In our last article, we explored the differences between outbound and inbound marketing and which strategy you should pick. Spoiler alert, it’s inbound marketing! A higher return on investment, a sense of trust, and accurate, measurable results are why! But how does inbound marketing work? Let’s talk about it.
Inbound marketing is the process of attracting prospective customers to your business using content marketing in conjunction with social media marketing and search engine optimization. The goal is to create valuable experiences at each touchpoint, particularly your company’s website and blog, by providing helpful content that is relevant to those prospective customers’ needs.
Inbound marketing stages
The stages of inbound marketing include the following:
- Attracting: Pulling in targeted visitors. You will use strategies like content marketing, social media, videos, and blogging.
- Converting: Turning those visitors into leads. This can be as simple as having them complete a form with their contact information so they can gain access to content or information they need.
- Nurturing: Turning those leads into customers. This requires that you nurture them as they progress through the decision-making stages. Your goal is to give the lead the necessary information to learn the facts and make a conclusion. It also needs to deliver the emotional evidence to feel you are the right choice for them.
- Closing: Taking the sale. If your goal is a product sold, it is when the transaction is completed. If you are trying to attract quality employees, it is when the applicant sends you their resume. If you are looking for investors, it is when they send funds to your business.
- Delighting: Delivering on your promises. Once they are a customer, you must captivate them through the services you provide, the products you sell, and the quality of your brand. When you do, customers will stay with you; they will refer you to their friends and neighbors, become advocates for your company, and might even become an employee themselves!
In our next article, “Developing an Inbound Marketing Plan for Your Business,” we’ll give you a step-by-step guide so you can get started on developing your own plan.