Should I use inbound or outbound marketing? Where do you find that balance between outbound and inbound marketing to maximize and grow the flow of leads? What should you consider when concocting a synergic marketing mix to include both? To answer all these questions, let’s start by understanding each of the marketing techniques, its strengths and weaknesses.What is Outbound Marketing?
Outbound marketing can be simply described as a straightforward business exchange proposition. “Hey there, want to buy my thing?” is your basic message and approach of outbound marketing. It’s the oldest and most fundamental part of any marketing strategy, and is also what non-marketers assume marketing is all about.Examples of outbound marketing include telemarketing (“cold calls”), paid mailings (both electronic and “snail mail”), advertising (banner ads, radio ads, billboards, etc.) and even door-to-door sales. It’s all about reaching out and pulling the prospect in.Strengths of Outbound Marketing
Not only is it the older and better polished set of techniques, outbound marketing generates sales leads almost immediately. It goes beyond saying that it’s no magic wand, but when it comes to “sealing the deal”, your go-to tools are those in your outbound toolbelt.1. Easier to measure ROI2. Quicker to show impact3. Potentially PersonalizedWeaknesses of Outbound Marketing
Many businesses and brands love outbound marketing for its quick and easily measured results. However, they equally hate the cost and too often the reaction of the target audience, which can easily manufacture a negative sentiment toward the brand.1. Intrusive2. Expensive3. Ineffective on its ownWhat is Inbound Marketing?
In short, the idea of inbound marketing is to create a pull effect to bring in pre-qualified leads instead of pushing intrusive messages.Inbound marketing activities include opt-in email marketing, content production and promotion, social media, and search engine optimization efforts (SEO), among other things.Using this method, a type of funnel is created with leads coming in at the top of the funnel (TOFU) and being “nurtured” down the funnel with marketing messages tailored to the stage that the lead is in until they are “ready” to be approached with a message directed to start the purchasing process.Strengths of Inbound Marketing
Though it existed long before social media and even online sales, the inbound methodology has taken over digital advertising by storm in the past decade. With growing banner blindness, do-not-call lists and the rising cost of users’ attention, it’s no wonder so many brands and businesses include inbound marketing in their strategies.1. Cost-effective2. Unintrusive3. BroadWeaknesses of Inbound Marketing
For B2B marketers, it’s often hard to explain the value of inbound marketing to executives who just want to see those leads flowing in and converting. It’s no longer a new approach and methodology, and yet there are reasons brands sometimes hesitate to prioritize inbound marketing activities.1. Slow to show results2. Harder to measure3. ImpersonalBrewing Your Marketing Mix
Let’s go back to the question we started with: which should you be using – inbound or outbound? Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each, you can see why both are necessary ingredients in your marketing mix. But how much of each, and when?A number of variables affect the inbound to outbound ratio of every brand, product, campaign, and even specific transaction. The impact of some might be less than of others, depending on your unique business and product.Deal SizeProduct TypeFunnel StagesThe Marketing Mix and Match
Combining inbound methodologies and outbound marketing techniques in your marketing mix is not always easy, but is usually worth it. By defining the correct balance between the pull techniques of inbound and the push techniques of outbound, you can combine both to create an optimized lead nurturing and conversion process. It all depends on how well you know your target audience, and how willing you are to make the effort to cater to their needs along the journey down the funnel.
Complete Digital Marketing Strategies for Leads Generation
Digital marketing services are the latest way of marketing. They provide a 360-degree view of the marketing sphere and can help you to ensure that you reach your goals.Digital Marketing is a tricky area, where you need to take into account many factors in order to succeed. That’s why it’s important to hire a company that has expertise in this field and can help you plan your strategy for lead generation.One of the most important aspects of digital marketing is lead generation, which is why it needs careful planning and implementation.How to create Strategies for Leads GenerationDigital marketing services are a type of service that typically offers a selection of digital marketing options, such as email marketing, social media advertising, pay-per-click advertising, and search engine optimization.A successful strategy for lead generation is one that offers an ROI to the client and the provider. The provider should be able to get a return on their investment by getting the desired level of sales or leads from the client. The client needs to be able to get sufficient data on which they can base their campaign decision-making process.Identify your customersIn today’s digital world, customers are no longer satisfied with a one-way conversation. They want to be active participants in the way your business runs. In order to meet their expectations, you need to identify your customers and understand what they want from your company.The first step is understanding who your customers are and their needs. After that, create a dialogue with them by providing them with what they want and need from your company. If you do this, they will likely become a happy customer who will continue to use your services for a long time because now they feel like part of the team.Decide your budgetOne of the most important things to consider when choosing a company for your marketing needs is how much you are willing to spend. Marketing services can range anywhere from $25 per hour for digital marketing services to much more than that?There are three main factors that affect cost: the time spent on certain tasks; what will be delivered; and the number of assets the company has at its disposal. When it comes down to it, you want to compare apples with apples when comparing what will be delivered and how many assets are used by different companies in order to get a true comparison of what is possible for your budget.Use right platformAs a business owner, you should always choose the right platform for lead generation. The digital marketing services that you choose to use should be a perfect fit for your company and your needs.You can generate leads from social media, email marketing, search engine optimization, and many other sources. Each of these channels has advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of before making any decisions.Hire good companyDigital marketing services are essential to the success of any company. They are important for businesses of all sizes, from startups to multinationals.One such service that digital agencies provide is SEO (search engine optimization). SEO is a huge part of digital marketing as it helps companies rank higher in SERPs (search engine result pages) and attract more customers.Digital agencies also provide other services such as social media marketing, content management, and design, web development, and app development.Target your customersThese days, it’s not just about the product. If a company doesn’t have a digital strategy, they are going to lose a lot of potential customers.What is the value of a company without reaching its customers? Without identifying your target audience and targeting them, you can’t sell your products and services effectively. The first step to solving this issue is knowing who your customer is. There are three different types of people that you might need to sell to:Prepare your strategyThe first thing that you have to do is to figure out what your marketing goals are. Then you have to set up a strategy for reaching these goals.The marketing strategy needs to be well-defined and focused on the needs of the business. It has to be feasible, achievable, and sustainable for future development.Strategies should have a clear focus on ROI, KPIs, and conversion rates. For example, setting up a Facebook page with the objective of increasing website traffic over the next year is not enough if you don’t know how it will happen or if it’s realistic.A digital marketing services company can help you with this process by providing high-quality digital marketing plans with step-by-step instructions for execution at reasonable costs.Increase your growthDigital marketing services have the potential to help you grow your business.Digital marketing services have been in demand in recent years with a huge increase in usage and revenue.This has been a result of the fact that people are increasingly turning to digital channels for shopping, banking, and other services. It’s also because of the increased competition from traditional media outlets such as TV, print publications, and radio.This is why it’s important for businesses to invest in digital marketing services from an experienced company like ours. We’ll work on strategies and campaigns that will help you reach new audiences and gain more sales leads.Monetarize your customersDigital marketing services are in demand in this age of digital transformation. As customers are getting digital savvy, marketers need to find new ways to bring them back into the store or stay in contact with them. The rise of social media platforms has led to a huge increase in customer awareness. Digital marketing strategies have become important for businesses looking to retain customers and create loyal customers.The best way for companies looking to monetize their customers is through free offers. These free offers can range from discounts or trials on subscription-based products, access to reports, coupons or vouchers for your products, etc.
What is a Business Technology Coach?
There are countless computer consultants out there. You have the geeks, the gurus, the evangelists, the computer guys, techs, nerds, network consultants, computer consultants and technologists, just to name a few. At the end of it all, regardless of what they call themselves, each provides a different level of service and technical know-how. Too many IT consultants solve every problem by asking you to throw money at it. New computers, new servers, new monitors, new printers, but every time you spend money, you are cutting into profitability. The key is for you to identify the right person for your needs. If you run a company, what you really need is a business technology coach to help you make the right decisions about your technology.A computer consultant is usually only interested in fixing your computers. He is not versed in any business functions and is therefore incapable of assisting you with many additional services that will maximize your information technology investments. The computer guy is great when the printer breaks or when the computer goes haywire, but a business technology coach can offer you significantly more value. Large corporations hire a Chief Information Officer to fulfill this role, but a small to mid-sized business may not need that degree of full time support. In these cases, a business technology coach will serve you well.Business Technology is any technology that serves the needs of business, including accounting, networking, and other office systems. So, while an office productivity software suite (e.g. Microsoft Office) is considered business technology, the Microsoft Xbox is not. The realization that there is a growing divide between recreational gadgets and technologies that can directly impact the business world has led to a new way of examining the direct value of technology. Business technology must add value to your company or else it is just a waste of money. There are so many products to choose from, all with competing philosophies and learning curves. More often than not, you simply accept what came with the computer when you bought it and you make due. Or, worse yet, you fall prey to that fantastic salesperson that promises the answer to all your prayers and delivers another expensive nightmare. So, the next fact you need to accept is that not all business technology is valuable to your business!The key to modern business success is to be sure to align your business goals with your technology plans. Business and technology alignment has become a Holy Grail for large multinational corporations. Because these industrial monsters are so large, anything they can do to make themselves more flexible, more responsive to their customers, is mandatory. Fortunately, most small and medium-sized businesses are agile and fast to respond. Chances are your top customers know how to get in touch with you at any time of the day. However, just because you do not suffer from the problems of these huge dinosaur businesses does not mean you cannot benefit from business / technology alignment. A business technology coach will assist you in aligning your business goals with your technology investments.The second benefit you can derive from a business technology coach is an understanding of your business processes. No two businesses operate exactly alike. Chances are your business practices have developed organically as your company overcomes new challenges. However, organic growth has a tendency to develop substantial inefficiencies that can impact profits. I have seen cases where companies print and mail out zero dollar invoices ($0.00) simply because the system was poorly automated. This is inefficient and expensive, and can easily be remedied. A business technology coach will analyze how you work to pinpoint and correct these inefficiencies.A business technology coach will then use his knowledge and understanding of your computer systems and business processes to assist you in building competitive advantage. According to a 2007 IBM study, a business technology coach should be “…engaged as a strategic partner for process and culture change.” This means that the lonely computer geek typing away for hours without human contact is not the right choice if you want to succeed. A business technology coach will be capable of working with others and must possess advanced communication and social skills to act as an agent of positive change. The computer geek that is incapable of communicating ideas or is lacking in social skills is not what you need.Also, a business technology coach understands that his job is to make recommendations. Remember, you are the ultimate decision maker, so your coach needs to present you with options, instead of ultimatums. In some rare cases there is only one course of action, but in my experience I have rarely encountered them. A business technology coach will present you with multiple options to achieve your goals. However, if so instructed, your business technology coach will make decisions on your behalf based on solid experience and understanding of your objectives.Technology is a fact of life. From cell phones to computers, technology has become a part of our everyday lives. Whether it’s to improve efficiency or to develop new services, companies all over the world are harnessing technology to improve the way they do business. Don’t trust your technology to someone that doesn’t understand business and how you work. A business technology coach can make the difference to your success.