In the fall of last year, Larry Kim explored “3 Times When Inbound Marketing Really Sucks” in the Marketing column of Inc.com. As an Inbound Marketing professional, you might think that I’m afraid I have to disagree with his reasoning. I agree with the majority of his points. I have some additional issues to add.

When Inbound Marketing Works

Let’s first examine the times that inbound marketing is appropriate for a company. The following list provides a few main reasons you should consider an Inbound Marketing strategy.

It is essential to increase the number of customers you have and keep them.

You’d like to increase the number of leads you sell.

Your competition is way ahead of you in the search results.

Your sales team isn’t using digital sales tools to help win customers.

You can automatize parts of the sales procedure.

You’re looking to make yourself known as an expert in the field.

You’re trying to increase your reach.

Please leave a comment if you believe that I’ve left out any.

Challenging Assumptions

A common belief I get from my clients is that their prospects or customers do not search for them on the Internet. Larry does not believe this in his piece. Inbound Marketing is more than an instrument for generating leads. Inbound Marketing is a method of generating leads. Inbound marketing methodology is a plan of action focused on a client’s whole experience from a potent, real customer to a potential promoter.

Although the CMO might never be a lead, they are part of the team. Inbound Marketing can support all phases of the selling process, not just lead generation.

When Inbound Marketing Sucks

There are occasions where Inbound Marketing might not be the best solution. In addition to the causes Larry has listed in his article, Here are my top three instances when Inbound Marketing sucks:

The absence of an internal Champion Inbound Marketing is a process that requires a business to alter the way the business process is conducted. If there is no inner leader, the Inbound Marketing program may, at the very least, be unable to reach its maximum potential. Most of the time, it will be seen as unproductive and eventually put on hold.

Insufficient Sales and Marketing AlignmentInbound Marketing performs best when sales and marketing teams are aligned closely ( “3 Steps to Aligning Sales & Marketing”). Inbound isn’t something that can happen in isolation; it is required for a business to have a marketing and sales strategy in place.

A lack of budget While some elements of Inbound Marketing can be quickly done at a cost, creating an Inbound Marketing plan is like putting on an event that lasts 12 months. It requires a solid strategy and a team committed to achieving success. If you aren’t convinced that advertising costs are necessary for growth or don’t have a sustainable budget, inbound advertising is an unwise choice.

Will an Inbound Marketing Strategy Work for You?

This is an excellent question to ask yourself. This is why we take time during the selling process to thoroughly comprehend your business before we join you in creating an Inbound Marketing strategy. If you’re interested in exploring the issue further, contact us to request a free Inbound Marketing Evaluation. While you’re there, Download our free ebook, Going Inbound With Knowmad.