Realistically, in most circumstances, I don't think that a company cannot survive on inbound marketing alone. In most markets inbound marketing is one of many tools a company uses in order to attract and keep customers. Carlton Vaz posted a great picture using a football field as an analogy to content marketing. In this picture inbound marketing only gets you to the 35 yard line. Sales and other post sale activities are highlighted in retaining customers. I think they key is that inbound marketing will only passively attract customers to your product. There are markets where it is essential for sales teams to close deals. I see inbound marketing as a compliment to outbound marketing and to an effective sales team.
Being in telecom equipment sales, there are instances where we use inbound marketing techniques to bring customers to us and our projects. Seminars, Trade-shows and our web-site draw in customers but its our inside and outside sales groups that close deals and creates personal relationships with customers. Inbound marketing techniques keep customers at a certain distance. There are opportunities and information missed relying solely on these techniques. In a consultative selling environment we would not survive based on inbound marketing alone.
Brett, I agree with you on the fact with inbound marketing opportunities and information are missed. Infact I strongly believe that a communication bridge has to exists between inbound and outbound marketers at all time. This would facilitate in securing the customer base but at the same time providing leads and opportunities for more business to enter the customer funnel . Technology can take the customer only that far, but the basics of traditional outbound marketing I think will still trump.
ReplyDeleteBrett,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that in most cases the best marketing strategy is a well-rounded strategy that combines both inbound and outbound marketing techniques. This is true because there are so many different types of customer out there, and each of them is going to be influenced in different ways. In some cases, you have customers like me. I usually have a pretty good understanding of what I want, and what I think will make my life easier, but I often don’t know if there are any products out there that will help. This is where inbound marketing will do basically the entire job. In many other cases, you have customers who aren’t really sure what they want, or aren’t always actively looking for ways to make their lives easier. This is where outbound marketing is necessary to inform those potential customers of a way their lives could be better.
With that said, I do believe there are plenty of examples of cases where a company could survive entirely on inbound marketing. I believe most of these cases are found in extreme niche markets. In these markets, customers are constantly doing research, and are always informing themselves on the latest trends in their particular hobby. These customers are very likely to be looking for new products, and will successfully find what they are looking for via inbound marketing. If outbound marketing were used for these types of products, I believe it would be unsuccessful because it would reach too many customers that do not fall under that specific niche audience.
Hello Brett! Well, I do think that a company can survive with inbound marketing alone. BUT (yes there is a but), I strongly think that having both inbound and outbound marketing in a company has better and higher chances to survive. You know those two complement each other, they are like partners. And that makes them better together. Here is an article that I think is helpful: http://www.siteabove.com/how-to-begin-in-company-social-media-marketing/.
ReplyDeleteYes why not? A company can survive on inbound marketing without any doubt. Because inbound marketing use several marketing tools to attract the audience. If one tool is not working then other must be working. So there should not be any doubt bout that a company can survive on inbound marketing. Inbound marketing and branding for business
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