The Inbound Growth Blog

The Inbound Growth Blog covers all topics relating to an integrated marketing strategy. We write about inbound marketing, social media, integrated marketing strategies and the sales process.

How To Hit Your Numbers With Inbound Marketing

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Posted by John Beveridge on Dec 28, 2015 1:11:00 PM

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I love the New Year. It's a time to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. You can lose those bad habits and become a better version of you. But at the same time, there's another slate being wiped clean - your annual revenue goal. And in most cases, it ain't smaller than it was last year.

There's no shortage of challenges in 2016 either. The title of a recent article on CBS Money Watch sums up the economic outlook pretty succinctly: Goldman Sachs: 2016 looks like a dud for the economyHere's what Goldman Sachs has to say: "Flat is the new up."

If you're using content marketing to generate leads and sales, you're not alone. The Content Marketing Institute found that 88% of B2B companies will use content marketing in 2016. It's not enough to publish content - you need to publish excellent content that's better than your competition and be really good at promoting it.

So enough of the happy talk. Here are a few tips on how you can use inbound marketing to hit your 2016 revenue goal.


Your website is your virtual storefront

If you haven't redesigned your website in the last 3 years, it's probably time to do it now. In 2016, your website needs to present information to educate your targeted buyer and help them progress through their buying process. You need to have a user experience that makes it easy for your buyers to find the information they need.

Your website is arguably the most important part of your branding. It should consistently display your visual identity and communicate your professionalism and unique value proposition to visitors. Not having a top-level website is like fighting the growth battle with one hand tied behind your back. Here are a few resources to consider when evaluating your website.

Is Your Website Letting Your Inbound Marketing Down?

3 Web Design Tactics We Used On The New Rapidan Inbound Website

Schedule a Website Review With Rapidan Inbound


Create and promote exceptional content

It's no longer enough to create a few landing pages and blog once a week. Everybody's doing that now. You need to create exceptional content that people want to consume and promote it effectively. 

Visually appealing content like videos and infographics is much more interesting to buyers than another post on a subject in your industry that's been beaten like a dead horse. Your blog posts also need to be visually appealing to reach buyers.  Readers consume content in bite-size chunks; your blog posts should reflect this reality.

Here are some resources to step up your content marketing game.

4 Pro Tips to Improve Your Content Marketing in 2016

The Content Marketing Dilemma: Quality or Quantity

An Introduction to Business Blogging


Get strategic with your marketing

With all of the challenges B2B companies face in 2016, flying by the seat of your pants is a surefire path to failure. You need to develop a strategy that focuses on a tightly-defined niche and stick to it. Unless you're a mulitnational enterprise company like Google, it's next to impossible to be all things to all people.

Results are the consequence of consistent and persistent effort. Too many businesses blog for a month or two than give up when they don't see immediate results. So develop a strategic focus, qualify opportunities ruthlessly and measure everything that you do.

Here are some resources to help.

Focus Your Integrated Marketing Strategy for Success

How to Nail Your Marketing Strategy Basics

A SMART Goal-Setting Process for Business Development and Growth


These are a few things to thing about to help you succeed with your 2016 growth goals. Want some specific advice?

Schedule a free consultation with us.


 

Topics: Marketing Strategy

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