The first thing you need to know is that both inbound and outbound are two different ways of marketing. Broadly speaking, the main difference is that with the first, the customer comes to the business, and with the second, the business is the one that reaches the customer.
The appearance of this distinction is due to the fact that consumer behavior has been changing, especially with digital transformation, which is why marketing has evolved, giving rise to strategies that adapt to the consumer and their needs.
Whether when carrying out a digital marketing campaign or in traditional marketing, knowing the differences between the two is very useful. Below we will look more broadly at what each one consists of to understand it better. Take note.
What is inbound marketing
Consumers have changed their behavior. Nowadays people are looking for solutions to their problems; they no longer want to simply purchase a product. Therefore, although marketing actions were previously focused mainly on the promotion of a product or service, using this single methodology is no longer as efficient.
However, thanks to inbound marketing we can satisfy this public demand, since with this method it is the client who approaches the business himself. As? With strategies focused on winning over customers.
To attract these customers, communication is done through attractive content that really adds value to people, so that they themselves are the ones who are interested in what the business has to offer them.
Normally inbound strategies focus more on digital technologies, so some of the main channels are websites, social networks, blogs or newsletters and mailing lists, among many others.
Since the main objective then is to attract consumers, that is why it is known in Spanish as “attraction marketing”. However, inbound actions, in addition to attracting, can also be used to improve the relationship with potential customers and to move them forward in the purchasing process.
What is outbound marketing
After the above you may think that the outbound marketing -more focused on being a traditional method- may have been relegated. However, that is not the case. The difference is that outbound marketing is a method that is mainly dedicated to advertising -sometimes in an invasive way- what the business offers to its target audience.
That is why it is said that the business is the one that is directed to the customer, since its goal is to generate the desire to have its product or service. Some examples of this type of marketing could be television advertisements, magazine or newspaper advertising, or even telephone calls.
As we see, it is a traditional technique that before technological evolution was the main way that businesses had to reach their customers. However, people are now becoming more conscious of their purchasing choices.
Of course, this does not mean that this type of marketing is not viable, but the important thing is to adapt to trends and consumer needs, which implies creativity and innovation.