients’ needs, pain points, and interests will help you design content that draws customers in. Content should also be built with a deep understanding of your personas’ needs throughout the sales funnel. Your content needs to include pieces that are appropriate to the awareness, consideration, and decision phases of the buyer’s journey.
2) Human Interaction Throughout the Buyer’s Journey
Content attracts customers by representing your company as a thought leader, but you have a better chance of converting a prospect if you follow up with them directly. When a customer interacts with a piece of content, you should have a way of reaching out to them.
Your overall marketing strategy should reflect an understanding of human interaction requirements at every stage of the buyer’s journey. Tracking clicks or website visits enables you to follow up with a call from a representative. Events such as webinars create opportunities for subject matter experts to interact with potential customers face to face.
3) Skilled Salespeople
Not everyone has what it takes to be successful at outbound marketing. You need sales and outbound marketing people who know how to build trust, listen, and close. The people who handle your calls need to be spontaneous enough to work without a script. They also need to understand your content well enough to follow up on customer interactions. Your salespeople should be able to handle leads that aren’t sales qualified and move them down the funnel to a conversion.
4) Content that Humanizes Your Brand
Encouraging outreach from your sales and outbound marketing people isn’t the only way to give a human touch to your marketing. Your content can also humanize your company. Digital content that conveys emotionally charged messages will capture customers’ attention and encourage them to respond. Social networks such as Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, and Facebook create opportunities to start conversations or post pictures and videos of your company culture. These insider views let prospects see your human side.
5) Marketing Automation
Marketing automation and personal interactions can be used to complement each other in your marketing strategy. A CRM or an inbound marketing automation platform allows you to set up workflows that nurture your leads. With automation, complicated marketing campaigns can be put into motion effortlessly. Blog posts and emails go out to prospects on a schedule without monopolizing your marketing team, and adjustments can be made after analyzing data gathered by the platform.
Inbound and Outbound marketing are really two sides of the same coin: inbound brings prospects to you, while outbound brings you to prospects. With both working in tandem, you can build trust and establish a two-way conversation with prospects and clients. Ideally, a solid marketing strategy will encompass both, so that no matter how your prospects and clients choose to consume your content, you’re able to provide what they need at each stage of the buying cycle.
Need more Lead Generation tactics? How about Combining Inbound & Outbound Marketing Strategies. Curious about Inbound vs Outbound Marketing? Need some Lead Generation Ideas? Here are some Lead Nurturing Tactics from TACTIX5.
Resources:
https://keomarketing.com/blog/2017/07/best-practices-outbound-lead-generation-services/
http://in-cloud.ca/best-practices-lead-generation-outbound-marketing/
https://www.tslmarketing.com/blog/5-ways-to-marry-inbound-and-outbound-marketing
https://blog.imaginellc.com/outbound-b2b-lead-generation
https://www.chiefoutsiders.com/blog/a-recipe-for-outbound-marketing-success-in-an-inbound-marketing-world
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/06/30/how-to-leverage-inbound-and-outbound-marketing/2/#90849fb456a8
https://marketingland.com/resurgence-outbound-marketing-135841
https://www.pardot.com/blog/marketing-can-combining-inbound-outbound-strategies/
http://predictablerevenue.com/blog/why-inbound-and-outbound-work-together
