Huizenga College of Business Marketing Blog: How to Attract More Sales by Using the Inbound Marketing Funnel

How to Attract More Sales by Using the Inbound Marketing Funnel

May 16

posted by Dr. Bruce Campbell in STUDENT MARKETING POSTS | 81 Comments

How many times have we watched a video or read an article on the Internet about increasing sales by leveraging the Internet and social media to do so? How many times have we heard or read enticing ads about how to guide traffic to our website for more sales; yet it seemed like getting someone to tell us how was as evasive as the search for the Holy Grail? Well, here we discuss how to attract more sales by using a few techniques with virtually no investment – other than time.

First, it is important to understand what drives traffic to your site, how it occurs, and why. A very high percentage of people now use the Internet as a go-to when trying to solve a problem. Research refers to this as a pain point or driving need that motivates a person to find an answer or find someone who can direct them to the answer that will solve their problem (Barry, 2015; Brown, 2012). Once that person or company is located, the individual with the pain point begins reading the information posted on the Internet that will hopefully solve their problem. As the consumers find this person that understands their problem, they begin to follow that individual down a path to finally arrive at the right solution as guided by the person they now trust. So businesses can leverage this idea to increase traffic to their website and hopefully increase sales.

So how can you increase traffic to your website? Write a blog, much like the one you are reading now. It’s a conversation from friend to friend, basically; and written in everyday language. It is very useful for consumers, especially once they find the right post and person posting information that makes sense to them. Information consumers can trust might lead them to ask more questions and find answers that ultimately guide them to the purchase decision.

A consumer had a problem, then s/he searched for an answer, s/he found a blog that answered the initial question. S/he then went deeper to explore your options, then centered on a possible solution. From a general search and reading a blog about it, to asking more questions of the writer of the blog s/he arrived at a sound decision; s/he made the choice and the final purchase. That is the perfect conclusion to the inbound marketing funnel. The writer of the initial blog became the industry expert in your mind who helped direct you to the right answer. This is the way through which a simple blog post can become so beneficial for a business and so instrumental in leading to increased sales.

Write a blog and post it on your website if you have one, or on someone else’s if they let you. You can use social media as a vehicle to get your blog posted and to gain exposure. Not to mention the fact that Google and other search engines will rank your website much higher if you write a blog and update it often with great content.

References

Barry, J. (2015). Social content marketing for entrepreneurs. New York, NY: Business Expert Press.

Brown, N. (2012). Building an inbound marketing funnel: Part 1 – top of the funnel. Retrieved from http://go.browncreativegroup.com/blog/bid/212492/Building-an-Inbound-Marketing-Funnel-Part-1-Top-of-the-Funnel

Biography

Dr. Bruce Campbell is a professor, lecturer, and consultant on the use of ecommerce by using today’s technology in innovative ways that promote close relationships while closing the transactional distance between buyers and sellers. He is currently an MBA student in Marketing in the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. Dr. Campbell can be reached through email to answer further questions about this and other topics: bruccamp@nova.edu

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#1 by Kristen Hidalgo on 5/16/16 - 3:21 PM

Great job, Bruce! Very interesting read!
#2 by Dr. Bruce G. Campbell on 6/7/16 - 10:44 PM

Thank you, Kristen. I hope you try the suggestions and find them useful. Let me know how it works for you. Happy blogging!
#3 by Antonio Cedeno on 6/11/16 - 9:49 AM

I find this blog post as a good read. I do agree when it comes to knowing what drives the traffic to the site first. This is one of the key aspects of inbound marketing, relaying information/resources to relevant prospects. By knowing the consumers, you will know what you have to do to increase the traffic and also be able to reach a broad amount of consumers at one time. Through blogs, mingling among similar minded people may take place. It is through this chatter that questions and answers will be funneled. The communication among other individuals/consumers will aid in making a more sound decisions.
#4 by TING-YEN, TSAI on 6/11/16 - 3:08 PM

From my point of view, I agree with this blog what it said. Today explodes which in the information, each person all may penetrate the information which each kind of pipeline easily obtains needs. When consumers start to search as they need, It has been reached a sound decision, meaning that they believe your information as correct so that the website will increase traffic. As I know, there are 10 million users of Facebook per day, knowing that people often use social media. As a paragraph shows that "This is the way through which a simple blog post can become so beneficial for a business and so instrumental in leading to increased sales." For example, some of small company which do not have too much budget, they through celebrities to describe what is company's product for their follower as well. Thus, the consumer makes a final purchase by different factors. The way how company utilizes Inbound Marketing Funnel by socail media.
#5 by Samara Ramsackal on 6/11/16 - 3:41 PM

I agree with Dr. Campbell stating that “using a few techniques with virtually no investment-other than time” is beneficial to a company’s marketing strategy techniques. By using the inbound marketing funnel through various online sources such as Google search and social media websites such as facebook and twitter can enhance the marketing approach for a company. For example, my company’s website is on a third party’s server that regulations SEO (search engine optimization). As a marketing director, as long as I invest time in either redesigning the website or uploading relevant articles related to our clientele, our company’s SEO is enhanced resulting in more visibility through a Google search. Being able to utilize cost-efficient techniques such as website blogs or articles, makes marketing strategies easier to implement.
#6 by Raqual Rosario on 6/11/16 - 7:51 PM

I think this is a good read. This form of marketing, inbound marketing funnel, has the opportunity to create traffic towards a business. Especially using it to gain exposure in the social media world. The concept of writing blogs is great. Great article
#7 by Gaia Calcaterra on 6/11/16 - 9:26 PM

This is a very well written blog with many interesting and useful points. Inbound marketing is certainly one of the most effective ways to create a funnel of qualified leads and valuable customers, because the information that you provide on the channel has already set the customer on a path to finding a solution to their pain point, that path often being the one to your company or product.
This has proven to be very effective in my own company, but I do at the same time, believe that inbound marketing needs to be used in conjunction with outbound marketing. Oftentimes valuable customers aren't necessarily using, or aren't connected to the specific inbound marketing channels being utilized by your company, and need to be contacted directly and introduced to those particular channels.
#8 by Bernardo Tervil on 6/12/16 - 1:13 AM

Hello Dr. Campbell,

Thank you for providing such vital information. As a new MBA student at Nova, I look forward to finding any new information that would help my company gain brand recognition. I must admit I never thought of a blog to entice new customers. After reading your article, it made perfect sense. When purchasing automotive or computer products I would always research forums and blogs to determine which product I would buy. The blog would provide, pros and cons, pricing, other purchasers of the product, supplement products, etc. Generating an avenue where communication may be received is imperative to growth. I agree that adding a blog to your website is beneficial to adding value to your business. Thank you for the suggestions, I will implement these tips on my website.
#9 by Reixa Phillips on 6/12/16 - 2:24 PM

The more and more I read about inbound marketing the more I agree with this type of communication. We are continuously getting inundated with messages marketers keep pushing to customers. These strategies are becoming less and less effective over time. People are finding creative ways to block these messages. According to the inbound marketing funnel it is the customer who finds its way to the product. The best part about this strategy is that in the end, the consumer becomes the advocate of your business. They repeatedly purchase and also tell others (referral).
#10 by Gabriela Andara on 6/12/16 - 7:26 PM

How to attract more sales by using inbound marketing funnel is a very interesting point for all persons that want to strengthen their companies marketing. I absolutely agree with Dr. Bruce Campbell article, because in order to attract more customers or let them now about the different products/services a company’s offers, they have to make use of the inbound marketing, without bombarding the consumers with advertising. Due to the high use of Internet, and taking advantage of it, the idea of Dr. Bruce is very smart, because when you want to get an answer about how a product is, or learn about new ones, we get to read a credible blog our attention is focus on it until we find the solution of our problem by deeply reading the blog or asking questions if needed. By this way consumers get to its final purchase increasing sales in a company in an efficient and effective way, without the need of spending lots of money, doing it by yourself without spending money.
#11 by Barbara Destine on 6/12/16 - 11:00 PM

I find this blog somewhat useful. Inbound marketing is of course the new way for advertising. However I am not quite there yet. Traditional marketing will give the "whoa" effect even though it is short term but to sustain a product inbound marketing will. So in other words, both style of marketing are needed for product delivery and access. In inbound marketing there is already an audience but this audience via search engine/blog search etc..try to explore some options by searching through those websites. Companies have to compete by nailing key words that will capture the most traffic. It requires lots of research. Traditional marketing may be needed as well at the beginning but I agree that inbound marketing is definitely needed for retention and long term customers. In conclusion, to rely solely and heavily on Inbound marketing may diminished your customer base.
#12 by Jose Paez on 6/13/16 - 7:13 AM

Inbound Marketing is a strategy in which is highly effective in the world we live in today. This especially is effective for start up companies or smaller companies who do not have millions of dollars to spend on outbound marketing. Outbound marketing can be extremely invasive and push the customer away instead of making them a recurring customer. Inbound marketing is not perfect but it is a viable option that many companies are using today.
#13 by Dane Brown on 6/13/16 - 8:39 AM

Very interesting article Dr. Campbell, Short, informative and straight to the point. I myself have used inbound marketing successfully. I also agree with Gaia Calcaterra that; companies do need to include some elements of traditional outbound marketing. In my observation, inbound marketing alone fails to reach all my target audience in a selected demographic segment. As we explore the power of blogging let us also consider its companion vlog, the use of videos as a means of blogging in which the same principle holds true – vlog has taught me a lot in my DIY project while pointing me to the right part to purchase and where to find that part.
#14 by Hugh Cunningham on 6/13/16 - 9:32 AM

This was an interesting insight for attracting potential customers to your website. Blogging is very useful and rewarding for those who can write interesting articles and thought provoking blogs. Articles that are well written and relevant will drive traffic to our websites and create revenue.
#15 by Comarcho Smith on 6/13/16 - 3:01 PM

I use this method a lot as of lately so I do agree that it’s a great strategy to drive people to your website or introduce them to your product. I have a small car accessory business, I sell HID and LED lights and other accessories and offer installation. Whenever I encounter issues with a car during installation I jump on my phone and research different blogs and car forums to find solutions. I would often come upon not only solution but new product idea to offer my customers so I am always one step ahead of my competition. I tend to use these resource a lot because I trust real peoples’ experience verse the so-call professional’s opinion. These blogs and forum are a form of community that expresses their true dislikes or frustration, pleasure and best quality of the product. On the other hand, clicks and reads don’t always lead to purchase, as lately there have been a lot of blogs that’s written and posted as click-bait which is miss leading, so I am always on the lookout for these bias blogs.

I buy base on other people experience using the product and before I buy anything online no matter the site I am going to buy it from I always go to Amazon and look for the product and read the reviews, and based on ratings I make my final decision. I do the same thing with movies too, I read reviews and look at ratings before I watch a movie, to avoid wasting my time.
#16 by Mariangel Blanco on 6/13/16 - 3:45 PM

I found this article very interesting and very accurate. I believe that todays marketing has to be based on inbound marketing, giving the right tools to the prospective customer so they can find you by their own will instead of you bombarding them with publicity. For example I found really annoying when I feel I'm being attack with all that advertisement that I am not interesting in.
#17 by Jenny Augustin on 6/13/16 - 3:54 PM

In order to drive sales, I think that it is very important to first know what consumers you are trying to aim your sales and products towards (target marketing). Once you have selected a particular group or group of consumers you want to target, you must utilize market segmentation to determine what are the needs, interests and priorities of your target market. It's a good idea to conduct research to find out what other companies are currently offering and what kind of marketing strategies they are using to capture consumers. With the rapid advancement of technology, the rules of marketing have changed from the traditional marketing strategies such as door to do sales, telemarketing, telecommunications, and direct mail marketing to inbound marketing that entails the use of the Internet, blogs and social media. To determine which form of inbound strategy that should be used to increase sales and consumer capture, it is important to determine what sites your consumers are frequent users of. For the younger generation between the age of 18-30, it best to utilize social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and popular blogging sites that advertise similar products as the ones that you are trying to market. On the other hand, if your marketing group is between the age of 30-50, it best to use websites such as CNN, Yahoo, New York times and Google to market your products. Blogging is a very popular tool used to connect with consumers and it gives them the opportunity to search for answers to the questions and it also allows open communication between the author of the blog and the consumer themselves. I agree with the fact that the blogs should be friendly and written in a fashion that is very easy to understand and relate to. The Internet has become the new shopping place for many consumers and business owners must not only adapt to this change but they must embrace and fully make use of the Internet to their full advantage.
#18 by Ahmed Ranhali on 6/13/16 - 5:09 PM

This is a very interesting article about the advantage of inbound marketing in relation to website traffic. it explains how important is to match the information needed with potential customers. In addition, inbound marketing that occurs through several communication channels tend to develop the marketing approach of the company and generate an added value and loyalty for the customer.
#19 by Michael Bohorquez on 6/13/16 - 5:17 PM

The information in this blog is quite interesting. I agree with the post; the process of how a blog can assist and develop a demand for a service or product. In this day and age the internet is used for multiple reasons. But the process describe here is definitely a way to promote and develop a demand which is what marketing is all about. The internet is a tool used for problem solving and consumers research the web for information to solve their issue. Post an informative blog does with the writer leverage as a expert, which the writer then can use the issue and expertise to develop a need for a product or service to solve issue. Take my personal experience for example, recently I was searching the web on information about how to connect my laptop,to my tv, monitor and iPad to use them as secondary displays. Well after instructing me on how to do so they developed a need in me for applications, cables and services that I was not aware I needed. Next thing you know, I had purchased almost all the items they recommended in the blog since I had an issue which they resolved by selling me the products.
#20 by Sade Thompson on 6/13/16 - 6:49 PM

Dr Campbell I find this article informative and interesting. I do agree that blogging would increase traffic to websites. The increase level of research and computer usage allows this which could possibly create leads for customers. The use of inbound marketing would be beneficial to company's as this would be cost effective and could create long-term relationships with customers due to ongoing communication.
#21 by Ernst Tullus on 6/13/16 - 8:03 PM

Good Evening Dr. Bruce. I found this article very informative. Blogging is a really great tool that businesses can use to attract new customers to frequenting their websites. As you explained the example, I found myself realizing several instances where I was in a decision making situation and used the same exact steps that lead me to the final purchase. Great insights.
#22 by Fallen Yacinthe on 6/13/16 - 8:51 PM

I find this article very informative. I totally agree with Dr. Campbell on how Blogging may be a great apparatus that organizations can utilize in order to pull in new clients to visit their sites frequently. By knowing the consumers, you will know what you have to do to increase the traffic and also be able to reach a broad amount of consumers at one time. It is through blogging that customers are able to communicate their ideas with organizations and letting them know exactly what they are looking for. I also believe that it is through blogging that customers are able to connect on a deeper level with the consumers.
#23 by Andres Vargas on 6/13/16 - 9:46 PM

I agree. Inbound marketing has transformed the way companies reach out to customers. It has evolved to not be an intrusive way of marketing but a more collaborative and comprehensive approach. Companies and customers benefit of this new marketing idea by adding value and investing in strengthening the relationship. This enhances the customer experience and contributes to customer retention. In my experience this is a value added approach as customers does not have to deal with aggressive marketing strategies, eliminates the invasive approach, and lets the customer drive the whole experience with positive results.
#24 by Cassandra Casimir on 6/13/16 - 10:26 PM

It was very interesting reading this article as it gives some great tips, that I'm sure a lot of us has experienced when we research something on google, for instance. A few years ago, I was looking for souvenirs for a baby shower on google, and since i did not find anything i like, i close the websites pages and decided to check my email, I immediately started receiving ads from different websites for souvenirs. It was a bit of a shocker to me since it happened so fast and on different pages, but I also realized that it was the perfect way to advertise, and it was actually helpful to me since it offers so many alternatives, and I knew more likely I will be using the same method, or maybe blogs or even Youtube infomercial since those options might be cheaper, so I definitely agree with Dr Campbell and that was a good article.
#25 by Christopher Lynch on 6/14/16 - 10:18 AM

I completely agree with what Dr. Campbell is saying here about blogs and how they can be very beneficial to a particular business. I can relate to this article because now today before I personally buy any product or services I turn to blogs to see what the reviews are. I use blogs everyday on my social networks to determine what I will and will not buy. Blogs allow you to almost see most of all the pros and cons before purchasing the good or service. This article gives you a good idea of how the inbound marketing funnel can be effective.
#26 by Hamza Hanana on 6/14/16 - 12:37 PM

I find this article very interesting. I agree with the fact that inbound arketing is very important in incresing the traffic towards a company's website. Nowadays Google and Facebook are very helpful to company's as they help reduce advertising costs while they succeed to increase the number of visitors to a business website or page. Using such low cost tools make the busniess more efficient and also help facilitate implementing marketing strategies in both the short and long run.
#27 by Dilcia Molina on 6/14/16 - 3:49 PM

I am in total agreement with the author of this article. We have always heard that social media and the internet are the best way to do business. Inbound marketing is an essential part doing business in this day. Millennials expend more time using social media and the internet. When you do not know something, the first option always is the internet. An important tool used by companies is their online websites. Therefore, how companies manage their websites is a key to attract more users and increase companies’ sales. However, in order to be successful, companies and people need to invest a lot of time building their own virtual image creating blogs and online advertisements.
#28 by Tho H Tran on 6/14/16 - 8:42 PM

I agree using Inbound Marketing Funnel is an inexpensive but effective way to attract more customers, especially for small businesses. As technology is developed, more and more people are engaged in social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., why do we have to stick to traditional outbound marketing like TV commercials which are more expensive than blogs? Why do we have to pay a lot to attract customers who are not interested in our products? Inbound marketing just aim at customers who are interested in the products/services by using search engines. However, if we use those tools to attract customers, content is very important. It must be attractive, informative and exactly what customers are looking for. I myself often search for online reviews to get more information before making decision to buy cosmetics. I often go to blogs/fanpages of some firms to read carefully and compare to others. As far as I know, which one has more detailed information about skin types, price, usage, tips as well as other customers' reviews to obtain trust will get more likes, comments. And if I contact them for any further information, they response promptly. Hence, customers want to buy their products and they will increase sales by this way.
#29 by Jean Lopez on 6/14/16 - 8:45 PM

I agree with Dr. Bruce Campbuell; blogs are always a very beneficial tool when those are opening for customers to share their experiences, knowledge and benefits of using the product or service.
Also, we can see how customers are increasingly sensitive regarding comments, recommendations, and experiences from previous clients. Now customer first seek references on sites like Trip advisor before making a decision.
In conclusion, if the companies want to increase their sales, they have to participate and create blogs where customer can express their thoughts about the brand and product
#30 by Leon Kennon on 6/14/16 - 8:53 PM

This blog is very good and insightful. I think it’s imperative to know what drives traffic to you site, how it occurs and why. Consumers have questions every day and they look for the most convenient way to solve their problems. Furthermore, with so many people have on demand access to the internet through their devices it is important to know what drives the consumers to your site. Dr. Bruce stated that creating a reliable blog post might lead them to ask more questions and find answers that ultimately guide them to the purchase decision. I couldn’t agree with Dr. Bruce more about this topic in dealing with how to attract more sales by using inbound marketing funnel. Using these techniques will drive traffic and increase sales.
#31 by Cameron Shanklin on 6/14/16 - 8:54 PM

This article was well written and extrememly accurate when it comes to attracting more sales by utilizing inbound marketing. Consumers most certainly for the most part go to specific websites with the notion of solving a particular problem. The idea that businesses leverage those answers to problems in creating more traffic is a very good idea. I am sure that businesses utilize stats to determine which answer or piece of information is obtaining the most views. The new trend is most certainly utilizing social media for exposure purposes to obtain more traffic and new consumers.
#32 by Alejandro Cubero on 6/14/16 - 9:00 PM

I think Dr. Campbell is on to somethings here. It seems to be clear, creating a bigger flow of consumers seems to be a straight forward approach to increase consumer response, however, this is as far as it goes. I agree with the "written a blog" approach, straight forward communication aimed to satisfy individuals inquires to find an answer in order to solve a problem. I know I have done it many times, from how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew to how to do a marketing plan for a project in class. I have seen it work and I will take this in consideration when trying to get more consumer flow into my website.
#33 by Yana Vorontsova on 6/14/16 - 10:23 PM

I agree with Dr. Campbell that blogging is a beneficial tool for increasing sales. As long as it is done smart and sounds like a genuine advice from a friend, blogs can attract a significant amount of customers. Nothing draws as much attention to the product as positive reviews and friendly advice. A blog writer can be a great resource for the consumers who are searching for answers and solutions to their problem.
#34 by felicha philippe on 6/14/16 - 10:34 PM

I do agree with the blogging technique. It does catch a consumer's eye about a product or service. If a blogger mentions a new boutique they recently visited and states that the clothing choices were great and so were the prices. Many consumers will try to find the boutique online or if they are in the same city; try and visit the boutique. Same thing goes for services, if a blogger blogs about a chic new nail salon that gave them an enjoyable experience, that can generate business as well. Marketing has grown so much over the years and as a consumer it is so much easier to scroll through your timeline on instagram and see what your favorite blogger has been up to then waiting for a call from a telemarketer to offer you something.
#35 by Kevin Matthews on 6/14/16 - 11:02 PM

This was an interesting article, Dr. Campbell provided a relative cost effective strategy to attract more attention to any individual or organization. As mentioned in this post it all depends on who much time and effort that you put in to get your name or brand in the minds of consumers. Most people have time to check their social media; Facebook, Instagram, twitter etc. So if you were to link a personal blog with ideas and solutions to everyday problem you could drive new traffic to your blog.
#36 by Fils, Abelard on 6/14/16 - 11:15 PM

When someone with that caliber wrote something he or she analyzed it experienced it, and measured the consequences of that before post it where any one can read it. Having said that, I totally agree with that post and I find it very useful and interesting to read. In marketing, it is important to know the consumers, know what they need in order to a blog that can drive them to the right sales. Also, come up with something unique and interesting that can create traffic on your website.
#37 by Javier campoverde on 6/14/16 - 11:55 PM

This really makes sense to me and I totally agree with this post. Sometimes we as customers, need more than regular adds and features tu decide weather to buy or not an specific product we are researching and trying to buy. A blog will definitely help in the final purchase decision because it wont feel like an average message from the producer or the retailer, different than that, it will feel like someone else who is traying to find a solution to satisfy a need or want is talking to you in order to help you out to decide if that is what you are looking for. Also on the other side results cheap and convenient, even more if you are an start up trying to get some marketshare from the big firms. That is pretty much as inbound marketing and i agree with that way of driving marketing.
#38 by Willy Vargas on 6/15/16 - 12:16 AM

This is a very interesting article. I believe that there is a shift from traditional marketing to a more centralized, interest driven marketing strategies that allow companies to center their attention to really interested customers while saving resources on other leads that are not good at the end. This interest driven marketing is what as create dthe inbound marketing concept that at the end is the one that is creating a big shift from coventional marketing to digital marketing. Consumers have now a bigger availability of options thanks to internet , social media and globalization.
#39 by Michelle Williams on 6/15/16 - 5:23 AM

Inbound marketing is certainly the trend in the marketing arena and a necessity or any successful business. I agree with Dr. Campbell that the key is understanding what drives traffic to your site. It is certainly true a simple, well "liked," and frequently visited blog will to improve traffic. I was unaware that Google ranked your website higher basis of frequent, great content. It seems then an imperative part of a business let alone a newly established business. I enjoyed gaining this information.Thank you.
#40 by Gaspard Masseus on 6/15/16 - 5:56 AM

I find this blog to be very intriguing. Blogging can be used as a very simple and strategic tool to inform and educated consumers about your product. Not only can drive traffic to your site and generate more sales but it can also be great to provide customer service. The dialogue in these forums can give insight on what customers like about your products and also what areas your products need improvement in. It can give you great visibility on the market and help you develop a personal relationship with your customers which will be very beneficial to promoting your business.
#41 by Nuoyi Wang on 6/15/16 - 9:39 AM

I enjoyed reading this blog post by Dr. Campbell because I view myself as a consumer who is exposed to new products and companies from the use of inbound marketing more than outbound marketing. With the technological advances today, I (like many others) find myself going on the Internet as my initial search tool on attaining information on products or interests of mine. I am in agreement with the post because I believe that companies should produce worthy social media content to engage followers and recruit new customers. In my current position, I work at a health care company and I have seen the use of social media use as a core platform for raising awareness and creating consumer relationships to the company and their products and objectives. The significance of using social media platforms for marketing is a low cost tool that personalizes a company’s brand and can help create connectivity to the targeted market. However, companies do need to generate content that is relevant to a wide audience for inbound marketing to be effective and keep the connectivity factor alive.
#42 by Marisleydis Bruguez on 6/15/16 - 10:48 AM

I enjoyed reading the blog, it was very well written and made a lot of goof points. with the new era of social media business need a new and more creative way of attacking customers to their websites. Since most of already spend so much time on social media and internet what better way to getting people to understand your concept and the product or service you provide. Overall I agree with the blog. Inbound marketing will become if its not already one of the most used methods to attract new customers.
#43 by TONNETTE SAMUELS on 6/15/16 - 10:48 AM

The article posted by Dr. Campbell is quite relevant to the current world that is highly associated with the Internet use. Companies as well as individuals now have websites to which they wish more people to visit so that they may be able to view what they have posted. As such, as a marketing strategy, it is important for them to come up with ways that will ensure that they have huge traffic on such websites. They may, therefore, need to understand how search engines work in the first place, and this will be important since it will enable them to maximize their usage so that people may easily find their websites while going through the Internet. The ideas furthered by Dr. Campbell, therefore, go a long way in helping towards such agenda. Through the application of the ideas suggested by Dr. Campbell, people are bound to have successful marketing ventures as a result. This is because they will view the Internet as a great tool for marketing and not just a mere source of information. As a result, the process of marketing shall be taken to a whole new level, which will play an immense role in establishing the growth of organizations as well as their profitability levels as a result of a high turn-over.
#44 by Shonique D Thomas on 6/15/16 - 11:49 AM

This is my second time being introduced to the concept of inbound marketing, the first being in my ISM class, and I have the same impression - it is a more effective approach to marketing. Often times we are bombarded with content that is unrelated to our needs, and inbound marketing does a better job at funneling information to the right prospects. Dr Campbell, touches on inbound marketing, more specifically a blog, as a relationship building tool, and I agree. It's a conversation between a company and its consumers, and it builds trust, which can lead to increase sales. Bloggers can be highly influential figures in the social media space, and so it's a good tool for companies to use to influence purchases.
#45 by Sony Suprinvil on 6/15/16 - 12:54 PM

I do agree with Dr. Campbell. As technology advances, inbound marketing is becoming more efficient in regards to increasing sales. Dr. Campbell made a very interesting point when he mentioned “you have to understand what drive traffic to your website, how if occur and why.” The more consumers know about a product, the more comfortable they will feel about making the purchase. By creating blogs, businesses allow consumers to gather information (product experiences) from each other in order to make that decision they were skeptical about. With The increasingly growing rate of social media, Companies must take advantage of Inbound marketing funnel. Lastly, Dr. Campbell made a great point when he pointed out that google will rate your company high if you have a blog on your website. This article/ blog was very informational
#46 by Jena Mendicino on 6/15/16 - 1:29 PM

This is a great read! Inbound Marketing is a strategy that is highly effective in the SMB space. I like the visualization of the funnel. It makes it very easy for the reader to consume. We use inbound marketing daily at my company in the SMB segment.
#47 by Jordan on 6/15/16 - 4:11 PM

Writing a blog to get people to your site or to purchase your product on another site (which is my case) is so effective. I sell dance music typically heard in clubs. It's such a niche and knowledgeably immersed market, it took a while for my music to gain traction. Writing blog posts about the music instantly turned people on to my music. By understanding that I had an expert point of view into the world of dance music, people wanted to be a part of it as well.
#48 by Ivonne Perez on 6/15/16 - 4:53 PM

This article explained the importance of the use of the inbound marketing funnel in a very clear way. Blogs attract many people to different company’s products and content on a daily basis. Dr. Campbell states in the article that blogs are like a conversation between friends. This type of writing is more inviting for consumers and offers the readers a different and more relaxed perspective from the company. I personally many follow companies and influencers that caught my attention through the content of a blog that was written by them or about them. As mentioned in the article, blogs that contain solutions for common issues are always helpful. More companies should take this initiative into consideration and incorporate blogging into their marketing strategy. However, companies need to evaluate what drives traffic the site before starting the blogs. It is not beneficial for a company to just post content if it is not a relevant topic.
#49 by Lan Le on 6/15/16 - 5:13 PM

Word of mouth has always been a fast way of gaining customers. Blogging will help attract customers to you through interactions of customers that are looking for the type of product/service you provide.
Outbound marketing has been an annoyance for consumers especially when it is overly used and it starts to disrupt our daily lives. With our eyes glued to our phones and laptops, I can see how inbound marketing is the profitable and efficient way of gaining customers.
#50 by Lan Le on 6/15/16 - 5:14 PM

Word of mouth has always been a fast way of gaining customers. Blogging will help attract customers to you through interactions of customers that are looking for the type of product/service you provide.
Outbound marketing has been an annoyance for consumers especially when it is overly used and it starts to disrupt our daily lives. With our eyes glued to our phones and laptops, I can see how inbound marketing is the profitable and efficient way of gaining customers.
#51 by Jose Lebrun on 6/15/16 - 6:42 PM

This article is a very valid of reflection of the evolving modern strategies. More and more marketing is becoming involved hand in hand with analytical practices and strategies. Collecting and cleaning data helps gather information which identifies possible interests of potential customers. Sites such as Amazon apply this thoroughly to gather info on customers. One can see this being applied whenever you search for items and later login back to amazon and you’ll receive recommendations for similar products as per earlier search.
#52 by Ivonne Garcia on 6/15/16 - 7:38 PM

I agree 100% with this Dr. Campbell. As a marketing student and as a social media user, I think that generating content it's what makes a website successful. If you are producing good content, helpful content, and quality content people are going to visit your blog, you will create buzz among people and increase sells. This is also a key to reach new generations.
Great post.
Ivonne Melissa Garcia
#53 by Grace Mendoza on 6/15/16 - 7:43 PM

Dr. Campbell provided great insight as to how effective blogging can not only increase sales for your company but also continue to attract new visitors to your company’s website. We live in a day where consumers want to be engaged, not just “sold” on something. I agree with his theory because consumers are constantly bombarded with digital traffic regardless of whether or not the individual is looking to purchase the product. For this strategy to be effective, the content posted should be: 1) compelling so that customers will attract to the website, 2) easily found by prospective buyers using search engines, and 3) allow consumers the ability to engage and leave feedback. (Steenburgh, 2011). In my marketing experience, great content does not equate to quantity, but quality. Consumers are looking for responses that match their specific issue. Dr. Campbell’s article illustrates the importance of utilizing all avenues to generate business.

References

Steenburgh, T., Avery, J., & Dahod, N. (2011, January 24). HubSpot: Inbound Marketing and Web 2.0. Harvard Business School.
#54 by Alvaro Ortiz on 6/15/16 - 7:47 PM

I like the information in this blog. These are my take a ways. First, post useful information for customers to read. There is one important fact about this statement, posting useful information today will have returning customer tomorrow. More importantly, bloggers should post new information frequently. As stated above, “a conversation from friend to friend.” That’s how companies get to know customers better. Second, keep it human by giving the consumers a second option to get in touch with the blogger or company. To illustrate, if the consumer trust the information, they may want to ask more question directly to an employee and not just through the blog. This transition can materialize in to a buying decision. Lastly, customer can find the answer to their questions in the blog or allow the company to find a resolution quickly.
#55 by Nadira A St Hilaire on 6/15/16 - 7:52 PM

This article spoke to me in so many ways. While reading it, I not only noticed how well it explained and related to the inbound marketing funnel. It also reminded me of my personal experiences. Just last week I was sick with a cold and inflamed lymph nodes. I was unsure what to do or what to take and it was too late at night to seek medical attention. I simply typed into google "what to do for swollen lymph nodes and there it was, all kind of home remedies and advice on how I could help myself get better. I could rate the different blogs and different people based on their reviews and how well their remedies worked. Some links even took me to handy sites where I could directly order medication or stuff that could help. Another company that came to mind when reading this article is amazon. I love amazon but I would not purchase anything off of Amazon without first reading reviews and getting other peoples opinion on the product. I think its a genius way of keeping your customers happy while also receiving their direct feedback on your product. It leaves an open line of communication between the consumer and the purchaser while providing great marketing for good products.
#56 by Alexandra Lequerica on 6/15/16 - 7:57 PM

Great post! I don’t know how many times I have turned to Google looking for a solution to a problem at hand. Information is at our fingertips, so why not take advantage of it by advertising information that can draw consumers to a specific product or service. I currently work for a chiropractic clinic that has zero presence online and in social media but a high marketing presence on Spanish Speaking cable network channels. A blog comprised of innovative chiropractic techniques and its benefits being performed at our clinic would be a great opportunity to attract new patients seeking some type of relief via the Internet. Blog posts can be written by the same chiropractic experts that a patient will come in and be treated by, creating a sense of trust between the new prospective patient and the doctor.
#57 by Angelica Sanchez on 6/15/16 - 9:22 PM

I completely agree with this post in regards to bloggers having a conversation with their readers. I often scour the internet for whatever answer I need. Just today I was in the grocery and was wondering what make unfiltered apple cider vinegar so healthy; I reached to Google and ended up on a blog and read their opinions.This is how I do research most of the time. I do not often make decisions without researching them first. Actually, I research vacation destinations based on travel blogs.
#58 by Sumaira Karim on 6/15/16 - 10:17 PM

I agree with Dr. Campbell; a lot home businesses are using this strategy to gain exposure across social medias. You search for knowledge and end up buying a product or service in which the company entices with their branded content. This is a brilliant idea and seems to be working well for major companies. HGTV and food network is another good example of sharing content and ideas to their viewers via blogs and journals. Access to brand content and gaining credibility from visitors and fans creates a sense of loyalty which in turn can generate potential buyers.
#59 by Gerson Vanegas on 6/15/16 - 10:21 PM

The more i read about inbound marketing the more i see it around me. This blog was interesting to read and the whole concept of inbound marketing, once understanding its inner working, really is a sound way of attracting the right market towards you company, your products or services.
#60 by Donghui Wu on 6/15/16 - 10:26 PM

I like this article, it is so easy for me to understand, and I completely agree the author. we are in e-commerce and m-commerce nowadays, everyone of is on either Facebook, Twitter, instangram or something else, and of course social media and the internet become the best way to do business. Inbound marketing is an important part doing business nowadays .I moved from China to United States for 6 years now, and I go back to visit once a year, it's a long way and long hours to flight, so buying ticket is like a project every time, I need to buy the fit seat with fit time and money, there is a lots of comparison between different travel agencies, ticket centers or airline company. I Google my ticket , enter my information, and guess what , I received email from expedia, trip advisor...they give me different rates and different time frame to my destination, also other people's experience and comments with the companies' services... I think its so helpful, I already got a chart of tickets, what I need to do is just pick one among them. I do the same thing whenever I buy air tickets. So, it is very good for companies to invest on the online advertisements.
#61 by Yuliana Ramirez on 6/15/16 - 10:50 PM

Thank you for writing this article and posting it for all of us to read and learn some online marketing tips. My impressions are a bit different than Dr. Campbell's. The article overly simplifies how search engines and google work. It assumes that if you create a blog, update it and have "great" content then search engines will rank your website/blog highly. My experiences have been different. Unless google places your website/blog on the first two pages of its search results, your content will not be viewed much no matter how great it is or how many times you update it. I believe a newly created website/blog stands a better chance to succeed if it is marketed, sponsored, distributed or posted by a social media giant with thousands or millions of followers or subscribers. This is how videos and posts go viral on Facebook and YouTube. Another way I believe businesses and/or websites/blogs can increase traffic is by paying a company specializing in search engine optimization (SEO). This directly relates to where your unknown website/blog appears in google, once someone searches for keywords that match your site. If your site appears on page 47 of the google search you can expect low traffic despite having great content. Once a website/blog is established and has a strong following, then inbound marketing may prove to be a sound strategy. In conclusion, I am not convinced the inbound marketing method helps build web traffic to unknown sites or that content is "the only way to develop a strong presence in search engines."
#62 by Wilton Belidor on 6/15/16 - 10:50 PM

I totally agree with Dr. Campbell. Since technology has developed so rapidly and the internet has changed the way we communicate. In regards to inbound marketing, this strategy has become one of the ultimate ways to reach out to consumers. It is an inventive promoting procedure, continues to convey lower costs for clients, and a better strategy for companies to use when acquiring new customers as well as retaining current ones. Inbound marketing is very inexpensive as word of mouth was back in the days, which was a fast and easy way that attracted potential customers. The internet plays a big role in the marketing level and since it is so fast and easy to use, majority of consumers are actively using computers to gather information about a product. Now consumers have the Internet at their palm of their hands, therefore they use it to search and accumulate whatever data they need to settle on buying a product.
#63 by Guido A. Arreola on 6/15/16 - 10:58 PM

Thank you, Dr. Bruce Campbell. Inbound marketing constitutes an important part of the new marketing realities of the 21st century. The potential to reach a vast and mixed audience is of paramount importance if a business is to compete and succeed in a globalized world. As a current market researcher for a product development company, I have seen a direct correlation between compelling content (i.e. writing, visuals, and videos) and customer engagement/response. Furthermore, inbound marketing (i.e. social media, blogs, SEO) allows smaller firms to compete for market share against the more established larger firms. With the surge of e-commerce, sales and promotions via social media are easily found, and if done correctly and calculated (i.e. timing), can reach thousands of customers. Moreover, web software such as Wordpress allow lead tracking/intelligence insight so that appropriate management decisions can be made.
#64 by Tram T Tran on 6/15/16 - 11:12 PM

As far as I am concerned, by writing this blog, Dr. Bruce Campbell gave us the insightful illustration about how beneficial the inbound marketing can be to businesses nowadays. Recently, with the huge amount of information crossing people's mind everyday, customers are seeking for an intense source of reliable information which helps to answer their concerns about the products and services. And the inbound marketing, for instance, writing a blog and posting that on the Website, will be effectively center on a possible solution to customers when they have problems. It works like a regular conversation where customers can find the the respective answers for their concerns, in converse, they can also state their opinions over certain topics by commenting. Taking my personal experience as an example, when I look for the features of a certain products, I usually go to the blog (Website) not only to read the description but also other's references as the consideration before making final purchase decision. Additionally, by implementing this, businesses will be able to narrow down their marketing network, so that they can cut off the insufficient costs. To conclude, the idea of the inbound marketing enhance a business's opportunities for creativity and efficiency.
#65 by Stephanie Espinoza on 6/15/16 - 11:30 PM

I think there are a pro and con for inbound marketing when it comes to starting a business. The pro about this strategies it's a smart way of giving people freedom of doing their own research about a product. I feel that inbound marketing is the new marketing of today. The con about it if you are a starting business it may take longer for you to be a top search on the internet and people to really know about you. I definitely prefer inbound marketing instead of outbound I don't like telemarketing and tv ad or commericals.
#66 by Norbert Yaw Ching on 6/15/16 - 11:33 PM

There is no doubt that inbound marketing will become more important over time as technology continues to change the way suppliers interact with consumers. I also agree that writing a blog creates content for consumption by followers and potential customers, but I question its impact on increasing traffic to one's website. Dr. Campbell stated that a person trying to solve a problem searches online until they find a person "that understands their problem" and follows to a solution "guided by the person they now trust". How was that trust created? More importantly, how was it validated? The internet is largely unregulated and there is an endless stream of data and opinion. How does one separate fact from fiction in order to make a sound decision? Credibility is what we search for and that must be built even before inbound marketing can be considered for sales. I believe blogs and 'likes' are insufficient in this regard. For example, a popular online encyclopedia is usually listed first in search results, yet we have all been cautioned about using content found there as a reputable source of information. Inbound marketing certainly has a future but efforts must be made to ensure that prospects are drawn into a funnel that truly satisfies the needs of those prospects.
#67 by Christopher Moreno on 6/15/16 - 11:38 PM

In my experience, nothing is perfect. However, if this was a standard to be implemented, I like the motivation behind it. The motivation is driven by inbound marketing, coined by the company HubSpot. HubSpot's funnel started with creating traffic (using social media), then qualifying leads then making a sale. Similarly, Dr. Campbell uses 3 of the 5 steps from HubSpot. In his funnel, they are reach, act and convert. The additional parts of the funnel are what make his funnel unique. Those are plan and engage. "Plan" is at the top of the funnel where a company (or customer) can take an active targeted approach to inbound marketing where by drawing more traffic on top of the funnel. "Engage" is where a customer becomes the active marketing vehicle to which inbound marketing is driven. As a result, the more customers won, the more marketers for your company. This is all at a low price. In the article, Dr. Campbell says there is no cost to this. However, the costs of inbound marketing (other than time) are your website, software and other tools as in the "act" phase of the process that was overlooked. Additionally, content may not be the only way to develop a strong presence in search engines as stated. As the world gets smarter, new developments within search engine optimization for marketing will be found. Therefore, I disagree on the extremes of saying that inbound marketing doesn't cost money or that content is the only way to develop a strong presence in search engines. However, I agrees that adding the "plan" and "engage" levels to the funnel stimulate a necessary driver of inbound marketing.
#68 by Antoniu Costea on 6/15/16 - 11:50 PM

Creating and delivering meaningful content is definitely a good start in attracting more traffic to your website. Allowing other people to comment, express their opinions, or share the content on other sites will definitely help with increasing traffic.
Tools such as Google Analytics can help in monitoring website activity and can aid in discovering improvements. The use of SEO practices, such as the placing of key words into the contents of the site will also ensure that when customers are performing a specific search, the website will be on the first page. Using social media sites to strategically place content is also useful in directing traffic to a specific site.
The key to maximizing the success of the inbound marketing campaign is do deliver value at every step, whether it is reaching, acting, converting, or engaging. The customer needs to feel as it earns more benefits as it advances through the funnel.
While the inbound marketing approach seems to work well with the digital generation, it seems that different demographics will respond to different marketing strategy, and thus the classical advertising – outbound marketing, will continue to thrive.
#69 by Kistna Alper on 6/16/16 - 9:25 AM

Dr. Campbell makes an excellent point and his funnel is correct regarding how customers could choose to make purchasing decisions online. This is a perfect strategy of how a business could generate traffic and sales to their website for free. It is well known that marketing is very expensive – even online marketing, and to generate revenue without paying big advertising bucks should be a consideration. One problem regarding this strategy would be in establishing credibility and trust. We all know you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Trust is essential; the blogger must make this a top priority.
#70 by Kistna Alper on 6/16/16 - 10:39 AM

Dr. Campbell makes an excellent point and his funnel is correct regarding how customers could choose to make purchasing decisions online. This is a perfect strategy of how a business could generate traffic and sales to their website for free. It is well known that marketing is very expensive – even online marketing, and to generate revenue without paying big advertising bucks should be a consideration. One problem regarding this strategy would be in establishing credibility and trust. We all know you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Trust is essential; the blogger must make this a top priority.
#71 by Carolina Pena on 6/16/16 - 11:14 AM

This blog was a great read. In today's generation, millennials are known to have wants of "on demand access" due to the advancement of technology. If they have a question and/or concern, they will pick up there phone or ask Siri in search of a quick answer. Patience is not of virtue in today's world. i did not that Google and other search engines rank websites if you keep your blog updated; very interesting. The main key is to do a market research on what the segments pain points may be and then begin blogging. Social networks is a great place to market the blog/website as i believe this is a primary source for many consumers; Reddit is a great example.
#72 by Travoy Forbes on 6/16/16 - 2:31 PM

This blog validates the opportunities that are available with inbound marketing. With the use of the Internet and social media etc. Consumers are searching for answers and resolutions. This post presents one of the fundamental approaches in inbound marketing, which is to bring individuals to your company. This reading showed how a blog can be used to accomplish this goal.
#73 by Van Gray on 6/16/16 - 5:29 PM

Wow. I never really thought of the blogging option until I completed a recent case study related to this type of topic. I totally agree with the proposed approach. I know that I am a very meticulous consumer. Meaning I take my time and do thorough research on any product or service before I buy. A blog or more personal approach of any kind would help ease the buying and research process for me. Even if i didn't end up purchasing, it will at least have caught my attention, which is super important in marketing a business nowadays.
#74 by cesar camacho on 6/18/16 - 7:37 AM

Very helpful information to attract consumers to a business using inbound marketing, before reading this post i haven't thought of using blogging as a marketing technique but it makes perfect sense due to being able to explain better and expand about the topics or products that you would like to cover, it creates more familiarity with your consumers due to the non so business language being utilized, ability to communicate with them better by answering their questions or feedback in the comments section, and being more creative with your posts, for examples the images being displayed which was the first thing that got my attention very nice design of the image representing the marketing funnel. Thank you for the information Dr. Bruce
#75 by Mimi Martin on 6/19/16 - 1:10 PM

The graphic representation of this article makes really easy to understand every step of the inbound marketing strategy. Another way that I found you can add value to you customer is to add an extra activity on step #3. Create a network with other bloggers and refer your readers to those that can expand their knowledge. Building a trusted network of bloggers that may complement your offering will increase loyalty to your brand.
#76 by Jenny on 8/10/16 - 5:48 AM

Nice Article of Inbound Marketing.
It Targets Mainly Goals,Sales Funnel through Content Strategy,Blogs and Social Promotions
#77 by Viola Smith on 8/29/16 - 10:55 AM

This was an interesting read! The inbound marketing funnel is most certainly a very useful tool to use for Social Media Marketing because it allows marketers to pull consumers in. I think this technique is critical because consumers are now shifting their interest from traditional push ads to reading more blogs and watching video tutorials. I believe that consumers appreciate the exchange of information without an obvious agenda thus allowing the company to take on a more approachable, resourceful nature which is beneficial in terms of Customer Relationship Management. Great read!
#78 by Richard Hudnett on 8/29/16 - 2:21 PM

I personally research most of my big purchases and have often reviewed various blogs before making my final decision. Additionally, bloggers that I can easily follow, understand, and gain value from reading I begin to view as a trustworthy source of information. This is great information Dr. Cambell; thank you for sharing.
#79 by Fitz Rodriguez on 9/1/16 - 11:46 PM

The inbound marketing funnel is a great blog, studying marketing for the first time at any level the framework in this piece is very intuitive, Dr. Campbell has great and vast knowledge of the topic. As stated in the book A framework for marketing management, Marketing value extends to society as a whole, which helps introduce new or enhance products that ease or enrich people’s lives (Kotler, Keller 2016). Dr. Campbell goes into great detail to explain the five different steps of the art of getting, keeping and growing customer through creating, delivering and communicating superior customer value and like he stated just by “using a few techniques with virtually no investment other than time.” Blogging is critical because it usually is regular people that are not being paid to write reviews, which emphasizes the core marketing concepts and helps consumers with the final purchase. The new marketing realities get tied into the discussion because of the significant improvements to the quality of the data entered while freeing up time for other tasks like technology, globalization, and social responsibilities. An excellent example of a company that took advantage of this was Google when they recognized that people needed more effectively and efficiently access information on the internet.
#80 by Anthony Cibene on 11/4/16 - 6:05 PM

Thank you for sharing how important it is to answering questions through content. This is something that I attempt to do with all my websites. When I am writing or reviewing a blog or piece of content, I try to answer at least 20 questions that would be relevant to the search terms or keywords I am targeting. I believe that if I can do that, the user/customer base will be more apt to convert into a sale or conversion.
#81 by Click Funnel Marketing on 12/5/17 - 8:49 PM

I really appreciate the professional approach. These are pieces of very useful information that will be of great use for many businesses as they learn more about inbound marketing funnel. Thumbs up for the efforts you have put in this, thank you for all the helpful blog posts.

<a href="https://vimeo.com/158842489">Click Funnel Marketing</a>

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