Chances are if you're a founder or director of a business you know the importance of marketing in growing and scaling. But did you know that there are several different types of marketing? Not just 'marketing channels' like social media or email but literal types of marketing. In this post we'll explore the differences between 'Inbound' and 'Outbound' marketing.
As with most things in life, striking a balance between inbound and outbound marketing will help your business succeed. But it can be tricky!
Inbound:
Inbound marketing focuses on attracting clients through content and experiences tailored to them, rather than sending them direct sales messages. (Spoiler alert: That's outbound marketing.)
Some methods of inbound marketing are:
Content Marketing
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Social Media
Blogs
Inbound marketing typically has a longer-term focus, where leads are nurtured as they come into your business. Simply put, inbound marketing involves customers choosing to “opt-in” and engage with your brand or business. If your marketing emphasizes storytelling, you’re likely creating assets for inbound marketing. However, inbound strategies take time to yield results and require consistent, often creative, output. That’s not to say inbound marketing doesn’t deliver results—it does, just in a different way from outbound marketing.
Outbound:
Outbound marketing focuses on capturing the attention of customers or clients. It often has a short-term focus, aiming for immediate results rather than building long-term relationships with leads. Outbound marketing is typically more expensive due to the competitive nature of the marketplace.
Some methods of outbound marketing are:
TV Ads
Cold Calling
Direct Mail
Billboards
Email Blasts
Print Ads
The emphasis in outbound marketing is often on the short term, pushing a message out to a broad, general audience to encourage immediate reactions or responses. This approach can be costly because it targets a more general audience. However, a well-executed outbound marketing strategy can bring immediate results. Be aware, though, that it can sometimes be perceived as intrusive or obnoxious, which may affect conversions in the long run.
Summary:
A balance of inbound and outbound marketing strategy means that leads are captured, nurtured and treated well which leads to overall growth for the business. Types of inbound marketing include social media, SEO, and blogs etc. Types of outbound marketing include print ads, direct mail, and radio/tv ads etc.
Get in Touch.
Have a question about how to use inbound or outbound marketing strategies for your business? Litir Marketing can help. Send us an email today to Liz@litirmarketing.com.
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