How Do You Get Started with Outbound Marketing?

There are a lot of different marketing techniques and strategies that are prevalent now in the age of digital marketing. Some are more focused on finding the customers, and others on the customers finding you. So, for one you create the product, and for the other, you create the demand. I hope you are getting my point.

So, based on your approach towards converting the sales, your product, and the way you get your marketing game, we have inbound and outbound marketing. Here, I’ll talk about outbound marketing, its strategies, and how it is achieved.

Let’s Start with an Introduction to Outbound Marketing

Outbound marketing is the type of marketing in which the advertiser or the company who is getting their marketing done will focus on acquiring the customer by reaching out to them. This is very close to traditional marketing approaches like using flyers, TV ads, radio ads, and print advertisements.

The target is usually large and less streamlined. So, the main idea is actually to create awareness and brand introduction, which precedes targeted marketing. Due to the scope being so large, the tracking of the results is pretty difficult and also it is expensive as compared to inbound marketing.

I’ll Explain to You the Types of Outbound Marketing

There are different types of channels through which advertisers reach their customers or potential clients.

1. Online Advertising

Online advertising in today’s world is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to reach a large number of customers on various platforms like social media and search engines.

These are not very expensive compared to their effectiveness, and since it is designed and can be customized the target group can also be tapped in a better manner. And more than one target group can be aimed at by making very few changes.

With the help of advertisement analytics and other tools, you can actually track the progress and reach of your ad and tweak changes as and when required for better performance.

2. Cold Calls

Cold calls are another form of targeted marketing but here again, the target is not the real customers but what according to you is the plausible lot. So, making calls to potential clients to inform them or introduce your product or service is the idea behind cold calling.

Workability is a little uncertain because a lot of people do not like to receive such calls, and some get irritated and can even bash out. Nonetheless, companies still use this because they have a lot of lead generation via this method.

3. Printed Ads

It might seem like a rustic option in today’s digitalized world, but surprisingly that is not the case. Even to date, you will see advertisements of all big and small brands in newspapers and magazines across the globe.

Here people can also use niche. For example, sports companies can advertise in sports magazines, local newspapers can be used for niche marketing. Also, national issues can be issued to introduce your brand to a huge number of readers at once, in a very similar and simple manner.

4. TV and Radio Ads

This might seem like an obsolete idea but in a very honest sense, it is still not dying. The whole idea behind using TV and Radio ads is the use of emphasis.

We can use these ads to repeatedly talk about or show our ads to the target audience in a particular manner. So, the message, the product, and the brand reach out and kind of create an impact on the memory, creating a quick recall value of the same.

This is also because if we see or listen to something it has a higher recall value compared to when we read something.

Talking with the Icy Whiz team, Cesar Cobo, the COO of Webris, underlined the effectiveness of outbound marketing in the digital age. Here is what he said:

“Outbound marketing strategies, while traditional, can still possess remarkable effectiveness in the digital age.

It’s crucial to remember that though the platforms hosting these strategies have evolved, the core principle remains the same: it’s about reaching out to potential clients proactively.

With the advent of digital platforms, outbound marketing can be more targeted and personalized. By leveraging analytics and user data, marketers can make informed decisions on who to target and how to ensure a greater chance of interest and interaction.

That said, it is certainly not a one-size-fits-all situation. With consumers increasingly critical of invasive advertising and ‘spammy’ content, adapting these strategies to suit modern preferences is an important consideration. Strategy modification calls for a mix of in-depth consumer understanding and creative thinking.

Taking cold calls as an example: blanket cold calling may be considered intrusive by today’s standards. But imagine if we marry data analytics with this traditional method. This could take the form of targeted calling, where the prospects are carefully selected based on their digital interactions.

It could be someone who visited your website multiple times, filled out an inquiry form but didn’t complete it, or someone who consistently engages with your content on social media but has yet to convert into a customer.

In the case of printed ads, instead of generic billboards or printed ads, consider interactive QR codes or Augmented Reality (AR) elements that connect with digital platforms.

Not only does this offer an interactive experience, but it also allows businesses to track user engagement for future targeting.

TV commercials, despite often being seen as outdated, can be revitalized via digital strategies. Features such as Shoppable TV, where viewers can scan a code and directly purchase what they see on TV, create a consumer experience that is both convenient and modern.

Adopting the second-screen phenomenon (viewers using mobile devices while watching TV) can also bring another layer of interaction.

Elaborately speaking, the effectiveness of outbound marketing in the present digital age heavily centers around adaptation, integration, and personalization.

By considering modern consumer behavior in campaign creation and using new technologies to enhance traditional strategies, outbound marketing can certainly achieve remarkable success. It’s all about bridging the old with the new in ways that respect and engage the consumer.”

Benefits of Outbound Marketing

Since the target audience is large, with outbound marketing you can reach them very quickly through ads on social media, TV, and other mediums. You can make these campaigns as big or small as you like based on your allocated budget, without bringing any specific changes. Your advertised media can be tracked and even targeted based on the potential customer’s demographics, location, and other interests.

Testing the ads can be good and very easy in this manner, due to the easy interface.

In an interview with the Icy Whiz team, Tyler Browne, Founder/CEO of To the Cloud, discussed the importance of adapting outbound digital marketing strategies for successful business processing. Here is what he had to say:

“Adapting traditional outbound marketing strategies for the digital age is a topic close to my heart as a seasoned entrepreneur. Let’s consider the shift in the cannabis industry. Previously taboo, cannabis products require an innovative marketing approach.

The effectiveness of outbound marketing, designed for a one-size-fits-all era, can indeed be reimagined to suit our modern, digitally-inclined consumer landscape. Personalization is the name of the game these days, and outbound marketing needs to follow suit.

By seeing from mass outreach to targeted strategies, we can increase click-through and conversion rates. For instance, ToTheCloudVaporStore.com reaches out to consumers with personalized email campaigns based on their browsing history, not generic newsletters. It’s also crucial to distill the “interruption” factor inherent in outbound practices.

Instead of intrusive TV ads, we can turn to YouTube or OTT platforms, blending product placement with content that our audience genuinely enjoys.

Even a “highly intrusive” tactic like cold calling can be made effective through calculated timing and relevance, leveraging data analytics.

Visual print ads can be replaced with visually compelling digital billboard ads that direct users to immersive website experiences or shareable social media content.

This approach was successful for our “Vaporizer Comparison” campaign, nurturing leads and boosting conversions. In essence, outbound marketing isn’t obsolete. It’s evolving, borrowing elements from inbound marketing and adapting to a digital-first, consumer-centric world.”

However, Some Problems Are Also Involved with Outbound Marketing

Downsides of the outbound marketing strategies include the cost of advertising since TV ads and even print media are very expensive. Since it is large scale and not targeted very much it can look like it is spammy and unnecessary to some.

The primary goal is awareness and not conversion so it might be an issue for people who know nothing about it.

Tracking through some channels is easy but tracking via billboards and other such media is difficult because it advertises in an indirect manner. These are obviously in comparison to inbound marketing where the tracking is easier and much more accurate.

Also, some of the ways of marketing are way more effective as compared to the amount of money that needs to be invested to make them successful. These methods become more prevalent in some cases because they have a more streamlined approach and the targeting is better. 

We interviewed Tiago Pita, Brand/e-Commerce Director at Whole Food Earth, on this topic. Here is what he said:

“In today’s digital age, outbound marketing strategies need to evolve to match modern consumer behavior. Traditional tactics like cold calls and TV commercials remain relevant but require adaptation to digital platforms.

Personalized messaging, data analytics, and targeted advertising channels can enhance engagement and resonate with today’s consumers.

Embracing digital tools ensures outbound marketing remains effective in capturing attention and driving results amidst evolving consumer preferences.”

There are a lot of ways to do outbound marketing like the ones I have discussed above and others including trade shows, guerilla marketing, and cold emails. However, consumer creation through these is not as high as those achieved by using inbound marketing activities that are customer-driven and very customized to your product/service.

We have also seen advantages and disadvantages. So, keep those in mind and choose which type of marketing is needed to gain maximum benefit from the same.

Guest Author: Saket Kumar

Last Updated on May 17, 2024 by Pragya