Inbound or Outbound Lead Generation: Which is Better?

by | Sep 7, 2021

discussion about inbound lead generation
discussion about inbound lead generation

The outbound vs. inbound lead generation debate has been going on for years, with experts claiming that outbound is better while others say it’s all about inbound.

So which one is actually better?

The truth is out there, but neither outbound nor inbound are “better” or worse – they’re just different strategies to achieve the same goal: generate more leads.

In this blog post, we will explore these two strategies and how they each work to improve your business results!

Outbound Lead Generation

Outbound lead generation is when a business or company initiates contact with a large audience of potential customers.

They do this by buying outbound leads, usually through a telemarketing call center.

When outbound lead generation occurs, the goal is to make contact with as many potential customers as possible in order to generate sales opportunities or even new accounts.

Outbound marketing has been done for years in many different forms. You’ll be most familiar with t.v and radio commercials, billboards, direct mail, cold calling/cold email, and any print ads (newspaper, flyers, magazine ads, etc.)

Outbound lead generation is great for reaching out to a large number of people in order to generate as many leads as possible, but this process can be very costly and time-consuming.

Plus outbound marketing requires the marketer have some form of authority or expertise on their topic which may not always be true especially for new startups looking for customers.

Inbound Lead Generation

Inbound lead generation is the opposite of outbound marketing.

It’s when potential customers come to you, by way of the internet and inbound marketing channels, interested in your product or service- usually because they have either searched for it online using keywords related to what you offer or are responding to an ad that has been shown to them after they expressed interest.

Inbound marketing is mostly done in today’s digital world with strategies such as paid ads (PPC and SEM), content marketing, opt-in email marketing, even social media marketing.

Each of these inbound marketing strategies has a goal with the end-user in mind, which is why this type of lead generation works so well.

Best practices for outbound and inbound lead gen

Outbound Marketing Tips

When it comes to outbound marketing, here are a few tips to ensure you get the most of out your time and money.

Don’t outsource your outbound marketing efforts. It’s best to do it in-house with employees who are familiar with the company culture, strategy, and goals.

Be consistent! Outbound campaigns can be very resource-intensive if done wrong; don’t run out of steam halfway through a campaign because you’ll lose momentum fast.

Have very specific goals in mind when starting any outbound marketing campaign. This may not always be possible but try to keep track of your outbound marketing efforts.

Inbound Marketing Tips

For inbound lead generation here are a few best practices to ensure you get a positive ROI.

Inbound lead generation is sometimes a long-term strategy that will take time, patience, and persistence to see results. Especially when it comes to SEO and content marketing.

Make sure your outbound marketing materials are able to be used for inbound lead generation as well. For example, if you have an email list then make sure those contacts can be easily transferred over into a nurturing campaign once they’ve been identified as a potential lead.

PPC is a great option for lead generation when you need some quick wins because of its ultra-targeted nature and ability to begin producing results quickly. Use PPC in tandem with other outbound marketing strategies. Take advantage of remarketing to capture outbound leads who may have visited your site, but didn’t make it all the way through before leaving.

Why You Should Use Both Strategies To Help Grow Your Business

Outbound campaigns give businesses a way to test markets and product viability without using all their resources upfront if they’re uncertain about new products or services.

Inbound leads are more qualified out of the gate, so you can focus your energy on nurturing inbound leads to turn them into outbound sales. Both strategies work together well in tandem with each other to help grow your business.

A 3 Step Guide

on how to implement an inbound PPC lead gen campaign into your existing marketing strategy

1. It begins with keyword research

Keyword research is the bread and butter of your PPC lead gen campaign.

Use Google’s free keyword tool to look for terms that are long-tail with purchase intent. Stay away from informational terms. For example: “local plumber near me” vs “plumbing”

2. Create Google ads campaigns that are in line with your business goals.

Because this article is about lead generation, you’ll want to make sure to use that as your campaign objective. Set your daily or monthly budget and create compelling ads that highlight the solution to your customer’s problem.

3. Optimize your new inbound lead generation campaign

Analyze your keyword performance by measuring conversion rate and quality score. It’s important to have a high-quality score to keep your costs as low as possible and give your campaign a better chance of converting.

While inbound marketing seems to be the better way to go, it’s better to use both inbound and outbound strategies together. Doing this will enable your company to get the best out of both worlds and get optimal results.

To learn more about our custom inbound lead generation strategy for your business call Phillip W Marketing at (213) 394-6780 or fill out our contact form to learn more and schedule a quick phone consultation.

 

 

 

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