Do You Have the Right Tools to Catch 'Em All? We're Talking Inbound Leads, not Pokémon!
Inbound marketing relies heavily on content creation to attract target audiences. However, attracting is just the first step of the process. To be able to transition from attracting to converting, and then from closing to delighting, you will need much more than just content.
As a result, when we assist our clients in putting together a B2B inbound marketing plan, the conversation often goes beyond the simple blog calendar setup and CRM installation. For inbound marketing to work, it’s necessary to not only have a comprehensive inbound marketing strategy in place, but to also have the right tools and the perfect combination of skillsets in your team to successfully execute the plan.
As inbound marketing experts, we have put together a list of elements that our inbound toolbox is comprised of:
- Strategy
Would you enter a golf tournament blindfolded? If you’re looking to stay under par, or hit that coveted hole-in-one, you are going to need a strategy. Here are the key steps you need when crafting a sound inbound marketing plan:
- Defining buyer personas
- Outlining marketing triggers
- Creating a list of keywords
- Setting inbound marketing SMART goals
- Outlining a content strategy
- Designing a lead nurturing process
- Creating a conversion focused blogging strategy
- Implementing an inbound marketing platform
- Software
While the bulk of the work is rooted in strategy and content creation, the technology that facilitates inbound lead generation plays a pivotal role in getting great results. Here’s what our software stack looks like:
- A centralized growth platform that is an easy-to-use, scalable business growth platform that is built around our users and encompasses all levels of business growth: HubSpot
- Team collaboration and efficiency to develop a collaborative work experience that eliminates friction, delays, wasted effort, and accommodates remote teams/clients: Slack and Basecamp
- Monitoring user behavior to develop a clear and actionable understanding of how users are behaving before, during, and after engaging on our website: HotJar and Google Analytics
- Web design and development tools that provide consistency and continuity in design and optimal UX (user experience): Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress, Sublime Text 2, BrowserStack, BitBucket, and WordFence
- Client communication tools to ensure a seamless review process and brainstorming of project ideas: Webex/JoinMe/UberConference
- Skillsets
An inbound marketing team should comprise a balanced team of people with the following skillsets:
- Inbound marketing strategy
- Copywriting
- Blogging
- Web analytics/data analysis
- Front- and back-end web development
- Web design
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Pay-per-click marketing
- Conversion-rate optimization
- Email marketing
- Social media/community management
- Project management
But, How Do I Do It?
Between putting together a strategy, procuring the right tools, and bringing together a team of B2B inbound marketing experts, it takes effort. As inbound marketing continues to gain prominence in all sectors of the industry, many business owners find it more feasible to outsource their marketing efforts to agencies that specialize in inbound marketing.
At Grant Marketing, we take care of all your B2B inbound marketing needs. Our team of inbound specialists uses the most contemporary tools and expertise to help you with every aspect of marketing, be it content creation or web development.
While it sounds like there is so much to learn about inbound marketing (and there is), you’re in luck! We’ve made it very easy to get a quick review of the main elements of the effective inbound marketing methodology we employ for all our clients. Click here to find out more about B2B inbound marketing. Click on the tiles to take you to each section, and explore the resources we provide for you as well.
