Inbound Marketing and Marketing Automation: Report from the "InBound 2018" from Boston
Inbound as a sub-concept of content marketing
Inbound marketing is a special term that attracts web users like a magnet and entices them to engage in valuable dialog. Thus, inbound marketing stands in contrast to the unpopular outbound calling, which is carried out by health insurance companies, for example.With inbound, one wants to move from push to pull marketing. The term inbound marketing is strongly occupied by the company Hubspot, in contrast to content marketing, the general term. However, inbound marketing can also be implemented with other providers.
Marketing automation orchestrates the channels
Marketing automation, on the other hand, is seen as technology, the engine of the marketing machine that keeps everything running. Logically, a machine can't work without fuel or energy, so you need valuable content (texts, graphics, videos, podcasts,...), which is the gasoline or electricity for the sales machine. Together with inbound marketing content, the machine runs better, as content is produced more targeted to the sales process and personally generates value to the prospect.
Automates more than marketing
What is often misunderstood: Marketing Automation software automates not only parts of marketing, but also sales, services, and so on. Marketing automation can eliminate bottlenecks with the right processes and partially multiply the best salespeople.Instead of telling every new customer the same thing, a system distributes the information at the right moment. For example, the appointment booking can be suggested by the system and the customer chooses the most suitable suggestion by himself.
Culture change
In order to implement these 3 concepts in a meaningful way, a change of mindset and culture must take place. This usually happens as part of the digital transformation and "agile" marketing. Whereas in the past, with the exception of dialog marketing, a message to everyone applied in marketing, this is no longer accepted by consumers today. We expect personalization, a human touch, and at least the perfect personal address in the mail - otherwise the opening rate and the interest in reading on drops rapidly. The simple transaction, exemplified by Amazon and Co., is also expected from B2B SMEs.
Marketing Automation, the quintessential software
Scott Brinker, the marketing technology guru, wrote last month that CMOs - who manage technology in a company today - are ideally suited to be future CEOs. A year ago, he had written that marketing automation is quintessential software.After that statement, he became interesting to Hubspot, where he now leads the platform ecosystem with 200 integrated apps. Such apps are easy to install, are fully integrated and do not need IT projects.
Hubspot - a top tool for marketing automation
As an independent marketing automation consultant, I often have to evaluate Hubspot, so I was eager to learn more about it as well. Hubspot is very attractive for SMEs and is developing at a fast pace. Together with a partner, I was able to win a project and implement the first workflows.As with any new tool, the handling takes a little getting used to and it often takes one more click to get it running properly. But all in all, I am positively surprised how quickly you can implement the tool. Many functions are mediocre, but mostly sufficient (and we know, everything in the cloud evolves quickly!).
INBOUND2018 - the Hubspot Conference
So, as part of the conference, Hubspot has once again presented some News presented for example an integrated video function and the Service Cloud. In addition to the many new functions, however, the spirit of Hubspot should also be emphasized.24,000 people registered for the trade fair and what is taught and learned at this event is comprehensive digital marketing with the aim of developing business better. Those who have had problems managing presentations at Suisse Emex, for example, should know that at Inbound18 there are sometimes up to 23 presentations going on at the same time. This conference is pure inspiration and highly recommended.
Byebye Sales Funnel - welcome Flywheel!
CEO Brian Halligan had openly addressed the problems in the company's own sales funnel during his key note and presented the enhanced Hubspot Flywheel.
Compared to the inbound method, which led from the last phase (Delight) back to the beginning (Attract), this is still not much progress. Brian mentioned the speed of the flywheel and the need to avoid any friction in the sales process. This actually seems innovative to me and as a crucial indication of a change in thinking, even at Hubspot itself.* Alex Schöpf is an independent marketing automation expert, CEO of MAtech, Author and lecturer. He has worked on the client side for over 20 years and now supports SMEs for rapid implementation of marketing technology. As a studied engineer ETH NDS of economics, he works with marketing automation systems since these tools exist. In addition to his proven expert knowledge of Marketing Automation, he has a lot of experience in the field of digitalization as well as a high practical orientation.
