If you are still relying on traditional advertising methods to increase exposure for your company, then you also probably still wear a pager and use a payphone.
Okay, it’s not quite that bad. Traditional advertising is still useful and appropriate in certain situations, but it is also clear that inbound marketing represents the future of advertising.
This approach to finding and targeting customers is simply more data-driven and precise, which means that your advertising dollars are being spent more wisely.
While there is comfort in hanging on to old methods, it is time to think about the future.
Here are just a few reasons why inbound marketing beats traditional advertising:
1. Directly Target Potential Customers
Traditional advertising methods rely on more of a blanket strategy. The goal is to serve your ad to as many people as possible and hope that at least a portion of those people are interested in your product or service and are motivated to act.
There is some ability to narrow down your audience and target certain demographics. For instance, you could run TV ads during times when your target age demographic is most likely to be watching.
However, you are still casting a wide net while fishing for very specific catch.
With inbound marketing, there are practically no limits on your ability to hone in on a specific audience. You can target certain age groups, locations, income levels and much more. You can even serve ads to specific individuals based on their behavior.
If they have searched for “plumbers in North Carolina,” you can make sure that ads for your local plumbing company start popping up on their screen as they browse the internet.
When it comes to the ability to directly target leads and potential customers, there is simply no comparison between inbound marketing and traditional advertising. Here is how inbound beats traditional advertising.
2. Harness the Power and Reach of the Internet and Social Media
Let’s say that you choose to purchase billboard space next to the expressway in your town.
Only people who drive that route will see your billboard. A portion of those people will actually notice your billboard. An even small portion will be interested in your business and an even smaller percentage will visit your store or website.
If you have a product that can be ordered online and shipped directly to the customer, why would you limit your advertising to such a small section of the population?
With inbound marketing, you can harness the power and reach of the internet to connect with global audiences.
In today’s business world, you aren’t just competing with the rival store in the next town over, you are part of a worldwide market, whether you like it or not. Failure to think on a larger scale can quickly put you out of business.
3. Produce and Distribute Timely Material that Capitalizes on Current Events
Take a moment to think about all the resources that go into creating, publishing and distributing a print ad, TV commercial or radio spot. Traditional advertising can be a real drain on time, money and staff.
Hopefully, these efforts will be worth it in the end and result in new clients and sales that go above and beyond what you invested. But what happens when that material becomes outdated and irrelevant?
Do you continue to run the ads and risk looking out of touch? Do you invest in an updated round of ads that will also eventually become dated?
With inbound marketing, you simply don’t have to worry about the same issues. Digital publishing tools also you to quickly produce and publishing high-quality content with little overhead cost.
This means that you can continue to offer fresh and timely information and updates to customers, which will also help you improve search engine rankings.
The ability to instantly publish materials that can reach audiences all over the world also allows you to capitalize on current events.
If you take a moment to research the most popular topics on Twitter and Facebook, you will find events that are unfolding as we speak.
Inbound marketing can help you join the conversation and take advantage of trending topics to help drive traffic to your website.
4. Implement Cost-Effective Solutions with Inbound Marketing
By now, you have probably caught onto the idea that inbound marketing provides a much more cost-effective solution than traditional advertising.
Just think about the difference in cost between producing and airing a TV commercial and creating a high-quality blog post that can be promoted through both free and paid channels.
Even small businesses with a limited budget can run effective inbound marketing campaigns by creating content that speaks to the interests and needs of their target audience.
5. Build Trust and Earn and Strong Reputation
Inbound marketing is based on the idea that companies should offer valuable content and information to readers in order to start nurturing relationships.
This approach works to build trust. Consumers are more likely to purchase goods and services from a business that they view as a reputable resource.
Inbound marketing represents the difference between starting a conversation with a hard sell and subtlety weaving in an offer after spending 30 minutes getting to know each other.
When consumers are immediately confronted with an advertisement, they already have a healthy amount of skepticism.
They know, from the beginning, that this company is trying to get something from them and they have to actively look for signs that the company is reputable and trustworthy.
Inbound marketing reverses this process and starts to build trust from day one by providing the customer with a valuable piece of content right from the beginning.
6. Enjoy a Dynamic Tool for the Future
A big part of the reason that advertising is now referred to as “traditional advertising” is that it has grown to stagnate. The same tools and techniques are being used even as the way people do business continues to evolve at a rapid pace.
A global market also means a more competitive market. Businesses have to innovate in order to stay on top and not be drowned out by start-ups that are emerging every day.
Inbound marketing provides a dynamic tool that can constantly be molded to meet new demands and challenges. As consumer’s habits and behaviors change, inbound marketing adapts and responds accordingly.
You can always be sure that you are using the latest methods to connect with customers on their terms.
Sure, traditional advertising can be the better choice in certain situations, but if you aren’t purchasing ad time during the Super Bowl, you are better off pursuing inbound marketing avenues.
Your ability to grow your business and increase conversions is only limited by your imagination. Get to know your audience and be creative about meeting them where they are, whether it is on certain blogs, social media sites, or their email inbox.
With inbound marketing, you will experience a valuable return on your investment that goes beyond what you can typically achieve with traditional advertising. Let me know if I can help answer any questions for you.
