A complete guide about the world of inbound marketing: Don’t let people forget you!

The internet has grown over the years and with it, its tools. So, because of this, as technology advances, you must update your marketing strategies. What is Inbound marketing?.

If you don’t do this, your marketing plan may become obsolete. And, as a result, you won’t get anything besides negative results.

The modern world and everything it offers has overcome the use of traditional marketing techniques. So, thanks to it, new tools such as inbound marketing have become the new norm. Today, companies use them to improve their relationship with customers.

But what is inbound marketing?

Inbound marketing is more common than we think and certain tools we use unconsciously in our lives. It is a simple technique to apply but it requires strategic and timely planning.

We can define inbound marketing as the set of techniques aimed at attracting customers. For this, it uses useful, relevant content, and adds value. How can we apply them? We can use a combination of several actions for this. For example, SEO, content marketing, presence in social networks, blogs, search engines, among others.

The objective of this is focused on contacting people who are at the beginning of the purchase process of a specific product.

Next, we have the creation of good content. This has to be included in each one of the steps for the purchase process. Not only that, but it must be also part of your profile and finally, the final transaction. All of this to build the loyalty of the customer. So, by studying its acronym we can know all the advantages that it can bring to your business.

Its acronyms indicate the following.

I (Interaction): Unlike traditional marketing, this gives the benefit of interacting with the customer to get to know them and their needs. Besides, it allows you to know what that customer enjoys about your product or service.

N (New): This allows you to grab the attention of the client in the creative way we want.

B (Branding): It allows your company to enhance its corporate image through the content of interest.

O (Organization): It allows you to draw up a content plan according to your audience. Not only that, but it allows you to do it in advance and establish specific strategies.

U (Unification): We can also name its homogeneity. For this, you must keep in mind that in marketing, everything is strategy. Thus, you can create uniformity in all your communication channels.

N: (Naturalness): Communication is a very important aspect of marketing strategies. Because of this, this tool offers the opportunity to connect with the client using natural, fresh, close communication.

D: (Dyamism): A good stimulation strategy can turn many users and their acquaintances into potential customers.   

Inbound marketing methodology

The secret of a good inbound marketing strategic plan relies on creating, optimizing, energizing, and Turning. Next, we are going to explain what each of these methodological stages consists of in the best way.

• Attract: in this phase, you are going to focus your resources on the objective of getting noticed. In other words, you will use strategically planned actions to captivate, enchant, please, and conquer those who can become potential clients.

For this, you must offer interesting, relevant, and modern content. You can also use resources such as content marketing, SEO techniques, social media, PPC, etc.

• Convert: Once the public sees you, you will grab their attention. After this, you can continue to the next step. Here, you can turn this into a sales opportunity. There are many ways to do this, for example, you can contact an interested person through messages, form, or meetings.

Once the contact is made, you must answer all their questions. After this, you can offer them your products or services and continue that communication until the proposed end.

• Close: after phase two, you will have your database. Then, you must manage the records and integrate them with a CRM or with automation tools. Once you do this, you will create an automated content flow adapted to the user’s purchase cycle.
• Delight: this is the last phase, once they have become your customer you must maintain their loyalty. For this, you must find the perfect strategy to keep them satisfied. For example, you can offer them information that will continue to be useful for future purchases.

You must take care of your customers even to turn sales into recommendations.

Developing an inbound marketing strategy

The first goal of this marketing strategy is not to increase sales. Businesses need to start first by delivering significant customer value. And thus achieve secure sales and customer loyalty.

Steps to achieve a good strategic marketing plan

Define the buyer persona

The buyer persona or market segmentation will tell you who your ideal customer is.

This, in turn, will let you know where you are going to direct your ideas. Thus, this is one of the fundamental pieces of inbound marketing.

For this, you must study and test all the necessary sociodemographic factors (age, hobbies, purchasing power, search preferences), consumption habits, user behavior, among others.

With a detailed description of your company’s potential customers, you will be able to optimize the strategy and achieve the results.

The importance of the buying cycle

Users go through different periods when it comes to interacting with a company.

Thus, you must study and understand the buying cycle that the potential customer will follow.

Depending on the purchase cycle they are in, customer demands will vary.

The conversion funnel will allow you to know what the potential customer needs to move forward and become a final customer. However, don’t forget that after purchase you must build loyalty.

Traffic attraction

You must go through a series of actions to attract customers and get the traffic you want. All of this while using your chosen channels.

The first thing is to offer the content that users need, we call this content marketing.

Second, you must determine the tone and type of messages that you are going to broadcast on the channels.

And third, it is very useful to mark the fundamental keywords to increase your visibility.

Qualification of business opportunities

Not all leads are the same.

As a result, all business opportunities have a different degree of qualification.

Because of this, these must be handled in different ways depending on the client’s needs.

What to do to grow online with inbound marketing

Today there are new business models that prioritize personal relationships with the client. And this is the goal. Inbound marketing requires companies to be in constant interaction with their customers, making them feel special and valued.

The strategies are adjusted to the clients. This way, companies can establish, maintain, and consolidate relationships with them.

This tool starts from a first call to attention, until we get the buyer’s thoughts as the first option. Then through the conversion funnel to achieve a lasting relationship.

The only way to make a customer stay and be loyal to your brand, is to win them over, that is, make them fall in love. This is what thousands of businesses that have grown on the internet have fought for.

Maintaining and building customer loyalty has become a great global bet.

The conquest:

This phase focuses on the first contact with the customer. Let’s name it on the first date.

Thus, this is the step where the client will be curious to know more about what you offer. This is the result of them getting a good first impression of your brand.

But it doesn’t end here. You must continue to keep that potential client interested in you. For this, you can use subscriptions and newsletters.

This way the conquest begins, through engagement, creating a connection. Don’t stress yourself trying to sell your product or service.

A formal proposal

You are no longer a stranger, now they like what you offer!

After the conquest, it’s time for the next step. After establishing the conquest and creating a relationship, the client knows you.

Thus, they already know about your reputation, your digital channels, and all the necessary data.

Then, finally, the potential client is ready to receive a formal proposal. And it is after that first step when you have the opportunity to send a proposal and offer them an incentive to become a customer.

Never let the passion die

Once your customer has been conquered and has made their purchase, don’t lose them. You must maintain their motivation and create a loyal customer.

Today, there are many ways to maintain a relationship with your customer. For example, you can send them an email congratulating them on their birthday, a special discount just for them, or offer a discount on an item that complements their purchase. Make them feel like they’re special.

As a result, you will ensure that the experience continues to enrich and provide feedback. It’s a way of not losing communication and keeping the relationship active.

9 tips to make your customer fall in love with the brand

• Personal and friendly treatment. Remember that you are speaking to a natural person on behalf of a company. Thus, you should treat customers how you would like to be treated.
• Respect the customer’s problem or need. Don’t make fun of your customers, or offend them for their requests. What is important to them must be important to you.
• Active listening. You can anticipate problems and help your client solve problems they have. Don’t wait for them to contact you.
• A satisfied customer will recommend your brand and take it into account for future purchases. An angry one can create an unsolvable reputation crisis.
• The customer is special. Make them feel that they are special to you. Show them that you are interested in their happiness. Create a trusting relationship.
• Show your brand as it is. You have nothing to hide. Express yourself naturally with customers, don’t generate unsustainable arguments or unnecessary mysteries.
• Keep your word. If you promise something, keep it! Don’t talk too much just to captivate. Thus, if you can’t fulfill it, don’t promise it. It will always be better to give realistic data.
• The customer is always right. Apologize if you must. Create an apology strategy with dissatisfied customers.

5 stages to build trust through an inbound marketing strategy on your blog

The main thing for an inbound marketing campaign is to create trust and credibility. For this, you can use different tools and a guiding process.

As a result, you will make your customer make a purchase decision. As we have said, you must first visualize them as guarantors of your brand, before taking them as clients. So, this is a priority in an inbound marketing strategy.

Normally, you may think that it is mission impossible to make your blog match with a possible client.

But it is more possible than you think it is only necessary that you learn how to do it. Using content, promoting content to be shared by your readers until you convert a visitor into a customer. We are going to analyze it in stages.

Stage 1: readers

Grab the attention of visitors.

This should be your main thought and priority.

For this, you must make them your readers first.

If they start to be curious about your content, you will have reached the first facet. Thus, don’t let them escape.

Although you may have to wait a bit for the sale, this is the precise moment to start the conquest.

Stage 2: promoters

Actually, this is the first stage where you start to build the trust of your clients. Don’t stress if you don’t achieve it right away, you must be patient.

If you have readers who are at this stage, this means they are sharing your content through digital channels.

This phase can be a bit exasperating, but it is the construction phase.

You need to have perseverance, dedication, effort, and a lot of time to invest in the strategy.

Stage 3: subscribers

Here is where your reader goes from being a promoter to being a subscriber.

Thus, they are now a constant consumer of your content.

Now, you have their trust and so, the responsibility becomes greater.

At this stage, your consumer already knows your brand well enough and has therefore decided to join in on all your decisions.

They will now follow you to the end.

 Stage 4: defenders

That’s when they become advocates.

Your consumer is already willing to recommend and share your content, your ideas, your services, or products.

This can be done through their profiles on different social media platforms. It will be a constant participant through comments and annotations that increase the value of your publications.

Now you have loyalty and followers or users who are attentive and waiting for the latest news on your blog.

Stage 5: customers

We have reached the end of this cycle and the long journey: the sale.

After a while and having achieved its main phases, you already have captivated and cultivated consumers.

The best thing about this stage is that the purchase process is completely simple, and all this because you have created a relationship of trust with your customers.

Build on a solid path, a well-structured process to capture your audience. This way, they won’t stop consuming and see what you will offer them.

Don’t try to be too clever, and skip these steps to make a quick buck. That way you only generate distrust, and your potential clients will know that they are not important. Thus, their impression of you will be that you only care about money and nothing else.

This is the biggest mistake that many make with their businesses.

Conclusion

Inbound marketing is a modern strategy, applied from rational thinking to create an emotional effect on the consumer.

This is only based on showing how important the potential customer is to the brand.

This strategy has three stages that you cannot forget. Attract, make your customers notice you, in this step you can apply all the creative ideas that are necessary and that you want to apply.

Once your client is there, then captivate them, conquer them, and trap them. You must show them everything that your business, brand, or company has for them.

Make yourself known! Be transparent and gain the trust of many and then move on to the next step. This is a process that will take time, so remember to do it calmly and consistently.

Once they are aware of your business, it’s time to formulate a proposal. Here, you can take the opportunity to offer your product or service. Take good care of your potential client, you must be sure that they are already passed the two previous phases.

Remember that you should still offer the offer in the same way that you have been doing the previous two facets, with kindness, showing interest in the consumer’s needs, and in a captivating way.

The final step to success

Now the closing phase, congratulations! Your sale has been successfully achieved. Once you have already made a sale you have gained a customer. Be grateful and close the process by making both parties feel satisfied.

Remember to be responsible for everything you sell and keep your promises. Otherwise, all the hard work you have been doing will be totally ruined and the damage will be difficult to repair.

Now, you must keep working around your client, don’t forget it. The final phase is keeping them at your side. So, you must continue to motivate them, especially your most loyal customers. Keeping the spark in them is important to continue making successful sales.

Use all the digital channels you want

Where can you apply this strategy? You can use all digital channels to apply this technique.

There are no limits. This practice doesn’t focus on the use of some specific digital media, but on applying everything necessary to attract customers and keep them loyal to the brand.

The only caveat we can make about this marketing technique is that it is based on a time-consuming process. Patience is essential.

You shouldn’t hurry to achieve your goals. Work on your perseverance and dedication. Consider first being willing to take the time it deserves to get sure results.

Let’s finish with some successful examples

Starbucks

In the market, many successful companies are using inbound marketing such as Starbucks.

This renowned franchise knew how to make its clients fall in love and through social media created a community around the enjoyment of life.

For this, it places its bets on emotions and feelings. One of the best strategies of this famous brand was to put the names of consumers on their glasses.

This created a sense of belonging and has been key for many people to share photographs of the brand on their social media.

Adidas

Another brand that has created a pleasant experience with its consumers is Adidas.

This brand has created an App specialized in training. Regardless of the time or place where you are, you can have a personalized coach just by using your mobile.

Adidas showed once again its concern for the needs of their clients and the fit life of each one of them.

Strategically directed to its target, the app offers training routines, a blog with topics of interest, and of course a very timely list of products.

Always

Always, the feminine pad brand. Through the “Like a Girl” campaign promoted the enhancement and empowerment of women. As a result, this brand got people talking.

With this captivating strategy, their website became a source of useful and inspiring content. Where everything is dedicated 100% to women.

Always offers its clients tutorials, tips, YouTube videos, and a lot of valuable content.

Besides, it also offers them the possibility of making use of a period calculator. Which helps all women to more accurately determine their menstrual cycle.

As you can see, there are many strategies that you can apply to inbound marketing. Don’t let your business be left behind, position yourself in the market, and attract more sales than you think.

BluCactus, your ally in Digital marketing

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