Inbound vs Outbound Marketing: What’s the Difference for Brands in 2019?

When it comes to marketing, every method is the same as long as it yields results, right? Actually, there’s a variety of ways to market and a difference depending on what techniques get used.

But what are the key differences between inbound vs outbound marketing? And is one better than the other when it comes to generating interest that converts to sales?

This ultimately all comes down to what you are trying to promote to an audience, how that market can take action, and also how you can measure your results as well.

As we all known, online advertising is much easier to set up and track, versus offline advertising. The good thing about ‘inbound’ and ‘outbound’ marketing methods, is that they can also be tracked in the same way.

Learn more about inbound vs outbound marketing, and see which techniques can bring the most success to your business.

Understanding Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing techniques focus on giving customers (or potential customers) information and letting them decide how to execute a plan or suggestion. That means presenting consumers with information in the form of blog posts, social media and even a white paper or other free downloads that would inspire them to purchase something.

Inbound marketing ideas range from making use of your website to curating other viral content that folks take interest in. By combining your own ideas with that of other people, you’ll gain attention in what you have to offer.

It sometimes takes a while to build up viewers for this type of marketing. However, many people view this as working smarter, not harder, and believe that a focused effort on this type of marketing pays off in the long-term.

If you like the idea of appealing to folks but not doing a hard sell, inbound marketing is a form of promotion to consider for your business.

In the eyes of Google, it’s also important to make sure that your content not only delivers a message — but also that it’s one of the most in-depth and detailed articles out there. If you are going to focus your efforts on inbound marketing and writing content, put in the time and effort to make sure they each have at least 1,500+ words of content per article.

Know What Outbound Marketing Involves

In contrast to inbound marketing, outbound marketing involves traditional methods that have long been staples in the business world.

Some of these forms of marketing include:

• Cold calling
• Ads on TV, billboards etc
• Focuses on the product

Many people gravitate toward this type of marketing simply because it’s what they’re used to. The idea of approaching customers and trying to make a sale with folks who might not necessarily express interest is not a concern for those who use outbound marketing techniques.

Outbound marketing has a place in today’s world of promotion. For example, it can prove useful for branding and making a company’s name known but isn’t always the best option when it comes to gaining long-term customers.

You can read more now about the differences between inbound marketing vs outbound marketing. Knowing how to apply marketing to your company’s needs makes a difference in how well it can work.

What Today’s Consumers Want

Many consumers today are wise when it comes to marketing and what someone’s selling. They fully expect to get upsold and asked to buy the most expensive option on the market.

With that in mind, it’s better to appeal to an individual’s intellect before anything else.

One of the best ways to do this (and encourage sales in the process) is through content creation. If your company doesn’t already have a blog and make use of search engine optimization with content, you’re missing out.

Blogging and SEO go hand-in-hand with attracting the right kinds of consumers who actively seek your products and want to purchase from you. Since more consumers are on social media now more than ever, posting and discussing information on there does wonders for increasing company growth.

Another factor to consider is how well cold calling works when most people don’t want to pick up their phones anymore. Many people screen calls with caller ID or even block unknown numbers from calling.

You’re likely to get ahead more using techniques that get your product and services in front of folks, but don’t force them to read more if they’re not interested. If you’re curious about how blogging can help your business, check out a previous post on this here.

The Key Differences Between Inbound vs Outbound Marketing

Now that we’ve discussed the two types of marketing, what are the key differences between the two?

In general, inbound marketing drives the customer to you. You can do this through written content on your blog or website, social media outreach, and even engaging folks on a forum or other public form of communication.

While you might not make a sale right away, you’re developing a relationship with folks interested in what you have to offer. That is considered more important when it comes to marketing than trying to make a quick one-time sale.

In contrast, outbound marketing generally means you go to the customer. You’ll do this by cold calling, going on the radio or making a TV commercial, and even engaging in print advertisements.

Many of your outbound marketing methods are old-fashioned and direct. The focus is on the product and what it does, rather than the individual and what they need. If you’re concerned about approaching people in a laid-back fashion, this isn’t the method you’d use.

Can You Do Both?

Now that you know the difference between the two marketing methods, you’re likely asking yourself, “is it possible to do both?” The answer is yes.

Use outbound marketing sparingly, and to help establish your company’s brand. This allows people to know what you’re about and to get your name out there.

When you want to cultivate meaningful connections and show how your products or services can change someone’s life, use inbound marketing. This allows people to learn more about your product and how you can help them succeed.

There’s no reason not to do both. It just depends on your company and how you’d like to reach people and have them remember you.

Discover More

Now that you know the differences between inbound vs outbound marketing, you can see how to apply them to your business for success. Choosing to blog or utilize social media instead of cold calling can help push your business to new heights as you reach a large number of people.

Does your company have a social media plan? If not, check out our blog post on the importance of social media marketing, and see how having one can grow your business even more.