“Do businesses go for outbound marketing, also known as interruptive marketing? Or do they earn people’s trust by using inbound marketing tactics?”
There’s a constant debate on which marketing tactic to adopt. Do businesses go for outbound marketing, also known as interruptive marketing? Or do they earn people’s trust by using inbound marketing tactics?
I was having a discussion a few days ago at work about the effectiveness (or lack of) of outdoor advertising. Do people even notice them? Do the majority of drivers and passengers actually notice and even act on whatever it is the ad endorses? I do because I work in marketing and in a telecom company and so it’s in my blood to notice. But do you? And if you did – did you find it enlightening or distracting? Most likely – it’ll be the latter.
But don’t worry, this is a global phenomenon, and there are steps businesses can take to attract customers by having them come instead of spending more money to get try to get their attention.
… businesses can take to attract customers by having them come instead of spending more money to get try to get their attention.
First, let’s talk about what both styles mean. Outbound refers to direct marketing, advertising, telemarketing, commercials…etc. It reaches out to customers and invites them to a call of action – call, buy, visit, invest. Some people still believe in this method, although several studies show that it is dying a slow death.
On the other hand, inbound refers to social media, search engine optimization, content marketing. Enticing customers to come to you and find enough effort made that they will give you business, gladly.
The benefits of inbound marketing are several. This tactic costs less than outbound, it is more effective, consumers view it as honest, personal and intimate, and most importantly, it is easily measurable.
You can add more depth to your online presence by introducing a blog or even a vlog.
To pursue inbound marketing, considerable effort must be placed in setting up your platform. Consider your website to be the focal point that will attract all your potential customers. A focal point that must be optimized for a) mobiles and b) search engines. Make sure your website has attractive content that is frequently updated. There are so many options available to optimize your website for Google search, adwords, placement…etc. Paying a little goes a long way and it’s an investment that will reap benefits.
You can add more depth to your online presence by introducing a blog or even a vlog. That makes your business ‘real’ and relatable. I spoke about business blogs in a previous article in the last issue.
Videos, especially ones that you make and not just borrow (or steal) from others, go a long way. These days there are many tools and apps to make professional videos – use them.
All in all, you need to make it easy for people to find you and once they do, lock them in. So before spending those dinars on a lamppost ad, you might want to rethink that and spend it on Google adwords.
