Inbound Marketing Lessons I Learned from my Dad

 

Whenever I hear the term “inbound marketing”, I think of my dad. He was using the basic Inbound principles selling AAA insurance long before it became the buzz around the marketing world. And the more I look back, the more brilliant I think he was in his approach to selling and guiding people through the insurance process. He’d say things like, “Well, if a person was was smart, they could do this or they could…” The prospect would then picture themselves as that “smart person” and how they could achieve their goals. He never was one of those slimy salespeople putting high pressure on you to buy now. Rather he positioned himself as a resource of information for your insurance needs. He understood intuitively how to be a guide. And at its core, inbound marketing is positioning yourself as a guide or expert. 

So what lessons can we learn from my dad when it comes to inbound marketing and positioning your business as the expert?

  1. Attract. Back in the day, leads were garnered through direct mail. I remember multiple times my dad would send out direct mailings with a reply card enclosed in a white envelope. My brother and I often sit at the round old claw foot table and help him stuff them, one person stuffing, the unlucky person licking the envelopes, and then someone putting a stamp on it. If prospects were interested in being contacted, they would send the card back, and then dad would follow up in the evenings via phone. Sometimes they were just after the free atlas, but most were qualified leads.

    Today we can apply Dad’s “attract” principles by creating videos, blogging, and sharing tips on social media that provide value to our customers, meet their needs, and not turn them off by being in their face pushy. 

  2. Engage. Once dad had a prospect on the phone or in for an office visit, he could share his knowledge and find the right product for them. Knowing the product, he was selling backward and forwards was key to find a product solution to meet their needs. Dad was also honest about any shortcomings of the product or service, which helped him build trust and repertoire over time. I remember him leaning back in his blue cushioned chair (probably a hand-me-down from my mom), talking to a client on an ivory corded office phone, joking and laughing with his clients with that big booming laugh of his.

     

  3. Delight the customer. Dad was organized and would keep a paper desktop calendar with notes scribbled on it in his cursive script to make sure he followed up and connected with his leads at the right time to get them any additional information. He provided helpful, authentic support and answered any questions or concerns they had. Now we can utilize email and marketing automation to deliver the right information to the right person at the right time. For example, send a thank you for signing up for your newsletter with a follow-up email that provides additional content for your lead to dive into. Then, tailoring the content on where they are in the buyer’s journey, whether that be awareness, consideration, or decision stage, and meets them where they’re at.

Like this article? You might also like…

January 2022: 5 Things to Share

January 2022: 5 Things to Share

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were filled with love, laughter, and joy and you're looking forward to 2022. This month I'm finding focus, feeling heartbroken by the Marshall fires, reducing the plastic packaging I bring into my house, watching marketing trends...

read more
Do’s & Don’ts: Mind Your Manners in Your Marketing

Do’s & Don’ts: Mind Your Manners in Your Marketing

Just like when you sit down at supper — you don’t start eating until everyone has sat down, received their order, or chew with your mouth open (a personal pet peeve of mine). In marketing and design, if you have good manners, not only will you show your audience...

read more
Do Spooky Unsubscribes & Low Email Engagement Haunt You?

Do Spooky Unsubscribes & Low Email Engagement Haunt You?

It happened to me one dark and stormy night. Someone hit the unsubscribe button. Boo, I thought! Was it something I said? Maybe it was my content? Perhaps it's dreadfully dull? But then I realized they weren't in my target market. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief....

read more

Do you need help designing marketing that grabs your customers' attention and engages them?

Give us a holler and schedule a complimentary 30-minute Discovery call, we’d love to help you reach your customers and sell more products.