Plenty of professionals keep outbound marketing strategies listed on their modern resume for creative staffing recruiters, despite many individuals doubting the effectiveness of this strategy. There has been speculation in the marketing and advertising industries trying to determine whether this is the end for outbound marketing. Despite the rumors, a recent survey says that the speculation is largely overrated and that businesses shouldn’t be so quick to retire this trusted strategy.
DiscoveryOrg recently polled 1,000 IT executives at a variety of firms, from Fortune-ranked companies to small and medium-sized firms. According to the results, 60 percent say outbound calls or emails have led to an IT’s vendors being evaluated and 75 stated that they decided to attend an event or take an appointment after having received a cold call or email.
In today’s marketing climate, many professionals and businesses are pushing new social and digital plans. While these strategies are crucial for the development of new lead generation and engagement tactics, it’s important to not forget the power of the traditional methods. By combining the two, a marketer and the business he or she is working with can grow and benefit.
Inbound marketing strategies encompass everything from print advertising to telemarketing, including direct mail, billboards and broadcast. The main purpose of outbound marketing is to draw in customers and make them aware of a product, service or even a brand’s name. The primary benefit of outbound marketing is the comfort almost all consumers have with the method. The medium does not get in the way of the message, which can sometimes be the case with new inbound digital marketing techniques, reported Small Business Chronicle. For businesses that are trying to target an older demographic, it is especially important to use outbound marketing techniques and mediums because they are non-threatening and more trusted.
To get the most out of an outbound marketing strategy, a professional must make sure to draft strategic scripts. It’s important for a cold call or email blast to sound organic, natural and informative. According to Marketing Profs, if the script sounds too much like a sales pitch, an audience will view it as a telemarketing call or spam. The written copy should express a company’s brand with a few simple phrases and the right application of tone. This includes making the message personal enough that the receiver feels as if the call or email targets them and their lifestyle, but not so personal that the efficiency of the strategy depreciates.
After all, outbound marketing is intended to bring in leads and drive interest in the products and services offered by a company. If the message is too individualized, the cost effectiveness of this broad marketing tactic would be negatively impacted. Another way to gain the interest of an audience who has received a cold call or email that is effectively deployed by many businesses is the incentive offer. Companies that are able to improve lead generation efforts with outbound marketing do so by inviting an audience to participate in a contest or media promotion that has the potential to result in a reward. The opportunity to win monetary incentive often sparks the interest of anyone and the work or process they conduct for this potential reward results in greater engagement with a company and the products or services it offers. This interaction could be enough to encourage a potential customer to sign on for a trial service or purchase a product.
