Everyone seems to think that their industry is a special case- that because they offer a product no one else does, or a product that everyone else does, or because they have no competitors or that they have just way too many, that their marketing strategies would have to be different from everyone else's.
Inbound marketing simplifies all of those issues. If you are a company that sells to people living on this planet, inbound marketing is right for your business. Still skeptical? That's all right; these are some of the signs that indicate your business should invest in inbound marketing:
Decreasing Foot Traffic
First of all, inbound isn't solely for online sales! More and more people are researching products and businesses through mobile devices, even while they're driving around. A strong inbound campaign makes it easier for them to find your doorway when they want a local shop in your industry.
You Have a Static Website
Most businesses have a website at this point in time; however, is yours actually generating any value for you? Your website can be a powerful marketing tool, but it takes inbound techniques to build that value. Inbound marketing allows you to reduce the costs of your website, while increasing its productivity.
You Don’t Know Who You Are Writing For
In other words, you have not developed buyer personas for your company. Buyer personas can be used to ensure any content you create is focused around the goals, pain points and interests of your target audience. A company with inbound marketing expertise can be especially helpful with developing marketing personas because they are usually already familiar with personas relevant to your industry.
PR Difficulty
Inbound Marketing and increased social media efforts can allow a business to quickly work towards solving public relation issues. Inbound marketing allows for a near-instant response to changes in perceptions, and a multitude of different ways to shift a discussion the way you want it to move.
Your Customers Request Social Media Information
You may have thought that social media was a fad and that it would pass before you considered jumping on the bandwagon. Obviously, this is not the case. Social networking sites are here to stay! Your customers want to connect with you through social media whether you like it or not. Keep in mind, this does not mean that you have to engage on every single site, but it would be wise to go where your customers go and hang out with them there.
Your Company Has Run The Same Print Ad For Years
If your company is still investing in print advertising (it still works very well in some cases!) and you have not updated your ad, you are missing out on the opportunity to connect more with your customers. Why not update your add with a Call to Action that drives consumers to a specific landing page on your website, and collect their contact information? To be able to do that, you would need inbound marketing, though.
Final Thoughts
Inbound marketing has begun to take over the advertising world as it has proven itself as the master of efficiency. Inbound marketing promotes an advertising strategy of “getting found” by customers when they are most comfortable, rather than pushing against their will. Inbound marketing uses strategies that involve Ebooks, podcasts, blogs, online videos, and white papers. It focuses on a two-way relationship between the company and the consumer so that people are more in control of what information they receive. Maybe it is time for you to invest in inbound marketing. If you are interested in inbound marketing, feel free to contact us.
