Inbound marketing vs outbound marketing; these are two sides of the same coin, but they each have their strengths. So which marketing tactic should you use?
Outbound marketing focuses on reaching potential clients, whereas inbound marketing aims to attract them by delivering excellent content that the company's target market is looking for.
Think of it this way: If we're talking about opening doors, outbound is going around knocking outdoors, while inbound is sitting behind a door waiting to be found.
Outbound marketing is highly reliant on print and television media, with the goal of making your brand known through mass-reach tactics.
Outbound marketing has become less effective in the digital age since people are bombarded with so many messages that marketers must compete for attention.
Meanwhile, inbound marketing, on the other hand, relies on being found rather than going out and hunting for clients. It's all about developing content and constructing a strong, authoritative website with something worthwhile to give potential clients, not a flashy commercial or brilliantly coloured flyer campaign to stir up sales.
An interruption is at the heart of outbound marketing; you want your message to cut through the clutter and grab people's attention. Inbound marketing is all about being found by potential clients who know exactly what they're looking for and are actively looking for information to help them make a decision.
Because it's easy and economical to outsource media campaigns, promote on the internet, or even display banner advertisements on public transportation, outbound marketing can be an efficient approach to get your message out to potential buyers.
It's also a good approach in focusing on reaching out to potential clients when you're establishing a new business on a tight budget.
However, it can irritate those who are constantly swamped with advertising messages they don't desire.
That is to say, it does not always provide positive effects. With out-of-home advertising, for example, there's no guarantee that people will pay attention to what you're saying.
Inbound marketing relies on people having to find them because they provide good material to their target demographic and then make themselves easy to locate online.
Inbound marketing requires less out-of-pocket cost than outbound, and it's more personalized to your business because it often starts with a customer inquiring about your products or services before anything else.
If you need help on how much to spend on business marketing, read our post about Marketing Costs.
The downside of inbound marketing is that it takes a lot more time and money to maintain the website or blog, create content for social media channels and outsource help.
So if you're looking to target specific customers, outbound marketing might be the best option. But if you don't have a lot of time to spend on outbound marketing, inbound marketing is better because it relies more on people discovering your brand rather than actively seeking them out.
Choosing between outbound vs. inbound marketing strategies boils down to determining which will be most effective for your company's needs.
Assume you're a startup company attempting to get off the ground. Outbound can be a good option in this scenario because it's easier and less expensive to run media campaigns, advertise online, or even install banner ads on public transportation.
Meanwhile, if you want to steadily build brand awareness, inbound marketing is the way to go. You provide valuable information to your audience without making them search for your products and services.
It's entirely up to you whether you adopt an inbound or outbound approach for your firm or a combination of both.
However, a company must determine which style will best serve its consumer base and business objectives. Our experienced appointment setters and telemarketers may assist you if you're still undecided about whether your approach should be centred on incoming or outward tactics.
Please contact our staff at Appointment Setting UK immediately to see if we can help you. We are pleased to answer any questions you may have and to provide help throughout your marketing campaign.
