B2B inbound marketing strategy is a form of digital marketing that generates demand before capturing it. By delivering your target audience the resources they desire, they are able to make informed business decisions.
It centers on building trust and more meaningful relationships with your ideal customers through authentic interactions and helpful content.
In doing so, your brand becomes known as a reliable industry resource—a company people want to do business with. Your online presence becomes magnetic, drawing high-quality leads into your pipeline.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what inbound marketing is in B2B and why inbound marketing is the way you want to connect with prospects and customers.
What Is Inbound Marketing for B2B?
B2B Inbound marketing is a practical, systematic, and scalable digital marketing and branding strategy. It drives growth by empowering the B2B decision-makers to make the best choices for their company.
It’s a proven business branding strategy that generates demand among the people who benefit most from your solutions. It seeks to start a two-way conversation between your brand and decision-makers, so you can learn more about what they need and deliver it.
Is Inbound Marketing Effective?
An inbound marketing strategy will brand your company as a trustworthy industry leader.
Inbound marketing strategically generates lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships that help you retain key accounts and increase customer lifetime value.
You set your brand apart from the competition by becoming an industry leader focused on “people over profits”. But just between you and me, when you use inbound marketing strategies, this isn’t an either/or proposition. I’ll show you why inbound marketing works and how to do it.
How Does Inbound Marketing Work?
It’s built around the inbound methodology.
- Attract.
- Employ data analytics to identify and attract ideal customers. These are the people within the companies that will most benefit from the solutions you offer and ultimately become your high-value customers.
- Engage.
- Create content around the problems and solutions these key decision-makers are looking for. Make it easy for the content to be located on popular platforms and search engines. You know precisely their pain points, goals, motivations, and information sources because you’ve researched your target.
- Delight.
- Be your customer’s cheerleader, coach, and athletic trainer all rolled into one. You’re encouraging them to be successful by providing them with the tools they need to experience success.
- Inbound marketing also focuses on aligning marketing, sales, and service to deliver a unified, delightful experience from strangers to leads to customers to brand ambassadors.
This methodology turns a sales funnel into a wheel. When others see you have delighted customers, your brand becomes the main attraction. It creates a snowball effect that gathers momentum over time.
This methodology was created by a B2B SaaS Company called HubSpot. They envision the wheel looking something like this.
What Are the Benefits of Inbound Marketing?
82% of marketers say they get the highest-quality leads through inbound marketing. B2B companies that invest in inbound marketing have 50% higher sales revenue. Plus, on average, they spend 33% less on generating high-quality leads.
Quick summary: Lower acquisition costs + higher revenues = higher profits.
Does Inbound Marketing Improve Sales?
A well-executed inbound marketing strategy will increase sales, lower customer acquisition costs, and increase customer lifetime value. Data supports this.
Inbound marketing analytics technology eliminates the once obscured connection between branding and revenues, so you can see precisely how inbound marketing reliably delivers business results.
See how global licensor of process technologies GTC technology increased website traffic by 67% and received 19 requests for quotes within just three months by refining their target audience and implementing an inbound marketing strategy.
Examples of Inbound Marketing for B2B
Inbound marketing aligns online content messaging with where the decision maker is in the decision-making process to become hyper-relevant to the right people. Through this, you can efficiently generate leads and meet business goals.
- Relevant blog posts.
- B2B blogging makes businesses 13 times more likely to have positive marketing ROI.
- Helpful videos.
- Videos increase purchases by 144%.
- Ebooks
- Webinars
- Case studies
- Hosting and sponsoring trade shows and events
- Retargeting ads invite people to return to learn more.
Top Inbound Marketing Channels
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
- 68% of Internet experiences start on a search engine. This accounts for 53% of all website traffic. 80% of people use search engines to learn about products and services online.
- Social media platforms (especially LinkedIn and Facebook)
- Review sites
- Public relations
- Email marketing
- Inbound marketing emails have an average ROI of 4300%.
If this sounds like digital marketing, know that these can be done with an inbound methodology or an outbound one. How you use these tools sets inbound apart and increases its effectiveness.
What Is the Difference Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing in B2B?
Outbound marketing involves reaching out—often via cold contact methods—to potential B2B customers who have not shown prior interest in your company. It’s targeted because you know the businesses that need your product or service. But it also casts a broad net, with the potential to waste marketing resources.
On the other hand, inbound marketing creates a magnetic brand, drawing decision-makers into your helpful and engaging branded experience as they search for solutions to their business problems.
This allows you to present your brand as the solution. And thanks to the Internet, you can build trust online well before a sales representative provides their personalized touch.
Just put yourself in your customers’ shoes for a moment.
How does outbound marketing feel to you? An external force is trying to convince you to do something. So, you dig in your heels and take an “I’m not convinced” stance.
For this reason, outbound starts Sales and Marketing team members off on the wrong foot. Either the prospect has never heard of you, or they have negative preconceived notions about your brand because they’ve never listened to your side of the story.
With inbound marketing, you take control of your brand story. This can work as a standalone or with outbound strategies for brand development. Either way, it lowers the defenses and overcomes objections, so outbound methods become more effective.
Now, a prospect feels like they have information and can make their own decision. A Sales Representative is seen as someone who helps them finalize the details so they can sign on the dotted line. No objections.
Examples of Inbound Marketing for B2B
Inbound marketing aligns online content messaging with where the decision maker is in the decision-making process to become hyper-relevant to the right people. Through this, you can efficiently generate leads and meet business goals.
- Relevant blog posts.
- B2B blogging makes businesses 13 times more likely to have positive marketing ROI.
- Helpful videos.
- Videos increase purchases by 144%.
- Ebooks
- Webinars
- Case studies
- Hosting and sponsoring trade shows and events
- Retargeting ads invite people to return to learn more.
Top Inbound Marketing Channels
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
- 68% of Internet experiences start on a search engine. This accounts for 53% of all website traffic. 80% of people use search engines to learn about products and services online.
- Social media platforms (especially LinkedIn and Facebook)
- Review sites
- Public relations
- Email marketing
- Inbound marketing emails have an average ROI of 4300%.
If this sounds like digital marketing, know that these can be done with an inbound methodology or an outbound one. How you use these tools sets inbound apart and increases its effectiveness.
What Is the Difference Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing in B2B?
Outbound marketing involves reaching out—often via cold contact methods—to potential B2B customers who have not shown prior interest in your company. It’s targeted because you know the businesses that need your product or service. But it also casts a broad net, with the potential to waste marketing resources.
On the other hand, inbound marketing creates a magnetic brand, drawing decision-makers into your helpful and engaging branded experience as they search for solutions to their business problems.
This allows you to present your brand as the solution. And thanks to the Internet, you can build trust online well before a sales representative provides their personalized touch.
Just put yourself in your customers’ shoes for a moment.
How does outbound marketing feel to you? An external force is trying to convince you to do something. So, you dig in your heels and take an “I’m not convinced” stance.
For this reason, outbound starts Sales and Marketing team members off on the wrong foot. Either the prospect has never heard of you, or they have negative preconceived notions about your brand because they’ve never listened to your side of the story.
With inbound marketing, you take control of your brand story. This can work as a standalone or with outbound strategies for brand development. Either way, it lowers the defenses and overcomes objections, so outbound methods become more effective.
Now, a prospect feels like they have information and can make their own decision. A Sales Representative is seen as someone who helps them finalize the details so they can sign on the dotted line. No objections.
Why Is Inbound Marketing Better than Outbound?
They both have their place in marketing. But one primary reason inbound marketing can be better than outbound is this. It is committed to helpfulness, authenticity, and a desire to build a lasting business relationship with customers.
It is a “pull marketing” strategy.
What Are Inbound Leads?
An inbound lead is a B2B prospect who has shown some interest in your brand and the solutions you offer. Inbound marketing positions your brand as highly relevant to the right people in locations they use to research business solutions. But we both know not all leads pan out.
People can show interest who never intend to become your customer. They can end up wasting a lot of a Sales rep’s time.
So, inbound marketing systematically guides leads through a series of stages. Advancing to the next stage qualifies the lead for more personalized engagement.
It qualifies the lead using lead scoring to know the precise moment a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) becomes a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL). Then, use B2B marketing automation to seamlessly hand off that lead to Sales to close the deal.
In inbound marketing, we call this “sales funnel” or “pipeline” the Buyer’s Journey because we look at it from the Buyer’s perspective.
What Is the Buyer’s Journey?
-
- Awareness
- The business decision-maker is aware that they have a problem and/or feel the effects of it. They want to learn more about the issue and possible solutions.
- You’re not selling a solution yet. You’re building trust by helping them understand the problem and that solutions exist.
- Only a percentage will enter the next stage.
- Consideration
- They are aware solutions exist and begin comparing them. Your content helps them do this while nurturing the relationship.
- You generate a lead by offering this individual something of value in exchange for contact information.
- Decision-making
- They have narrowed down solutions and are very aware of how helpful you’ve been throughout this journey.
- As a result, you’re on their shortlist. They are ready to say “Yes” to an offer for a demo, free trial, consultation, etc., based on your business model.
- Retention
- They need effective onboarding, troubleshooting, and content to get the most out of their business relationship with your brand.
- Re-engage them through email and social media to encourage promoter activities like writing reviews, engaging with you online, and sending referrals.
- Awareness
What Are the Pros and Cons of Inbound Marketing?
Pros
- A cost-effective way to consistently generate leads
- Quality traffic and leads
- Strong branding development strategy
- Higher trust and credibility
- Measurable results from Top of Funnel to delighted customer
- Builds long-term mutually-beneficial relationships (loyalty)
- Promotes alignment and efficiency among Marketing, Sales, and Service
- Customers feel valued and respected
Cons
- It takes some time to set up the “inbound machinery” so that all the gears work together.
- Requires some strategic investment in technology and cross-departmental infrastructure. For example:
- Analytics technology supports data-driven decision-making to optimize performance.
- Customer relationship management platform (CRM) aligns Marketing, Sales, and Service.
- B2B marketing automation allows for lead scoring and routing. It also enhances the relevance of content to get the best results.
When you work with an inbound marketing agency, they will have access to advanced technologies and know how to support you through rolling out these technologies.
See how B2B company Serpico Landscaping used inbound marketing to increase quote requests by 50% and attract clients willing to pay 2X the going rate within 18 months.
How to Build a B2B Inbound Marketing Framework
- B2B Buyer Personas
A buyer persona is a data-informed profile that envisions your target audience as an actual human with real business needs, struggles, and emotions. Your inbound marketing strives to make a meaningful connection with this person.
- Map the Buyer’s Journey
Branding isn’t superficial. You’re a complex person. Your brand is as well. The journey customers take with your brand is unique to your company.
It’s important to build a holistic brand identity. We’re targeting the entire funnel in inbound marketing to showcase who you are and how you can help. The trust you create at the Top of Funnel strongly influences the effectiveness of your calls to action at the Bottom.
According to Gartner, B2B buyers spend around 1/2 of their buyer’s journey researching independently, primarily online. They want this self-service option. When you give them this, the time they spend with a Sales Rep is time- and money-efficient. Only 5% of the inbound buyer’s journey involves speaking with Sales.
An inbound marketing agency or professional employs data to map out this journey. We determine which channels to target and how to use content to support and guide target customers.
Because, honestly, that’s what works. When buyers see you are more than a shallow representation of your industry, they can relate to you. You stand apart from the rest.
3. Develop Repeatable, Scalable Processes that Get Predictable Results
As fun as going viral can be, branding takes more than one big splash. It takes consistent, repeatable interactions happening over time.
You need to connect with the right decision-makers through content—building authority, authenticity, and credibility among your business-minded audience.
Build influence. Manage your brand identity. Boost engagement to create opportunities to guide your target audience to the next stage of the buyer’s journey.
4. Automate
Automation eliminates tedious tasks, reduces human error, and improves efficiency. It’s a considerable time- and money-saver.
This isn’t about replacing people with robotics, as can be the case on a factory floor.
It frees team members for more creative thinking and meaningful interactions with leads and customers. It sets brands apart in the minds of B2B buyers.
Automations like lead scoring, lead routing, email sequences, and chatbots often decide whether a prospect becomes a customer.
5. Measure, Test, and Optimize
Clearly define and track the performance of your inbound marketing funnel so you can channel this influence into leads, sales, revenues, and retention. This allows you to predict future revenues based on what’s happening at the Top of Funnel.
Inbound marketing seeks to measure and test to improve results. It applies data analytics in the form of easy-to-understand dashboards to take the guesswork out of which marketing efforts are driving revenues and cutting costs to increase the bottom line.
B2B Brand Development Through Integrated Inbound and Outbound Marketing
At S.O. CREATIVE, we focus on helping you develop and manage a dynamic, magnetic brand that attracts your ideal customers and drives growth. Let’s talk ideas that drive business!
