Business Growth Blog

The answer is that it depends.

If you’re like most companies, the goal of doing inbound marketing is to increase brand awareness and get more leads. You want interested prospects to come knocking at your door (which, by the way, shortens the sales cycle significantly). For prospects to know who you are and feel confident that you can help them, you need to put your name out there - somehow.

Back in the day, it wasn't such a challenge to figure out what to do for marketing. Phonebook, a mailer, maybe a trade show or two - oh, and don't forget - dial for dollars! But everything is different now that "Google has the answers to life," as I tell my kids (especially my 12-year-old son who always asks, "Why?" - "I have no idea, look it up!" I say).

Your prospects and customers are doing the same thing when they have questions - looking it up. This explosion of information on the Internet has opened up opportunities for businesses to get in front of their target buyers and gain market share, but it's also making sales and marketing increasingly complex. The most important thing business owners, CEO's, and other executives in charge of driving growth can do is to constantly stay in the know about the growing number of marketing strategies available. Otherwise, they may get left in the dust as their competition passes them by.

If you're not currently doing inbound marketing, take a moment to watch this short video and see if it's something you should consider as part of your upcoming growth initiatives.

Many organizations are turning to inbound marketing to help them increase awareness, get more meetings, and build a stronger sales pipeline. Here are some articles and resources that can help you deepen your understanding of inbound marketing, determine if it’s right for you, and start formulating a plan for your organization.

For most companies, changing their marketing strategies takes a significant investment in time and money. It’s a culture change.

With 61% of global Internet users researching products online, it seems like it would make sense to invest in developing a strong online presence (awesome website, blogging, social media, email marketing, downloadable content offers, etc.).

But is it really necessary for every company to go down that path? Perhaps not. Here are 4 reasons to NOT do inbound marketing: