How to Attract, Acquire and Retain Customers Using Inbound Marketing

Garrett Smith, Foundergarrett@pitchpivot.com

So you want to successfully market and sell online?

There’s a lot to learn…

Because done right, there’s a lot to it

But before we go too far, let’s get some background and perspective

Inbound marketing is different from the way most people view marketing

Push Versus Pull

Traditionally products were created, marketing was applied and messages

were pushed through controlled media

Inbound marketing focuses on pulling customers in

By providing them relevant knowledge, expertise and convenient experiences….

Sort of like fishing….

• Through research you find where the fish (customers) are,

• Based on the fish you find (and where), you choose the right rod (channel), hook and bait (content),

• Then you throw it out there for the fish to see (distribute)

(We catch big fish)

Inbound marketing

The process of using content, search engines, social media, email, lead

nurturing and marketing automation to attract, convert and retain customers.

The inbound marketing process

Attracting customers online

First starts with researching where you customers are online and what

they need

There are a number of tools

Today there are a number of tools that help you find where customers are,

what they are looking for and what they want!

Here’s a few examples…

Once you know where customers are and what they want

It’s time to create content and cast it out to the internet audience

AKA Content Marketing

Content Attracts Strangers Here’s Content They Like

• Blogs

• Videos

• Guides

• Infographics

• Whitepapers

• Case Studies

• How-to’s and Tutorials

• Reviews

• Comparisons

Content Marketing forms the basis of SEO, Social Media, PR and

Thought Leadership

Here’s how it works

A Simplistic Look

Content Published

Indexed by Search Engines

Promoted on Social Media

Content Found and or Shared

by FansVisitors Arrive

Content Marketing is not the only way to attract customers

There are dozens of other ways to pull in customers to your products

and services

Internet Marketing

Comparison Shopping

Marketplaces

Affiliate Marketing

Webinars

PodcastsVideos

Email Marketing

Remarketing

Display Advertising

Attracting visitors is the first battle

Now you have to convert them into customers…

Creating Qualified Leads

Converting Visitors Takes Skill Here’s What’s Involved

• Landing Pages

• Calls-to-Action

• Forms

• Downloads

• Lead Management

• Conversion Analysis

Converting visitors can take many forms

Based on who and what you are marketing online, your conversion

process will vary, but…

Here’s an example of how it works

Marketing doesn’t stop once a lead is generated

Not all leads are created equal…

Creating Customers

Knowing When to Strike is Key Here’s What’s Involved

• Lead Scoring

• Nurturing or Drip Campaigns

• Email

• Phone Calls

• Marketing Automation

• Closed-loop Reporting

Converting a lead to a customer involves both art and science

Most visitors do not convert after the first visit, interaction or download.

Interested doesn’t mean buying today.

Leads Need to Be Scored

Leads Need to Be Nurtured…

So that sales can close!

Let’s take a step back and take a look at how this all fits together

Here’s a few ways to look at this process visually

A marketer’s job isn’t done yet

Once you’ve turned a stranger into a customer, you now need to turn them into a

lifetime customer. Or at least get them to help you acquire more customers ;)

There must be nicotine in your service. I can’t stop coming back for more.

Turning One Sale into Many

And Customers into Promoters Here’s What’s Involved

• Service Experience

• Customer Surveys

• Email Newsletters

• Deals, Coupons, Promotions

• Social Media

• Call Campaigns

Consistent contact, messaging and interaction creates advocates

Post sale marketing efforts turn customers into repeat buyers and repeat buyers into promoters that advocate your brand to the world.

Also, it doesn’t hurt to be awesome Or remarkable at what you do

And so the cycle continues

Marketing never stops. There’s always another funnel. Another offer.

Something that needs to be optimized.

If you want to learn more

< ----- Read anything by him

Or try it out for yourself…

Garrett Smith

Founder

Pitch + Pivot

garrett@pitchpivot.com

716-256-1700

@garrettsmith