“Inbound marketing”, although more work, allows people greater freedom while offerig them higher quality in their marketing efforts.

We are an information society; there is no doubt about that. There is so much information that we cannot absorb it all. When we have an overly sufficient supply of something, we tend to become a bit more choosey.  It’s like television. No matter how many programs one can watch, there are only so many one can digest in a single day or sitting. The more we have to choose from, the more tend to value our time. Once this happens, we quickly make distinctions between good and bad use of our time.

We have now begun to make more deliberate choices regarding which websites, blogs, etc. are important to us. What that means for the web designer, blogger, etc. is not the amount of information that goes in, but the quality of the message, or the ease of the user interface that keeps people coming back.

I will use an analogy. When a family adopts a dog it is not the family who chooses the dog, but rather the dog chooses the family. In much the same way, we have begun to assimilate some of the habits of our canine companions, and have decided to choose rather than be chosen. In short we look at outbound marketing, almost as a waste of resources. When choices were fewer, outbound marketing was great. However, the tactics that worked, even up to a few years ago, are slowly dying. We have found something much better.

Inbound marketing is where all of the action is; however inbound marketers know that the audience is interested in high quality information that can be retrieved and used in new and different ways.  Let’s face it, we are consumers. The Internet has taught us what it is capable of. Therefore,, we are only going to look at the best, especially when it comes to spending money.

Lowes has done an excellent job of combining quality information within simulators that take the guess work out of redesigning, the front yard, the kitchen, or whatever you want to freshen up. 

Lowes gives us both components, a blueprint of the area, as well as expert advice. We get to place our objects where we believe they fit best. We can change our minds, use alternative components; without wondering if we will like the end result. If a company is willing to give us this information, and this level of design capability, we will slowly find ourselves choosing Lowes over their competitors. When this happens, the customers become loyal. The customers will know who they can trust because there are never any surprises.

With so many potential customers armed with higher demands for quality and usability,we owe it to them to equip them with the tools they need to make the best decision for their family.

Best Buy and others are gaining ground since they now allow customers to choose what they think they want to buy and then compare the things they have chosen, side by side. Again, no surprises here, the customer knows exactly what he or she is getting.

Some, on the other hand, have offered customers free, detailed, down to earth “How to Articles.”  These articles not only recommend certain products but justify their use as well. Through video streaming the customers can actually see the pros and cons of a product.

There is power in this reversed marketing strategy. Feel free to contact us so that we can share ideas regarding inbound sales and how this new marketing technique can increase your potential growth, while, at the same time, nurturing customer loyalty.