The business world is moving the direction of inbound marketing. Inbound marketing is made up of blogs, websites, SEO, social media and anything that draws the customer in by earning their attention. Outbound marketing, on the other hand, costs tangible, immediate dollars. To create a print campaign or a radio advertisement isn’t cheap, but it gives a customer something tangible and harder to forget than an “earned” digital message.

A common analogy is that inbound marketing attracts like a magnet, and outbound marketing interrupts like a hammer.

So which method should you choose? Is it inbound or outbound? Attraction or disruption? If you find yourself trying to choose between one or the other, you’re probably asking the wrong question. Each can serve a different and complementary purpose.

Here are a few numbers worth considering pulled from HubSpot’s 2013 State of Inbound Marketing Annual Report.

  • Inbound marketing is estimated to deliver 54% more leads into the marketing funnel than traditional outbound methods.
  • Twice as many marketers say inbound delivers a lower cost-per-lead than outbound methods.
  • 48% of marketers will increase inbound spending in 2013.
  • 81% of companies reported some level of integration between their inbound marketing strategies and overall company goals.

Inbound marketing is where the marketing dollars are going because inbound marketing is opening more doors.

So how does outbound marketing fit in? If inbound marketing is the tool for opening doors, outbound marketing keeps the doors open. Outbound marketing efforts “fail” when they’re used incorrectly. Once you have a client or potential client’s attention, they will be much more receptive and interested in your outbound marketing tactics.

Whether you’re sending a direct mail piece or broadcasting a radio advertisement, people are more open to being interrupted by outbound marketing efforts if a relationship already exists. If you can establish a relationship with inbound marketing, the most effective follow-up may often be an outbound tactic.

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