To develop and maximise a strategic marketing and communications plan for your business it is essential that you understand the difference between inbound and outbound marketing tactics and how they can work effectively. A combination of inbound and outbound marketing activities can help your business generate a high return on investment with quality leads. Understanding the pros and cons will allow you to plan a better marketing strategy that suits the needs of your company.
Outbound Marketing
Outbound marketing is a strategy in which a business uses more traditional marketing activities such as advertising in the form of direct mail, telemarketing, radio, TV, events and email marketing to promote to consumers even if they are not looking for the information. The message and timing of outbound advertising is extremely important as these tactics are generally quite expensive. Larger companies with a bigger marketing budget will find this strategy more effective as it can help increase awareness of a product or service to a wider audience.
Inbound Marketing
On the other hand, inbound marketing is based around the idea of creating your own content to attract audiences and inspire them to search for more information. Inbound marketing is a valuable and cost-effective tactic as it targets customers who are already actively searching for your products and services and express interest towards your brand. Inbound marketing is closely aligned with marketing activities such as content marketing, SEO, blogging, social media and search engine advertising. Inbound marketing platforms such as social media profiles, blogs and video-sharing websites are a lot cheaper than outbound platforms like television commercials and print media, therefore inbound strategies are favoured by many small businesses.
Inbound marketing techniques can be utilized to capture lead data and related outbound tactics could be used to push those prospects towards making a purchase. The ability to leverage both inbound and outbound marketing techniques is vital to the success of effective and sustainable lead generation.
If you need advice on deciding which is the best tactic for your business, Clarity Marketing can help. With a wealth of knowledge and expertise in marketing communications, our team can help you achieve your business goals. Contact us on 1300 060 204 or submit an online enquiry.