Give a Little Bit
Why we love inbound marketing.
If you read the band rules, then you know we believe in marketing that helps people make informed decisions, while helping our clients meet their goals.
So, you’re probably not surprised to learn that we love Inbound Marketing. We think it’s one of the most effective and authentic ways to build brand equity and attract new customers.
It’s not that hard. Not really. You just need to give a little bit. A little bit of knowledge, a little bit of commitment and little bit of time to plan it out.
WHAT IS INBOUND MARKETING?
Inbound Marketing is sometimes called Content Marketing, but really, Content is a component of Inbound Marketing.
Content Marketing is basically what it sounds like: creating and sharing helpful content in order to establish yourself as the expert in your field. Content can come in any number of formats: blog posts, white papers, podcasts, e-newsletters, social media videos, magazines, you name it. Most of the time content is shared for free and without a “hard pitch” or call to action.
INBOUND IS A LEAD MAGNET
Inbound combines content with other marketing methods to draw people in, turn them into customers, and hopefully build on those relationships over time. There are lots of ways to do it, not the least of which is a well-written website, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). There’s also social media, website popups, calls-to-action, forms, chat bots, surveys, webinars, events, the list goes on and on. I won’t bore you with more detail here.
WHY IT’S POWERFUL
What makes Content and Inbound so much more effective than traditional marketing (alone), is that instead of blindly broadcasting messages over the air, in print, or even online – annoyingly interrupting people when they’re trying to do something else – you meet them where they are (on search and social) at the exact time that they need you. You educate them, solve their problem, maybe even make them laugh. Then once you’ve got their attention, you give them a reason to engage with you again.
WHY IT’S CHALLENGING
1. I’ll say it again. You have to give a little bit. It takes time, generosity and commitment. It also takes a little bit of courage.
2. Inbound requires a shift in thinking. Instead of always emphasizing “the pitch”, you put yourself in your customers’ shoes and publish content so that people can find it and benefit from it right when they need it. Then you keep the conversation going.
3. It takes strategy. Content and inbound work best when you’ve established strong branding, specific goals and ways to measure outcomes. All that takes more than a little effort. That’s why people pay professionals (like us) to help do it right.
WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT
The biggest reason we recommend content and inbound marketing is that, when executed as part of an overall marketing strategy, it’s efficient, measurable and super-effective. It creates brand awareness. It meets people where they are. People appreciate and expect it these days (since it’s been a thing for about a decade). And honestly, your competitors are probably already doing it in some form or another.
BOTTOM LINE
It’s feel-good marketing. It helps people and builds trust by offering something valuable, social, and sometimes, even a little fun.
Need help with your content and inbound marketing? There’s so much that we can share.
Turn Your Marketing Up to Eleven.
We can take you there. We can show you how.