As we said in a previous blog post, inbound marketing can be complicated. Last week, we discussed HubSpot’s flywheel regarding inbound marketing, and in the next 3 weeks, we are going to be breaking down each section of the flywheel. The first section of the flywheel is about attracting customers. Attracting begins by putting out good content. Offering valuable thought leadership through blogs and social media can help build trust with strangers and prospective customers.
The attract phase is the initial stage of the inbound marketing strategy. It involves developing a variety of content strategies and tactics that help attract potential customers to your website. With any inbound marketing tactic, it is important to set goals because clear goals command clear results. For many companies, developing content that is geared toward a primary buyer persona is helpful. This will not only help attract leads, but it will also generate qualified leads. This is because the primary buyer persona will help people with pain points find the information they need to make an informed decision.
As mentioned above, clear goals are the foundation of any successful marketing strategy and a successful career.
Target Audience vs. Buyer Persona
Before we dive into tips for attracting customers to your company, it is beneficial to differentiate between your target audience and buyer persona. Both are integral parts of your marketing strategy. Your target audience is the specific group of people your company seeks to serve, while your brand persona is an individual person within your target audience. Think of your target audience as a team and your brand persona as one of your players.
Know your brand.
A buyer persona represents your company’s ideal customer. Developing a buyer persona can be accomplished through the use of ROPE (Research, Objectives, Program, and Evaluation). ROPE allows your company the opportunity to talk through customers’ needs and how your company will fulfill those needs. Developing buyer personas helps you understand your target audience better. By understanding their pain points, struggles, and passions, you can create a personalized brand experience that fits their lifestyle.
Keep the buyer persona in mind.
Keeping the buyer persona in mind entails watching the buyer's habits, influences, and personal context in order to make the content more interesting and unique to the buyer. When your company’s buyer persona is visualized and grasped, your other methods of attracting customers will be more effective.
CTRs (click-through rates) and conversion rates increase when buyer personas are targeted. In addition, ROI (return on investment) is sure to increase when buyer personas are utilized in inbound marketing.
Create a unique experience for your buyer.
This can be done in several ways - whether the experience is physical or virtual.
Chick-fil-a recently did a Christmas campaign that allowed customers’ children to go into a website and make a peppermint milkshake while they were being read a Christmas story. After the story is over, the customer is prompted to enter their address to be mailed a ticket for a free Chick-fil-a peppermint milkshake. You can read more on it here. This is how Chick-fil-a connected with their buyer; they reached kids, parents, and even college students! It was a fun and inventive way to attract customers and offer them the chance to get a free item from Chick-fil-a.
Remember your goals, and complete them.
Oftentimes business owners and marketers alike get sidetracked by the details and processes involved in creating a successful inbound marketing campaign. Staying focused will ensure that you are utilizing time and resources appropriately. This is crucial to the return on investment of inbound marketing.
Inbound marketing is logically rather simple: Attract, Delight, and Engage. Three stages with important repercussions. Understand your product or service to the fullest extent and get to know your buyers’ needs, purchasing habits, and context of life. This will help you to better serve their needs and take your career to the next level. Above all, put your customers first, and be their brand with goals set intentionally for them.
Attraction is Key
Before any other step in the inbound marketing process can be completed, your company must first attract customers. The tips just given will get your company on the right track, but it is up to you to develop strategies specifically for your brand.
For more information on inbound marketing core concepts, be sure to check out our blog for weekly new content. Like us? Let us know! We would love to hear your thoughts on outbound vs. inbound marketing and which one you think works better in the comments section below.
About:
Bridge Leadership is a consulting company that exists to bridge the gap between companies and their target audience through inbound marketing thought leadership. Run by Boyce College students Ana Lee, Lara Tanner, Maddie Gardner, and Cassidy Cornett, this company is created by students for a class group project.
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