When business owners get creative, marketing tactics can come from any angle. In a world where competition is so severe among business owners, the one who will stand out will be the one who can reach their customers in innovative ways, which means that the business will have to invest more funds into the right marketing. So, business owners everywhere are challenged with the task of finding the right ways to market so that they don’t waste time, money, and energy on a task that doesn’t bring them paying customers. What are those creative marketing tactics and how do they access them?

In the end, there are really only two ways that a business can market to its customers. This can either be done through inbound means or outbound means. To give you a spoiler alert, both of these methods have to be utilized in a creative way with the customer at the focal point. The more a business explores the finer areas of these two marketing strategies, it will have a better advantage over its competition. It’s time to take a quick dive into these tactics.

What Is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing is any kind of marketing that reaches out to customers by attracting them through means of creating valuable content tailored to the customer’s needs and desires. It’s called “inbound” because it pulls the customers into the business from within by offering content and solving their problems, which is indirectly inviting them to be a customer of their business. Marketing this way, the business understands and knows its audience, so it’s able to create messages in a way that will resonate with them better than any other kind of marketing. Studies have shown that this is possibly the most effective way to market a business.

What Is Outbound Marketing?

Outbound marketing, on the other hand, is really the opposite. Marketing is sent “out” to the public, extending non-personal invites for people to come and be a part of the business. Outbound marketing throws a message out there to anyone and everyone, and it simply tells potential customers that the business is here and what it has to offer. Some examples might be a billboard or a radio commercial that will reach thousands of people on a daily basis in a “roll-of-the-dice” kind of manner. However, outbound can be just as effective and can indeed create revenue for a business if done right.

How To Use Inbound Marketing

Using inbound marketing is more difficult to do, but when it’s learned, it will increase sales tremendously for a business. Using inbound is done by first identifying the audience of the business, such as who they are, what they like, and where they can be found. Then, the business must figure out what problems the customers are having and promptly solve them. This can be done by giving customers free tools that will cause them to solve their own problems very quickly. Because of the value that has been added to the life of this person, they will now, more than likely, convert to a customer and purchase from the company. The advertising is done indirectly and more passive.

How To Use Outbound Marketing

Many people think that that inbound is good and outbound is bad, but this isn’t true. When a company utilizes both methods, revenue can increase. Outbound is done simply by directly and aggressively sending out information about your company to anyone, even if they don’t need your product or services. You simply send out material to create brand awareness and let people know that you offer a product or service. Think of mail, flyers, and newspaper ads. The best thing about outbound marketing is that it implants subliminal messages into potential customers that may use you in the future.

Businesses everywhere should learn to utilize both methods in order to create more sales and solve more problems. The tactics can prove to make or break a business, so it would be wise for a business to not count any out.