Inbound Marketing

You’re browsing the internet or checking your emails and end up reading something interesting.  Perhaps interesting enough to find out more.  You click the link, watch a video or read a blog and perhaps even research it some more. Attracting strangers to your brand through interesting content and making them want your product is called inbound marketing. The best part is these strangers may never have wanted to buy your product but they end up being your loyal customers. They also become part of “word of mouth” marketing, bringing in more sales because they love your product. This type of marketing is usually inexpensive compared to more traditional marketing, or outbound marketing. 

Email marketing, Blogs, Vlogs, video and SEO are major components of Inbound Marketing. Simply, we use great content as a magnet to attract visitors and drive the sales. 

Depending on the kind of platform, there may be variation in the content. Facebook needs catchy lines whereas an eBook will need pages! Inbound Marketing is considered Permission Marketing, as we clearly get the attention of the customer rather than invade their privacy. Why is Inbound Marketing popular? 

1. Understands the Emotions: Customers aren’t forced to buy anything; their freedom is respected and valued. Customers take their own time to choose, research and decide. The customer really is King! 
2. Information is Wealth: Yes, instead of promoting a product with flashy adjectives, we simply provide enough information for the audience to make an informed decision. This provides deep explanation, therefore, pulling the customer in closer. 
3. Trust: Ah, the most highly sought out quality. When you aren’t directly asking the customer to purchase, but are instead providing ample information for them to make an informed choice, they will trust your brand.  
4. Less Expensive: As it’s about providing content and information, there is no traditional promotion. This reduces a considerable amount of expenditure. 
5. 2-Way: When the communication is 2-way, who will not love it? Customers provide their feedback, which will bring you more customers. These days, the “reviews” section is where the consumers’ eyes are! This also allows you a chance to understand if/why consumers don’t like your product. 
6. Long-term Relationship: Once you’ve hit the bull’s eye of gaining the trust of the customer, they will, most likely, come back to you. Once you have established a relationship, they will be more apt to look at your emails and blogs. 
7. They Share: The content you’re producing could go viral-  but remember you can’t produce a ‘viral’. We see our friends sharing so many posts and blogs, which sometimes catch our eyes, and result in us reading (possibly even sharing) this material. This is the best example to know how many impressions the use of inbound marketing can create. 
8. New Audience: Yes, a visitor reading a blog can end up reading another blog. This is how you can end up getting a new audience for your product or brand. 

Inbound Marketing is not the answer to everything.  To really succeed you need some patience, and it should be part of a balanced marketing mix.  But, the advantages are always greater than the disadvantages. Keep in mind, the customer has greater control nowadays. Commissioning content professionals is the best way to start your journey. Not just yet. though. In our next blog, we’ll give insight into the various types of content, which can help the growth of your business.