Outbound marketing is the traditional form of marketing, which is sending messages out. Examples of outbound marketing include cold calls, TV commercials, radio, newspaper ads, direct mail and billboards.

These marketing strategies can still be effective, however return on investment for most companies is usually low and costs can be out of reach. Outbound marketing can also be impossible to track and you may be missing an opportunity to capture your potential clients where they are searching for you… which is usually online.

Marketing trends have shifted to inbound marketing, where customers find you. This is because, with the internet, consumer behavior has shifted. Examples of inbound marketing include blogging, social media, SEO, videos, and podcasts. Inbound marketing draws clients in through engaging content and through search engine optimization. Gone are the days where potential leads flip through the yellow pages to find a business or look for products. They go to the internet of course (and over half the time via a mobile device), and this is where having an online presence (and a responsive website) will increase your leads and sales.

People searching for your product or service are already a warm lead. Inbound marketing at work is when visitors click on your social media link, share your engaging content with others, sign up to your blog or subscribe to your email campaign. They become fans of your business and share it with others because you are meeting a need and offering value. The best part is you can track the results of your marketing efforts and prioritize and optimize. This allows you to work smarter, be more targeted, save on your bottom line and increase ROI.

CRM Daily reports, “nearly half of the companies that implement inbound marketing efforts see a 25 percent greater return on investment (ROI) on those programs than companies that do not. The survey found that inbound marketing channels can deliver up to 30 times the campaign conversion rate of traditional outbound direct-mail campaigns.”

As you do more online to attract clients, you will see your efforts pay off as your website traffic increases and you generate more leads and sales, boosting your overall revenue. These efforts can all be tracked through Google Analytics and social media analytics tools so you can optimize your marketing messages for your specific audience.