3 Steps to a Customer-Friendly Inbound Marketing Program

Inbound marketing is built around engaging with (and providing useful information to) your target audience. Unlike traditional interruptive marketing, inbound marketing focuses on building customer engagement, as opposed to marketing at your potential buyers.

But that’s where a problem often creeps into most B2B marketing programs; they aren’t built with the customer in mind. They’re often created based on hunches and CEO preferences which can lead to poor results and ROI.

Inbound marketing is all about your target audience

Inbound marketing is completely different than the 1950s-era commercial mentality. People don’t want to be sold something; they want to be motivated to buy it. This includes not only the decision behind the actual purchase, but also the choices they have in how they are presented your information.

The most powerful and effective customer engagement and inbound marketing strategy will be based on permission. You need your target audience to enjoy your content so they engage and share it with their own connections. If no one is sharing your information, it’s because no one is interested. You are not talking to the right customer.

Here are three strategies you can implement today for a more customer-friendly inbound marketing program:

1. Blog about them, not about you

Your blog needs to speak to your target audience and answer their questions, not just share information about your company. Use sales calls, seminars, and social media forums to determine what your target audience wants to know, then give it to them. Try to update your blog at least once every week and promote those posts through social media.

2. The social media 80/20 ratio

When you’re updating your social media platforms, 20 percent of your updates can be self-promotional (your posts, your website, your taglines), but 80 percent of your updates should be as a service for your customer (a link they could use, an idea that will help their business). Once this ratio gets out of balance, you may be considered spammy and risk losing customer engagement.

3. Use specific calls to action

The key to successful calls to action is to be as direct as possible. Your CTAs should be explicit about the value that is being offered, not simply an instruction with an exclamation point. Craft calls to action that include the exact benefits a customer will receive by submitting to your offer.

The best way to bring people to your products and company is by leveraging social networks, your website, and company blog to connect the right people with the right ideas — not just to advertise your business. Use these three steps for a more successful an profitable inbound marketing strategy — contact us to see how we can help.