The emergence of social media and inbound marketing has transformed marketing roles at large corporations all the way down to mom and pop stores. Previously, your sales team relied on tried and true "outbound" techniques: cold calls, mailings, pamphlets and ads with the goal of "selling" to prospects. Inbound marketing, however, takes a different approach.
This philosophy is built on the idea that by rolling out unique content across your marketing channels - especially social media - you can attract customers and bring them to you. So while there's certainly some blurring between the two worlds, many firms are struggling to adapt to this new reality and as a result, are considering hiring an inbound marketing agency to help out.
If you're thinking about working with such an agency or simply can't keep up with the demands of inbound marketing, we encourage you to read on because you may exhibit certain behaviors that suggest an outsourcing arrangement would be beneficial.
It may be time to hire an inbound marketing agency if….
You can't keep up with the demand of publishing a blog. These "demands" are relatively mild: we suggest you publish at least three blogs a week. However, addressing a variety of topics from the educational to the product-oriented. We live in an imperfect world, and for many marketing managers, other tasks end up consuming their time.
You can't effectively market your content. Your blogs are worthless if no one reads them. They should be posted on social media networks, sent out in newsletters or eBlasts etc. We can't blame you if that's something you just don't have the appropriate time to dedicate to.
You aren't jazzed about writing eBooks or White Papers. Don't get us wrong - we're sure you have great ideas and insights about topics that resonate most with your customers. But you just don't have the time or the in-house writing expertise to get this done.
Your social media strategy isn't a strategy. If you occasionally post on Facebook and Twitter, that's great. However, you will get more bang for your buck with a premeditated strategy that's structured and consistent. Inbound marketing agencies create and manage these strategies for their clients for a living.
You don't want to consistently create eBlasts. What's that? You don't have time to segment your email lists, create compelling and keyword-rich content, insert strong CTAs, coordinate landing pages and format the blast in an aesthetically-pleasing manner? We're not entirely surprised.
You have no idea how to make a great video. You heard rumors that Todd in the mailroom makes cool videos, but beyond that, you don't really know where to begin. Perhaps you'd want to consider an inbound marketing firm since videos are a great and cost-effective way to promote your brand.
Again, it's worth repeating that an inbound marketing agency won't assume your core marketing roles. You'll continue to generate leads, manage your brand, and of course, sell directly with customers. But an agency can affordably take this back-end (and oftentimes unglamorous) work off your plate, leaving you more time to do what you do best.
Convinced an inbound marketing agency can help? Download our How to Hire and Inbound Marketing Agency eBook for more information.
