In your opinion, what do you think is the most overrated marketing tactic?
When HubSpot polled thousands of marketers and salespeople around the world for their State of Inbound 2016 report and asked them the same question, their responses were not surprising. The old ways of marketing have become outdated. The way we view outbound marketing has changed.
For years, marketers have relied on the consistency of “legacy” marketing, such as billboards, print, and broadcast. However, that dynamic is starting to shift; the old tactics are no longer effective by themselves. According to a report by MediaPost, the internet is now the largest medium for advertising in 2016, and will only continue to grow. (Source: MediaPost)
Find the proper mix
While outbound marketing is seen as outdated and overrated in comparison to the new digital marketing that is taking hold, it can still be beneficial if it's part of your overall marketing strategy.
However, it can’t be your only marketing strategy. When planning your 2017 marketing budget, the best thing for your advertising dollars would be to invest in both outbound and inbound marketing options, with a heavier emphasis on inbound. Both have their positives and negatives, but they hit different audiences at different times in their buying journey.
Outbound marketing is used as a one-way communication to advertise yourself to your audience. Inbound, on the other hand, allows the customers to come directly to you organically. If you only invest in the one or the other, you will have a hole in your marketing strategy.
If you invest properly, your outbound marketing will remain at the forefront of your customers’ minds, so when they find you organically through inbound marketing, they are already somewhat familiar with what you can provide. This can bring a sense of trust to your buyer.
As you can see, you can still continue your outbound marketing strategy--just make sure that you mix in the proper amount of inbound marketing to complement it. Don’t get left behind as the marketing continues to shift and change!
As time goes on, expect the percentage of your overall marketing budget to continue to favor an inbound strategy.
