The Risks of Not Using Inbound Marketing

Many organizations are reluctant to try out inbound marketing tactics because it’s a relatively new strategy and they're not entirely convinced it works. But the fact is that inbound marketing does work, and it’s going to become increasingly important as consumers become more aware and more disenchanted with traditional tactics. 

Now that doesn’t mean that you should listen to any inbound marketing company that absolutely promises you results. But you should be open to the idea that inbound marketing is—at least in part—the way of the future, and there are markets and opportunities you'll miss out on if you don’t get on the wagon.

If You Build It, They Will Come

Unlike traditional interruptive marketing, inbound marketing is all about creating content and putting it out there for the right people to find. For that reason, inbound marketing focuses on engaging people on social media, creating interesting, shareable, and educational content, and equipping customers with the information they need to make purchasing decisions. As such, inbound marketing is incredibly effective at increasing web traffic, generating leads, boosting sales, and fostering customer loyalty.

Increase Sales Through Relationships

Nurturing relationships is critical with Inbound marketing. 

Because the focus of inbound marketing is content and education, it doesn’t generate sales per se. Rather, inbound marketing creates and fosters the relationships that in turn generate leads and sales. When you generate quality content, it will attract consumers, help build a rapport between you and those consumers, and drive traffic to your site. From there, it’s all about using marketing best practices to convert that traffic into leads and sales.

You May Not Reach Entire Demographics

It doesn’t matter what kind of organization you are, there's a good chance that Millennials make up at least a portion of your customer base. This generation makes up about a fourth of the entire American population right now, and their annual buying power is worth about $200 billion—that’s not a piece of the pie any business can afford to miss out on. But the thing is, Millennials don’t trust and don’t respond to traditional advertising. Not only do they tune out interruptive ads, but they also only respond to things like engaging information, educational content, and social media relationships. In other words, Millennials respond to inbound marketing.

Overcoming Fears About Adopting Inbound Marketing Strategies

Just because inbound marketing is effective doesn’t mean it’s not scary, because it is the new kid on the block. So here are some ways you can make your foray into the world of inbound marketing while also allaying some of your fears:

• Find an inbound marketing firm that has experience in the field, and that have worked with multiple clients
• When you choose a firm to work with, ask lots of questions about the process, how it works, and what your expectations should be
• Lay out and communicate what kind of goals you wish to achieve with your campaigns
• Ask for references and referrals from previous clients of an inbound marketing firm

People are changing the way they read, connect, and engage with content. 

Inbound marketing is going to play an enormous role in the marketing of the future, largely because of the way consumer behavior is shaping the way advertising works. Millennials and sophisticated buyers don’t want interruptive ads intruding in on their online experiences, so it’s becoming more and more important to create great content and leave it out there for the right consumers to find at the right time, and that’s where inbound marketing excels.