Inbound Marketing Tactics That Cost a Little, but Deliver a Lot

Companies are always searching for cost-effective marketing strategies for the digital age, and many are now doing so with a serious sense of urgency, having realized that traditional and outbound marketing efforts that worked in the past aren’t getting the job done anymore. The solution? Inbound marketing, a proven means for cultivating leads, driving sales and engagement, and earning repeat business. Leading marketing authority Hubspot calls it “The most effective marketing method for doing business online,” and here’s the best part: Even if you’re not a marketer or have never heard of inbound marketing, you’re already better-equipped than you think to start using it to your full advantage!

What follows are some high-performing inbound marketing tactics that even beginners can put to use right away, likely without straining existing resources or breaking the budget.

Content: The Engine That Drives Inbound Marketing

Simply put, content lies at the center of any successful inbound marketing strategy. Through the creation, distribution, and sharing of targeted, appealing content (like articles, blogs, special reports, infographics, social media posts, and more) you attract high-quality clientele by providing value and catering to their needs and interests.

Not a literary genius? That’s okay, because what you are is an expert in your field! That means you’re uniquely qualified to comment on industry news and product trends, offer ideas and advice for making informed purchase decisions, or even just provide candid thoughts and expert opinions. All this is content that inbound customers genuinely want, so consider content creation the first step of your inbound marketing journey, and use these basic content guidelines as a roadmap when getting started.

“Closing Tools” Want to convert more leads to customers and close new business? Getting results at this delicate stage of the overall sales cycle calls for an ability to deliver personalized content that’s enticing and has a clear and direct message. Use these inbound marketing tactics to turn leads into customers and drive sales:

Sales & Marketing Integration: Ensure proper sharing of demographic, ranking, and usage data between sales and marketing staff to ensure you’re contacting the right leads, at the right times, and with the right message that’s likely to get them to make the leap from hot lead to customer

E-mail: Send one or a series of follow-up E-mails to individuals who have already expressed interest by taking an action such as clicking a link you sent them, downloading a report or brochure, or subscribing to your E-mails. Deliver to them useful, relevant content that builds trust and strengthens their propensity to buy

Workflows/Automation: Create and disseminate specialized content that’s based on each individual’s interaction with you. For example, program your inbound marketing software to send new subscribers a series of E-mails with links to your best, most relevant content and products, or design and pre-load campaigns that upsell existing customers on other products or packages

Social Media & Monitoring

Social media outlets are actually among your most powerful inbound marketing tools…plus you can’t beat the price! As a result, use social media as a free and open forum to interact with leads and customers with a demonstrated interest in your company and products. Post special offers, Q&A opportunities, and access to your latest content, but make sure you don’t do all the talking!

Social media monitoring involves listening to your audience, tracking preferences and feedback, and using that data to follow up with content and even products that better fit their needs. In total, the right interactions on social media will be seen by your customers as value added, which only strengthens their loyalty and makes them champion promoters who are likely to recommend you to their network as well.

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