Business Transformation vs Digital Transformation
06/05/2025
How To Implement Inbound Marketing Using The 8-Step Method - Your New Marketing Playbook
Introduction
In our previous article, we explored the concept of inbound marketing, a customer-centric approach that focuses on attracting customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. Now, we’re going to take a closer look at how to implement an effective inbound marketing strategy.
In the same previous article, we introduced our comprehensive 8-Step Inbound Marketing Method designed to:
– optimize your lead generation,
– nurture relationships, and
– build solid processes that encourage repeat business and referrals.
In this article, we’ll walk you through each step, providing best practices, tips, and real-life examples. This will help you lay the foundation for a customer-centric marketing approach that nurtures trust, fosters long-term relationships, and drives business growth.
Let’s get started.
Before You Get Started: Develop a Strong Buyer Persona
Before you can effectively implement a successful inbound marketing strategy, you need to have a detailed understanding of your ideal customer. This involves creating a fictional representation of your ideal customer, known as a buyer persona.
To develop your buyer persona, start by researching your current customers. Look for patterns and common characteristics among your customers, such as demographics, pain points, goals, aspirations and behaviour. Once you have a clear picture of your target audience, you can use this information to create your buyer persona.
It is important to note that you may have multiple buyer personas for your business, as different products or services may attract different types of customers. Creating buyer personas is a continuous process and should be reviewed and updated regularly. As you gather more data and feedback, you may find that your personas need to be adjusted.
Example:
Let’s say you are a business that sells project management software. Your ideal customer might be a marketing manager at a mid-sized company. You could name your persona “Marketing Manager Mary”. Mary is 35 years old and has been working in marketing for 10 years. She is responsible for managing a team of 5 people and is always looking for ways to improve their productivity.
Her pain points include difficulty tracking project progress and ROI, missed deadlines, and team members not being on the same page. Her goals include improving team productivity, meeting deadlines, staying within budget and one day becoming CEO of the company. Her behaviour includes researching different marketing strategies and project management software options online and learning from other marketing experts.
Step 1: Entice - Demand Generation
The first step in the 8-Step Inbound Marketing Method is to entice your target audience and generate curiosity and interest in a specific offering. This means capturing the attention of “Marketing Manager Mary”.
Instead of a blog post, we’ll use a compelling lead magnet to generate curiosity and interest in your project management software. A lead magnet is a valuable resource offered in exchange for contact information, and it’s a powerful tool for enticing your target audience.
Here are a few lead magnet examples tailored to Mary’s needs:
– Ebook: “The Ultimate Guide to Streamlining Marketing Projects: 10 Proven Strategies for Marketing Managers.” This title directly addresses Mary’s goal of improving team productivity.
– Quiz: “Is Your Marketing Team Overwhelmed? Take Our Project Management Quiz to Find Out!” This interactive approach engages Mary and highlights potential pain points.
– Webinar: “Mastering Deadlines: A Live Webinar on Effective Project Management Techniques.” This offers Mary direct access to expert advice and positions your company as a thought leader.
For Mary, an ebook titled “The Ultimate Guide to Streamlining Marketing Projects” will be used. This guide provides actionable strategies for marketing managers to improve their project management processes. The ebook will cover topics such as setting clear goals, assigning tasks effectively, and tracking progress.
To promote this lead magnet, you could use social media posts, targeted ads, and website banners. For example, a social media post might say:
“Marketing Managers! Tired of missed deadlines?
Download our free ebook and learn how to streamline your marketing projects and improve productivity.”
Important Reminder: The goal of the Entice step is to get your prospects to hear and see your message so they can get to know who you are, like you, and ultimately trust you enough to do business with you.
Step 2: Sign-Up - Lead Conversion
Once you have enticed your target audience to your website, landing pages or physical store using social media posts and\or targeted ads, the next step is to capture their contact information so you can follow up with them later. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as online forms and in-store physical forms.
The goal of this step is to make it easy for your leads to sign up and provide their contact information in exchange for the lead magnet. You should only ask for the information that is essential for you to follow up with them.
Example:
With Mary now interested in your project management ebook, the next step is to convert her interest into action by capturing her contact information. This is where the “Sign-Up” stage comes in, focusing on making it easy for Mary (and other potential leads) to provide their contact details.
You do this by using an online form on the landing page where she can download the ebook in exchange for her details. The easier it is for Mary to sign up, the more likely she is to complete the process. Keep the form simple, asking only for essential information like her name and email address. Also include a CTA (Call To Action), such as “Download Your Free Guide Now”.
Step 3: Nurture - Lead Nurturing
Once you have captured your leads’ contact information, the next step is to nurture and build a relationship with them. The goal of this step is to provide your leads like Mary with valuable content that will help them solve their problems related to missed deadlines, team productivity, etc.
You should also use this opportunity to build trust and credibility with your leads.
Example:
One way to nurture your leads is to send them a series of automated emails. These emails could provide your leads with valuable content such as blog posts, webinars, case studies or even demos and short video tutorials showcasing how your project management software can help her and her team.
Remember, the goal is to establish your company as a trusted source of information and demonstrate how your solution can benefit Mary.
Here are some additional tactics for nurturing leads:
– Personalized Email Sequences: Segment your audience based on their interests and send targeted email sequences with relevant content.
– Marketing Automation: Automate your email nurturing process to ensure consistent communication and timely follow-ups.
– Lead Scoring: Implement a lead scoring system to identify Mary’s level of engagement and prioritise your efforts accordingly.
– Multiple Follow-ups: Don’t be afraid to follow up multiple times. Research suggests that it can take up to 5 follow-ups to close a sale.
By consistently providing value and nurturing Mary interest, you can move her closer to making a purchase decision.
Step 4: Propose - Present An Offer
By this stage, Mary is familiar with your brand and the value you offer. Now, it’s time to present her with an offer that directly addresses her needs and encourages her to take the next step. This could be a free software trial, ‘paid for’ consultation or a discount on her first purchase with you.
Considering Mary’s interest in project management and her role as a marketing manager, a great offer would be a free, one-on-one consultation to assess her team’s specific needs and demonstrate how your software can streamline their workflow. This offer is low-pressure and allows Mary to experience the benefits of your solution firsthand.
Here are some additional tips for crafting effective offers:
– Create Urgency: Introduce limited time offers or exclusive bonuses to encourage Mary to act promptly.
– Manage Risk: Offer a money-back guarantee. This will help to reduce any risk that your prospects may perceive in making a purchase.
– Use Social Proof: Highlight testimonials or case studies from other marketing managers who have successfully used your software.
– Automate The Process: Use marketing automation to deliver your offer at the right time and personalize the message for Mary.
Remember:
– The goal is not always immediate profit but building a lasting relationship with Mary.
– Mary is more than likely speaking to your competitors 😊
Step 5: Close - Ask For The Money
Once you have presented your leads with an offer, the next step is to close the sale. This involves asking for the money and handling any objections that your leads may have.
With Mary now confident in your solution, it’s time to close the deal. This involves directly asking for her business and addressing any remaining concerns she may have.
Remember, the key is to make Mary feel comfortable and confident in her decision.
Here are some effective closing tactics:
– Handle Objections: Proactively address any concerns Mary might have about pricing, implementation, or features.
– Reinforce Value: Reiterate the benefits Mary will gain by using your software, focusing on how it will solve her specific problems.
– Provide Reassurance: Offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee to reduce any perceived risk for Mary.
– Simplify the Process: Make the purchase process as easy and straightforward as possible.
Step 6: Collect - Collect Payment
Once you have closed the sale, the next step is to collect payment from your customers. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as online payments, credit card payments, and cash payments.
The goal of this step is to make it easy for your customers to pay for your product or service.
With Mary ready to purchase, the next step is to collect payment. This should be a seamless, worriless and hassle-free process for Mary.
Here are some key considerations for collecting payment:
– Offer Multiple Payment Options: Provide Mary with a variety of payment methods, such as credit card, debit card, or online payment platforms.
– Ensure Secure Payment Processing: Use a secure and reputable payment gateway to protect Mary’s financial information.
– Provide Clear Invoicing and Billing: Make sure Mary understands the charges and payment terms.
– Automate Payment Reminders: Set up automated reminders for upcoming payments to avoid any delays.
– Train Your Team: Ensure your sales and finance teams are well-trained in handling payment-related inquiries and issues.
A smooth and secure payment process will help you solidify Mary’s positive experience and encourage repeat business.
Step 7: Deliver - Fulfil Your Promise and WOW Your Customers
Now that Mary has made the purchase, it’s crucial to deliver on your promise and provide her with an exceptional experience. This involves ensuring that she receives the product or service she paid for and that it at least meets if not exceeds her expectations.
The Importance of the “WoW-Factor”
In a competitive marketplace, businesses need to differentiate themselves to stand out. One of the effective ways to do this is by consistently delivering a ‘WOW’ experience to your clients. This means not just meeting their expectations but exceeding them in unexpected and delightful ways.
Sadly, many companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, overlook this aspect of their business. Yet, a little effort in impressing your client can yield significant rewards, including repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Delivering on Your Promise and Providing “WOW” Moments involves two main components:
1. Delivering on Your Promise: This means fulfilling the commitment you made to your clients when they decided to purchase from you. Doing what you said you would do is crucial for building trust and establishing a positive relationship.
The Delivery: For Mary, this involves providing her with immediate access to your project management software, offering customer success and onboarding support, and ensuring that she has all the resources she needs to get started and more!
2. Creating WOW Moments: This involves going above and beyond to surprise and delight your clients. It could be something simple yet unexpected, like washing a client’s car during a stay at a holiday resort. These moments create memorable experiences that clients are likely to share with others.
The WOW: After Mary has been using the software for a few weeks, your customer success team conducts a proactive analysis of her team’s project data. They identify a pattern of recurring bottlenecks in her content approval process.
Instead of just pointing out the issue, they prepare a personalized video presentation for Mary. This video not only highlights the bottleneck but also demonstrates how to use specific features of the software to automate and streamline the approval process. They also provide a custom workflow template tailored to her team’s specific needs.
The Impact: This shows Mary that you’re not just providing software but actively invested in her team’s success. It saves her time and effort while demonstrating a deep understanding of her challenges and need to succeed.
Such a positive experience can help you build trust and loyalty with Mary and increase the likelihood of repeat business and referrals.
Step 8: Survey - Get Feedback and Upsell
The final step in the 8-Step Inbound Marketing Method is to survey your customers and get their feedback. This feedback can be used to identify any areas of concern for the customer and to fix them before they cause issues later, as well as to improve your products and services.
This step is deceptively unimportant but is crucial for continuous improvement and maximizing customer lifetime value.
This involves:
– assessing client satisfaction,
– securing testimonials and customer reviews,
– identifying upselling or cross-selling opportunities, and
– seeking referrals.
Here are the sub-steps in more detail:
8.1: Survey for Happiness:
• After Mary has had some time to use your project management software, send her a brief survey to gauge her satisfaction.
• Ask specific questions about her experience, such as:
o “How satisfied are you with the software’s ease of use?”o “Has the software helped your team improve productivity?”
o “Are there any features you find particularly helpful?”
o “Is there anything we can improve?”• Use the feedback to identify areas for improvement and address any concerns Mary may have.
8.2: Seek Testimonials:
• If Mary is happy with your software, ask her for a testimonial.
• Positive testimonials can be used on your website, social media, and marketing materials.
• A video testimonial is especially powerful.
8.3: Upsell and Cross-Sell:
• Based on Mary’s initial needs and feedback, identify other solutions you can provide.
• For example, if Mary is using the basic version of your software, you could upsell her to a premium version with more features.
• If she is not using a portion of the software, you could cross-sell her training, or consulting.
- • This adds value to Mary’s experience and increases your revenue.
8.4: Get Referrals:
• Ask Mary for referrals to other marketing managers who might benefit from your software.
• Referred clients are generally easier to sell to.
• Follow up on these referrals promptly.
In Conclusion
In this article, we’ve outlined the 8-Step Inbound Marketing Method, a comprehensive approach to attracting, converting, and delighting customers. By implementing these steps, you can build a customer-centric marketing strategy that drives business growth and fosters long-term relationships.
For an even deeper dive into our unique 8-Step Inbound Marketing Method Read our A-Game Inbound Marketing book. Click here to access it.
Let's help you build your own digital marketing capability inhouse so you can do-it-yourself. Click the button below to get a FREE proposal.
Please share this article with your social media followers. Click the appropriate button to share
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
