Inbound marketing has been taking the business world by storm for the past few years. The long-term results and high ROI that can be achieved with this method are so obvious that it automatically makes it the preferred choice for companies seeking to position themselves in the market as “sustainably successful.”
But inbound marketing isn't an overnight process. It takes time, knowledge, and focus to create a strategy that positions you as a valuable source of information and a thought leader in your industry.
And this tedious process is often at odds with the company's short-term marketing and sales goals. You may be tempted to abandon it and focus on getting immediate results from outbound campaigns. But rather than choosing between two marketing methods—inbound or outbound—try a strategic combination of both.
A favorite analogy from John Hall, co-founder and CEO of content switzerland phone number data marketing company Influence & Co, regarding the difference between outbound and inbound marketing is:
“It’s like the difference between an interaction and a relationship . Meeting someone at a conference and explaining my opinion as an expert is a high-quality interaction . But meeting that same person and then sending them my articles and asking them to subscribe lays the foundation for an ongoing relationship. No matter how you form it, it takes an interaction to start a relationship. And when you first launch an inbound marketing strategy, you won’t get many “inbound” interactions at first. Cold calling, direct mail, and conferences are all great examples of outbound tactics you can use to initially engage with your target audience.”
While inbound leads tend to be more educated, less price sensitive, and have a lower acquisition cost, the reality is that outbound efforts can produce sales spikes while building long-term inbound assets.
This guide will cover strategies and best practices for using outbound marketing to achieve your inbound goals and complement your inbound efforts.