What Is Inbound for Enterprise Marketing?

Inbound and Enterprise Marketing Share Similar Goals

Once, inbound marketing was largely the domain of smaller companies. For those who couldn’t afford to launch major marketing campaigns that integrated direct mail, television advertising, print advertising and other media, the ability to use a website and search engines to bring traffic in was a quantum shift. Inbound marketing isn’t just a small business tool anymore. Enterprise marketing teams are realizing its power and its potential for extremely high ROIs.

Traditional Outbound Enterprise Marketing

Telemarketing, television commercial and direct mail pieces are all examples of traditional marketing tools. They share two fundamental truths. The first is that they’re all based on interrupting or inconveniencing the recipient of the message. Other than the Super Bowl, people don’t watch TV shows to have them interrupted by commercials, and no one subscribes to telephone service to get called by marketers. The second is that they are all breaking down in effectiveness. The do not call list, recycling bin by the mailbox and the DVR are all making it easier to ignore these messages.

Understanding Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing flips the process around. Instead of interrupting the customer with a marketing message that he or she probably doesn’t want to get, inbound marketing is about creating value and waiting.

Typically, inbound enterprise marketing campaigns are centered around a company’s website. On that website, the company posts videos, blog posts and other materials that is potentially of interest to prospective customers. Then, the company promotes that material through social media postings and through search engine optimization techniques that make it more likely that the content will be found by someone looking for it.

Once the prospect finds the content, the hope is that he will be interested enough by it to go further with the company. Typically, this happens when the prospect gives some personal information, like a name and email address, to get access to more information. As the prospect continues interacting, he comes closer and closer to making a buying decision — on his own time and terms. Throughout the process, he is tracked and continually served new, personalized information, that addresses his needs and interests. When he is ready, the inbound marketing system captures the lead and gives the sales team the information it needs to convert it.

Inbound for Enterprise Marketing

The inbound model is a quantum change from traditional outbound marketing for enterprises. Instead of being based on carefully crafted marketing messages that attempt to manipulate the prospect into purchasing, it is all about adding value to the customer as a way of earning business. While these methods work for companies of all sizes, enterprise marketing typically takes advantage of outside consultants and marketing automation software to help with the work needed to manage the campaigns.

One of the biggest challenges that enterprise marketing directors and CMOs face is choosing an effective software tool to help automate the process of managing inbound marketing content. Click here to download our latest eBook — A Guide to Choosing Marketing Automation Software.

Marketing Matters Inbound?is an inbound marketing firm specializing in online conversions, content?strategy, call-to-action mapping and traditional media placement. Our experience in?B2B digital?marketing?and?traditional media?allows us to deliver results through a strategic media mix. We believe in?aligning and merging marketing and sales/operations for optimal return on your marketing investment.