For purposes of definition, inbound marketing is the process of:
Most business owners and executives realize that the internet is the first place buyers turn as they begin to consider purchasing goods and services (a recent study concluded that 71% of B2B purchases begin with a search engine query.) For a growing technology company, inbound marketing is a great way to level the playing field against large, established competitors. When prospects learn that your software or process can solve their business problem, their engagement with you will demonstrate that not only can you meet their needs, but that you are hungrier and more nimble than your established competitors.
Inbound marketing is not only a great way to build and enhance your revenue stream, but it’s also a great way to boost your efforts to attract investors. Venture capitalists and private-equity firms use the internet the same way potential buyers do – they use search engines to look for innovative companies that have the potential to make money for them. Inbound marketing helps you attract investors in a few different ways:
Let’s face it, most people don’t embrace risk and opportunity the same way entrepreneurs do. Now that you need to expand your staff beyond the core group that took the plunge with you, your inbound marketing (particularly your blogging and content creation) will position your company as an exciting place to work. Job candidates will have read about your ideas, your offerings and will have gotten a sense of the culture you are fostering in your company. The reality is that somebody looking for a 9 to 5 job with a cozy pension is not the person you want to hire to take your company to the next level. In the case of sales people, your inbound marketing program will demonstrate that you have the processes in place for them to be successful and make you both a lot of money. Use your inbound marketing to promote your brand on the internet to potential hires.
To summarize, growing technology companies should embrace internet marketing to help them grow their business, attract the investment necessary to take them to the next level and to find the staff that shares your passion and drive to succeed. There are many affordable options for small businesses to leverage inbound marketing to ramp up their businesses. Get educated and see if it's right for you.