What works well in marketing?
Fast answer:
Inbound marketing and methodology works.
And it tells you if the rest of your marketing and advertising strategy works.
"Money coming in says I've made the right marketing decisions." Adam Osborne
How? Why?
Did your advertising or trade show spend drive prospects to your website? Then what happens?
Inbound marketing encourages and tracks every interaction your already "interested" prospects have with your website, blog, social media, and email, and then automatically delivers that crucial information to sales.
“Never let your ads write checks that your website can’t cash.” Avinash Kaushik
Inbound marketing converts interested prospects online so you know exactly what you are getting for your dollars right up to the lead being handed to sales.
And remember…
Today’s audience is finished with advertising:
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Eat pudding. Books are good. Eat pudding. If kids read a lot. Eat pudding. They'll get so they can think clearly. Eat pudding. And if enough kids read and think. Eat pudding. We will have world peace. Eat pudding. Thank you very much. Eat pudding.” ― Daniel Pinkwater, Fish Whistle: Little Short Essays by Daniel Pinkwater
“We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in & be what people are interested in.” – Craig Davis
Even a century ago smart advertisers were already worried about ROI.
US department store merchant (1838 - 1922)
While there certainly is good and great advertising, it’s hard to find. Especially in the age of the internet.
Criticizing advertising has always been easy.
I am an advertising guy so… ouch! But back to my original “inbound marketing is the shizzle” theme.
Who are your best customers and prospects?
It’s the people who have voluntarily expressed interest in your topic or subject and found your website: People you have “permission” to sell to.
Inbound marketing, marketing automation, your website, blog, SEO, social media and email… should be your base marketing and the most essential part of your marketing spend.
They must be integrated and strategic. That’s inbound marketing.
“It’s much easier to double your business by doubling your conversion rate than by doubling your traffic.”
Jeff Eisenberg
Inbound marketing informs your sales funnel from stranger, to visitor, to lead, customer and promoter.
Dollar for dollar, inbound marketing wins in immediate sales AND long term intelligence.