Inbound marketing is more than a hot sales trend — it’s the must-do approach to selling in the digital age. Since 2006, inbound marketing has been the most effective method for doing business online. It’s a tried and true approach that brings visitors directly to your business’s website through interesting and informative content, rather than relying on cold calling to generate sales leads. That’s not to say that inbound marketing is old news. This hot marketing approach is constantly growing as new opportunities emerge for inbound marketers. From the rise of local mobile search to marketing automation, here are five of the hottest inbound marketing trends your business needs to be doing right now.
1. Close more deals with marketing automation
Marketing automation software makes it easier to streamline your inbound lead generation efforts by storing lead and sales opportunities while automating basic marketing tasks and workflows. You don’t have to be a huge company to benefit from marketing automation platform. With a variety of different marketing automation platforms currently available, small businesses should look for a platform that fully integrates CRM data with email marketing, social media and SEO analytics.
2. Boost mobile conversions with responsive design
90 percent of Americans own a mobile phone, with nearly all smartphone users checking everything from email to their Facebook feed on a daily basis. Most people don’t their phones out of their sight: 44 percent of mobile users sleep next to their beds at nights. What does this mean for your inbound marketing strategies? A responsive website is an absolute must. If your site doesn’t load properly on mobile, then you’re missing out on potential customers.
3. Local mobile searches convert, so be sure to show up with the right data
Local marketing is much more than scaling your advertising my throwing in some localized keywords onto a homepage. If you’re only paying lip-service to local mobile searches, your business is missing out on some serious lead generation opportunities. 88% of local mobile searches convert to a phone call or visit within 24 hours, according to LocalVox . And this figure is only expected to grow — Gartner predicts that multi-location brands that integrate local marketing processes will see a 10-15% increase in revenue by 2015. The first step to getting local SEO right is to claim your “listing” with Google and verify that the NAP data (name, address, place) is correct. After all, you don’t want folks searching for your business only to end up calling the wrong number or to think that you’re closed on Saturdays when you’re actually open all day.
4. Use a CRM-enabled calling platform to log more calls
Stop wasting time manually logging calls in your CRM; synching telephone systems, like the one offered here at Ringio, will take care of this for you! At Ringio, our CRM-enabled PBX phone system fits seamlessly with sales technology powered by CRMs like Salesforce, Zoho, SugarCRM, Highrise, Batchbook and Google Apps. This saves you time and streamlines the marketing automation process so you don’t lose out on potential leads.
5. Be active on the right social platforms
Over 80% of users with a smartphone now access social media on a daily basis, 73% of adults use a social networking site of some kind and 42% are using multiple sites, according to the Pew Research Center. And with Google and other search engines factoring in your business’s engagement on social media for page ranks, maintaining an active presence on social media is no longer optional. From Instagram and Pinterest to Facebook and LinkedIn, there are a wide variety of social networks from which to choose. Don’t get be overwhelmed by trying to be active on all of them at once. Focus on the networks already being utilized by your target market. If your market is a primarily female audience, Pinterest is the place to be. If you want to engage college students, head to Instagram. For more specific demographic breakdowns across the major social networks, check out the Pew Research Center’s “Social Media Update” . Once you find the right network(s), don’t just promote your products. Genuine audience engagement is key to building brand loyalty and boosting sales.
Summary
Technology has changed the game for both buyers and sellers. Buyers no longer have to rely on salespeople to research purchase options and narrow down their list of potential vendors to a few that meet their specifications. Smart sellers are taking advantage of the technological revolution to give their buyers the information they need when they need it. These 5 inbound marketing techniques will help you be one of those smart sellers.