Although inbound marketing has some amazing success stories, it’s not for everyone.
This could be for any number of reasons, from something as simple as cost, to your business’s sales process, or even just the amount of time you’re willing to invest in creating quality content.
So, how do you know if inbound marketing is right for you? Well, we could start with what makes it NOT a good fit for your business, and see where we go from there.
Below are six reasons why inbound marketing may not be such a good idea for your business:
1. Your annual turnover is too low
In order to get the most out of inbound marketing, I recommend using a full all-in-one marketing platform such as Hubspot.
Services such as these aren’t exactly cheap (it can be around £34,000 per year for Hubspot and other costs), but they provide the best possible platform for your inbound strategy, with analytics, lead management capabilities and the option to integrate with other valuable tools.
So, it goes without saying that if your business is only generating £50,000 per year, inbound marketing isn’t always suitable. However, there are exceptions to this rule – you just have to weigh up whether it is financially viable for your business.
2. Your customers don’t need a lot of research to make a purchase
As a rule of thumb, the more information your customers need to make purchase decision, the more you could potentially benefit from inbound marketing.
So, if your typical customer usually takes only a day or two to make a purchase, and that purchase typically requires very minimal research, inbound marketing may not be as worthwhile as for say… someone whose typical customer requires weeks or even months of research to make a purchase.
3. You aren’t prepared to invest in the inbound marketing methodology
According to Hubspot, businesses that are completely invested in inbound marketing/content marketing are the ones that generally see the most success.
In essence, you need to look at inbound marketing as an integral part of your company’s culture – not just a marketing tactic or quick fix that’s going to bring in a few more extra sales in the short-term.
Remember, 57% of the buying decision is already made before they contact you, and as we progress further into the digital age of research, that figure is only going to grow – so incorporating inbound now could mean you’ll continue to see results into the future.
4. You don’t have the time to contribute to regular content
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to sit down and write every blog or piece of content yourself – but even if you hire an agency or have your own team, you can’t expect them to do all the work.
After all, YOU are the expert in your industry, and you are the one that can deliver the most value to your customers by sharing your insights and knowledge.
In order for inbound to properly work, you need to at least dedicate an hour or two, every week to helping your team/agency come up with valuable content that is based on what your real customers are asking.
5. You expect results straight away
You should know by now that instant fixes are a myth. If done right, inbound marketing WILL deliver you the results you desire, but you need to invest time and money in a long-term strategy to achieve those goals.
Remember, at the end of the day; the more you put in, the more you’re going to get back. So keep that quality content flowing, and watch as your leads and sales continue to build over time.
So, stay focused, and don’t get disheartened if you don’t see amazing results in week one.
6. You don’t know the questions your customers are asking
I’ve found the companies that see the most success with inbound marketing are the ones that know the exact questions their customers are asking.
It’s true that the inbound marketing process can be good with helping you find keywords and phrases your potential customers may be looking for, but the real gold comes from the feedback and questions you hear every single day; it starts with you.
Conclusion
Inbound marketing is really taking off, with many companies now wanting a piece of that action. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that it’s not ideal for everybody.
Inbound marketing is NOT a good fit for your business if:
- Your annual turnover is too low
- Your customers don’t research online to make a purchase
- You aren’t prepared to invest in the inbound marketing methodology
- You don’t have the time to contribute to regular content
- You expect results straight away
- You don’t know the questions your customers are asking
Do you think your business is ready for inbound marketing?