What is Inbound Marketing?

Discussing Inbound Marketing

Today we are going to talk about what is inbound marketing?

It is just as it sounds like it attracts and brings customers to you.

HubSpot coined the phrase actually, and this is their definition:

“A marketing approach that focuses on attracting customers through content and interactions that are relevant and helpful – not interruptive.”

So instead of interrupting someone with your ad that screams some headline at them, you provide helpful and useful content they can digest on their own time.

In the old days, not too long ago, your ads from radio, direct mail, and elsewhere would bring in leads at all stages of the buyer’s journey, and your sales team would educate them on the various solutions you offer to their problem or desire. Everything went through salespeople.

Today, they can and do learn almost everything BEFORE they call.

They research their problems or desires online, discovering various solutions, prices, the many local companies that provide that solution. They can look up the reviews, job photos, and case studies of those companies.

It’s a very different world.

So you can wait for people to go through that journey on your competitor’s websites and hope some of them still come to you, or you can provide that informational content for them and let them get to know, like, and trust your company for helping them learn all about their potential solutions.

Inbound marketing attracts and nurtures prospects through their journey of research and discovery. It plants your company as the teacher, the nurturer.

Inbound leads are usually of much better quality than outbound marketing – advertising.

So how do you create inbound marketing campaigns?

Step #1 – Know your customer

Who is your customer?

You have to understand the people you’re trying to attract fully and they’re different for each service you offer.

What’s their primary problem?

Why is that a problem?

What are the solutions, and do different solutions appeal to other people?

What’s their income? House size? Neighborhood.

In general, what makes up the best-qualified prospect you can think of for each of your services? Why? What are their attributes?

Next up…

Is to research the buyer’s journey for each of your services and each type of buyer. What questions do they ask along the way?

They’re already searching for a solution to their need or desire. Your job is to find what search phrases they’re using, then produce better content than anyone else on the subject.

This is found using keyword research.

Next is content – produce exceptional content to answer those questions.

Probably best to hire a copywriter, or at least an editor if you choose to do the writing.

That content can take many forms:

• SEO blog articles
• How-to guides
• Consumer guides
• Infographics
• Case studies
• Video production – YouTube – DIY – FAQs – email marketing – newsletter

User-generated content – reviews – photo contests, favorites places in town, – then share that

Syndicate – spread that content across multiple platforms – diversify – blog, social, GMB posts, YouTube.

Engage with comments – engage with FB communities – help.

Prospects have consumed your content that helped them in some way, and now they know, like, and trust your company.

You have informed and helped them, and so when they reach the decision stage and are ready to buy, they’re more likely to do so with the company that helped them all along the path.

Another beautiful aspect of Inbound Marketing is that your content is “evergreen,” meaning the content you create for this lasts for a long time. It’s there forever and can bring highly qualified leads to you for a long time.

Outbound marketing is paid advertising.

Koi can combine the two, send ads to your content, top of the funnel info especially in social media which has a low ad cost.

Or send postcards with CTA to toll-free 24/7 pre-recorded message like we talked about in episode #16 – 2 ways to use direct mail.

Alright, I hope that helped some of you. Thanks for sharing your time and attention with us today.

Good luck out there, and create a great day!