Which activities do you find you focus on the most?
Column A: Direct Mail; Email; Advertising (online & off); Tradeshows; Networking; Telemarketing;
Column B: Facebook; Blogging; Search Engine Optimization; LinkedIn; Twitter; Constant updates to your website
If you chose Column A, congratulations you are control freak. You might be exhausted and stretched monetarily, but at least you know that if you ramp up these activities you can usually see immediate results. If you chose Column B, congratulations you are king or queen of inbound marketing – efficient with your time and money, but if you are trying to get sales tomorrow, you might be finding yourself at a loss of what you can do.
With the newest statistics from Universal McCann showing that over 90% of people are now searching online for products or services, it’s impossible to ignore the power and allure of Column B (Inbound Marketing). But be careful about putting all your proverbial “eggs in one basket" just yet. The problem with focusing all your energy into Inbound Marketing is the lack of control. It takes time and commitment before these activities see results, and every time you introduce a new product or service or enter a new marketplace, you will again experience a lag time. It’s also harder to predict results.
Now before you outbound marketers rejoice (Column A’s) – being a complete control freak has its own downsides. While these activities if measured, revised, and re-implemented, can provide more predictable results and help when you are new to a market or launching a new product or service, you can’t ignore the buying patterns of 90% of the population. Inbound marketing is much more affordable and over time, is usually much more effective.
So where is the answer? It’s in balance of course. Don’t throw away all of what are commonly termed traditional forms of marketing (Column A’s) for Inbound Marketing Techniques (Column B) – make sure you have a nice amount of both and you will start to level out those peaks and valleys in your sales cycle.
About the Author…
Cidnee Stephen is the owner of Strategies for Success - a marketing company that focuses on the needs of budget minded small businesses and professional services. She has helped hundreds of small businesses get out of their peak and valley ruts to finally achieve that next vital level of success. Cidnee is also a sought after speaker, writer and blogger on marketing topics that affect small businesses and B2B service based operations. Subscribe for Free to her bi-weekly marketing tips for small businesses and also receive a special report on the 7 Steps of Marketing Success.
Feel free to use this article as long as you include the following:
by Cidnee Stephen of Strategies for Success www.strategiesforsuccess.ca
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