SMB marketing automation software provider HubSpot defines the inbound marketing process in the image below.
There are 4 steps to the process:
Companies that master this process grow rapidly. Now back to my apple planting project.
When I searched Google for "how to plant an apple tree", I found a ton of information. In my research, I found that apple trees that were resistant to disease were a good bet for a novice grower like me. I then did a search for "disease-resistant apple trees" and found an assortment of 3 disease-resistant apple trees for sale by a grower called Stark Brothers located in Missouri. They had quite a bit of instructional information on their site, so I decided to investigate further.
One of the first things I noticed when I was researching the tree assortment was that there was a link to a Growing Guide for each species of tree. I was able to click through and learn how to plant the trees, how and when to water, spray and fertilize them and how to care for the trees over the years. I didn't need to bounce off their site to get this information. I then noticed that they had follow icons for Facebook, Twitter and Google+ at the top of each page, so I liked them on Facebook and followed them on Google+.
After viewing videos, reading blog articles and viewing the Growing Guides, I felt confident that I knew what I needed to know to properly plant and care for the trees. I ordered the disease-resistant apple tree assortment and a pear tree assortment.
If I didn't buy the trees on that site visit, Stark Brothers still had me in their marketing process. They were sharing their informational content with me on Facebook and Google+. I had subscribed to their blog and was receiving e-mail updates.
Another characteristic of great inbound marketing is how the company transitions the relationship from online to offline. This is where Stark Brothers turned me into a promoter.
I noticed that I forgot to order starter fertilizer when I ordered my trees. I called their customer service department to see if I could add the item to my order and receive the free shipping offer. They did that with no problem.
After the trees had shipped, we were faced with an uncharacteristic March snowstorm in Virginia. I called into customer service and they gave me great advice on how to work around that and answered several other questions that I had.
Armed with the advice Stark Brothers gave me, I planted the trees this weekend. It will be a few years before they start bearing fruit, but I have a feeling those trees are going to be around for a long time.
Do you think Stark Brothers will get more business from me? That's a pretty safe bet - my wife is looking at raspberry and blackberry plants and will likley place an order shortly.
The reason that I'm sharing my experience with Stark Brothers is because it's a great example of how most industries can adapt HubSpot's inbound marketing methodology to their sales process. Think about your company - can you think of ways to attract, convert, close and delight your customers? It will vary by industry, but the basic concept holds true. The reason that it's so effective is that it matches the selling process to the customer's buying process. In a B2B situation, there will likely be more steps before a customer conversion, but it will still follow the HubSpot inbound marketing methodology.