Why Old Content is the King of Content Marketing

Older ManYou don’t need more content. You need old content. I know, that’s not what you usually hear, so stick with me.

Old content is the real king of content marketing. It’s why established publishers still have a huge advantage. It is why new successful publications like Huffington Post or Copyblogger really aren’t all that new.

Better content isn’t enough when your competitors have good old content. [Read more…]

6 Best Tactics for B2B Lead Generation

Fireworks and Ferris WheelYou need to generate leads, right? If you are a B2B marketer, particularly one focused on making a complex sale in a large enterprise, the answer is almost certainly a resounding yes.

The B2B lead generation landscape has changed tremendously in the last decade. Today, B2B lead generation relies heavily on digital marketing and this list reflects that switch.

To make this list, tactics must be cost effective, measurable and scalable. In addition, they need to offer sufficient targeting for the broader marketing efforts of many mid-sized or large enterprise marketers. [Read more…]

Outbound Marketing for Modern B2B Marketers

Inbound MarketingInbound marketing may be the hot topic for B2B marketers today, but today’s big B2B inbound marketers are all active outbound marketers as well.

So how do you pair your outbound marketing activity with your inbound marketing?

Here are six ways outbound marketing can support and scale your inbound marketing efforts and some of the channels that are appropriate for each one. [Read more…]

Why Inbound Marketing Will Cost More

Joyful SimplicitiesInbound marketing leads, according to Hubspot, cost 62% less than leads from outbound marketing. But don’t expect that cost advantage to last.

One of two things is happening:

  1. Inbound isn’t really more cost effective. Maybe Hubspot’s sample is biased or methodology is bad, but for whatever reason, the 62% isn’t true.
  2. Inbound really is more cost effective today and early adopters are reaping the benefit.

If reports of inbound marketing’s cost effectiveness are wrong, then inbound today may be far more expensive than Hubspot’s research indicates. If not, it will be soon. [Read more…]

Balancing Inbound Marketing and Outbound Marketing

Join #B2BChat on Twitter every Thursday at 8:00 PM EasternInbound marketing has captured the attention of B2B marketers, and no wonder. According to Hubspot, leads from inbound marketing cost 62% less than leads from outbound marketing.

However, opinions and knowledge of inbound marketing vary widely among B2B marketers.

Dan Hanssel (@dannyhanssel) moderated a recent #b2bchat discussion on Twitter that tackled some of these issues. The result was not only some good advice for marketers, but also a window into the varying opinions marketers hold about inbound marketing, testing, budget allocations and more. [Read more…]

Inbound Marketing vs Outbound Marketing: The Real Difference

Outbound marketing is about interruption. Inbound marketing is about discovery.

But so what? We have all been interrupted and had it lead to something wonderful. We have all turned to Google or social media and discovered things that are completely useless or misleading.

So why is inbound marketing a better way to market?

The difference is friction. [Read more…]

Become An Inbound Marketer Without Creating Content

Inbound MarketingInbound marketing is all about your content, right? If you use the components of inbound marketing I have shared or the common definition centered on content, social and search, content is at the core.

Content is definitely one path, and the path most companies traditionally take. However, it isn’t the only viable approach. During Marketo’s Social Rockstar Tour presentation, they presented two alternatives to content in inbound marketing.

With more content competing for attention every day, is it time to add these alternatives to your inbound marketing plan? [Read more…]

B2B Marketers Are Turning Away Prospects

Staircase and Way Out SignAccording to recent research from IDC, lead generation is a top B2B marketing priority, and in the next four years Sirius Decisions predicts 75% of all registrations will be captured online. (Sirius Decisions actually labels this as inbound marketing, however I use a more limited definition of inbound marketing.)

One of the primary ways B2B marketers capture leads online is asking prospects to register for content. Doing it effectively requires creating content prospects want in a format that is easy to engage with while capturing the information you need.

However, based on recent research from DemandGen Report, marketers are turning away prospects [Read more…]

10 Ways to Kickstart Your Inbound Marketing Program

You are creating great content and your website delivers a great experience with a strong conversion rate. Your initial inbound marketing results are promising, but you need more.

Inbound marketing represents a major investment for B2B marketers. Not only do you still need to create content to capture leads, nurture prospects and support sales, you need to create sharable and discoverable content also and then patiently wait before you see the return on this new investment.

Traditional B2B marketers face a challenge. You have a proven marketing formula that includes investments in acquiring new contacts (or lead generation) and in nurturing those contacts. You want to change, but investing in inbound ahead of significant results throws a wrench in your budgeting and planning. [Read more…]