You may have heard this word a few times now, and you’re probably wondering, what is “inbound marketing” really like? I’ve heard people describe it several ways, including “It’s like doing a bunch of stuff online” or “It’s how you get customers using the Internet.” While they’re true, that’s like me saying “Planes take you to 30,000 feet” or “Running outside helps you bump into your neighbours.”
So what? They don’t give you the full picture, and can be difficult to relate to. That’s why we’ve broken it down and compared it to something more familiar: learning to play the piano.
Inbound Marketing Explained: It’s Like Learning The Piano
Yes, it really is.
1. RELAX – You Can’t Master It In A Day!
When you start learning to play the piano, you don’t crack the spine of Bethovan’s 5th symphony on the first day (if you’re lucky you’ll get to Happy Birthday). Instead, you start by learning the different notes on the keyboard. It’s the same with inbound marketing – you aren’t going to be an online marketing expert on Day 1. It takes time. The cool thing is that you learn every time you blog, share stories on social media, and send out email campaigns. Everything is progress, the hardest part is starting.
2. Time Off Is Good.Too Much Time Can Hurt.
Just like with anything, if you spend too much time away from it you’ll probably take a step backwards. So, to keep improving your piano skills, practice the piano. It’s the same for online marketing – to keep improving your online marketing campaign, keep going.
How? Make sure you have a schedule for your inbound marketing campaign, as it will help you stay on track. What do we mean by schedule? Well, set some goals. For example, how often will you blog? Use Facebook? Measure your results?
3. It Takes Several Colours To Paint A Rainbow
It’s hard to paint a rainbow with one colour, just like it’s hard to play a song on the piano with just one note. When you play a song on the piano, you use many notes. And you do more than just that – in addition to learning to play multiple notes and read music, you have to work on skills, technique and rhythm.
The same is true for inbound marketing – it’s hard to be successful with just one tool. And because each business is unique, what works for someone else might not work for your business. As you learn, you’ll discover how each tool works for you and be able to use them together to master your inbound marketing campaign.
4. There Is No Short Cut
Have you ever tried to just sit down at the piano and play? What about the oboe? Chances are it doesn’t sound very good and can be frustrating. The same thing is true for inbound marketing. It takes time to get it right and see results. Realistically, it can be 2-3 months before you see significant growth. The key is patience – you can’t fake it, but you can learn it.
5. If You Stick With It, The Results Are Magnificent
It’s a great feeling after you spend hours practicing a song and you finally master it! The same is true for inbound marketing – when you start getting customers and generating sales from your online marketing efforts, it’s a pretty cool feeling.
So, what’s the biggest take away? You have to start somewhere, and to get better, just keep on going.
Not sure where to start? Check our our guide on how to get customers online.