There has been a lot of buzz over the past few months about the terms “Inbound Marketing” and “Outbound Marketing”. What's the big deal? Marketing is marketing, isn't it?

If you think this is just another set of overused buzzwords, maybe you need to have the meaning of the terms clarified. Both forms of marketing have been used from the dawn of marketing, itself. In simplest terms, “Inbound Marketing” is a customer looking for a something to buy. From the perspective of the merchant, when a customer comes to the marketplace looking for his product, that customer is “Inbound”. In contrast, Outbound Marketing may be illustrated by a vendor walking through the marketplace, shouting catchy slogans to attract customers – who in many cases aren't actually seeking to buy his wares – yet, if his efforts are successful, some of them will purchase his product.

Traditional Marketing = Outbound Marketing

The great majority of marketing efforts, throughout all recorded history, would correctly be classified as “Outbound”. Sit down in front of your Television, and you will witness a steady diet of outbound marketing. Whether they are offering something which you already want, or are promoting your “need” for something that you didn't need a week ago, the goal is the same. Potential suppliers are striving to build your desire for the products / services which they hope to sell to you. Television and Radio Commercials, Print Advertising, Billboards and Posters, “Junk Mail”, and email spam are all examples of outbound marketing.

Which Method Works Best?

Expressed as a percentage, the conversion rate for outbound marketing is incredibly low. If a “Junk Mail” campaign succeeds in selling the advertised products to 2% of targeted recipients, it will be considered a success. Compared to the number of folks viewing a TV commercial who actually buy the product, 2% sounds absolutely phenomenal. The truth is that literally billions of dollars are spent every year for advertising – and most of those dollars may as well be flushed right down the nearest commode!

Well conceived internet marketing campaigns find ways to “help” the Inbound customers to “Find” their sites. Actually, inbound marketing is still the product of the vendor, but they have found ways to facilitate the search of potential customers, rather than trying to sell products to the mass of folks who are uninterested, unqualified, or otherwise not viable as customers. There is actually still a need for some “Outbound” promotional work, as that is often what prompts those inbound searches.

Who's Seeking Whom?

The beauty of inbound marketing is that you don't have to convince the visitor that your product is desirable. If they didn't already think so, they wouldn't be visiting your site. Rather than wasting time and effort in persuading the visitor that your product is desirable, you need only show them that yours is the desired quality and that the price is fair. Then you simply show them how to get what they already want. One final thought on the process: Don't overdo the persuasion. Remember that the customer IS inbound. That means that they came looking for you. They already want your product. Too much text may actually give them cause to reconsider. Be careful that you don't talk them out of buying your product! Show them that you have what they want, that the quality is good and that the price is fair – then cut to the chase, and show them how to place their order. Oh, yes – there is one more important detail – be sure that you have access to enough stock to meet the demand!