Inbound Marketing

Traditional outbound marketing techniques using mass media vehicles like paid TV, radio and newspapers attempt to reach millions of customers but in recent years are becoming less effective because people are tuning off this hard sale tactics. Large brands spend a large amount of time and money trying to reach out a large portion of prospects using traditional media.

There is too much clutter, products have the same attributes, and pricing wars among similar products are very common, even unique distribution channels are disappearing. However these days inbound marketing and social content marketing has a better return on this investment it enhances beyond traditional media boundaries by building a closer relationship and better communicating the value proposition with the customers on an ongoing basis.  

Inbound marketing is about relationship building and this relationship with the brands is based around trust communication as described by Dr. Barry traditional marketing is merely a ticket to entry, social content marketing is about getting audiences to REACT (Resonate, Engage, Advance, Contextually Relate and Test Trial). Building meaningful relationships with the customers using content social media is very important because traditional tools for building brands and competing in the marketplace are not enough. Content marketing involves different types of tools like Webinars, email, eBooks, whitepapers, presentations and podcast.

As an effective channel for developing top of the funnel leads tutorial blogs, explainer videos work best helping customers realize solutions to their problem or needs.  As consumers move towards the middle of the sales funnel and seek to perform research and establish buying criteria EBooks, targeted newsletters reviews, webinars and case studies are most effective. Lastly at the Bottom of the sales funnel as customer evaluate solutions prior to making a purchase decision aids and Self-help applications are most effective.

Online product demonstrations allow product potential prospects to experience the product. They get an immediate fell for what the product does and how it works. Brands that use this type of content marketing can use this to show excellent customer service client references and technical support.

Free product trials: This enable the customers to experience the product at no charge. This experience helps the client make a decision. Users experience the product first hand and gain an understanding on how the product works what is the value of the product and creates the need for them wanting to purchase it.

Value-add sales promotion are promotions that facilitate the purchase of good and services to new clients. Giving them a time sensitive opportunity to buy the product at a discount.

Electronic newsletters work best as they contain an explanation and content that targets the pain points of the target consumers. Not necessary they contain only information regarding the product and service that is being promoted. This additional content provides additional value to the consumer while enabling the consumer’s awareness to the brand. This exchange of valuable information creates an unique bond with the consumer and makes it easier to take the call of action toward purchasing the promoted brand.

Top funnel awareness channels need to have a large audience to work. The webinar does not work as well for Sales TOFU because it reaches a limited amount of customers. TOFU channels usually work best by creating awareness to the prospects about a new product or service and how it will resolve their problems or needs. The webinar requires a lot or hard work and time to be created and it only reaches a limited number of potential customers.  The webinar has a limited reach as it involves the link to a website that only people invited has access to.  Webinars can be very effective in information customers about the ongoing operational details of a company and the different benefits that the company’s products have. They can also be used to solicit customer’s feedback regarding the product or service that the company provides.

One of the main advantages of a podcast is that it can be downloaded automatically and it can be played on-demand at any time that the user wants. While driving to work or at the gyms for example. Another advantage is that podcast can have personalized information and the listener on video or audio can experience a more intimate sense. Blogs are less intimate as they contain information for everyone to get. Podcast can also be saved for later use without requiring to have an internet connection and to search for the blogs URL.

References:

Barry, J. M. (2015). Social Content Marketing for Entrepreneurs. New York, NY, USA: Business Expert Press.