There are a number of different opinions surrounding outbound and inbound marketing and the roles these play in developing a marketing plan.

There are those who believe outbound marketing is passé and suggest focusing only on inbound tactics. Others have done a great job of building up their outbound channels, but have neglected to develop any inbound marketing strategies.

Can you have one without the other?

Sure.  But you’ll get a heck of a lot better results if you incorporate the two.  Together they deliver a one-two punch, pushing out your marketing message, sparking consumer interest, and then drawing them in to learn more as they go online to research more about your product or service.

Outbound marketing consists of the more traditional tactics we as marketers have implemented for years.  And although the internet is now a part of our everyday lives, these off-line avenues are still very important.  Print, radio and television ads, direct mail, email and tradeshows capture attention and spark interest.  These tactics provide a broad reach and offer far more brand impressions than inbound marketing alone.  Outbound campaigns help drive potential customers online to find out more and engage in your inbound avenues.

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I just bought a new camera.  But what’s interesting, is the process I went through in making the decision to purchase one and which to buy.  A sales flyer I received in the mail featuring the newest pocket sized cameras sparked my interest.  I have a very large heavy camera, but with an upcoming trip to Disneyland planned, a small camera seemed like just the thing.

I took the next step, turning to the internet to read reviews, search social media sites and read about the different cameras on the company websites.  After several days of conducting my own research, I settled on the perfect one.  I just received it in the mail in fact and so far, I’m a happy camper.

If I were to ask, most of you would probably say you make a lot of your purchase decisions in much the same way. Something sparks your interest in a product or service, maybe an ad in a magazine or an email you received, and then you head online to research it a bit further.

Outbound and inbound marketing.  Both of these marketing tactics played a significant roll in my camera purchasing decision.  Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.

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Times are changing in the BtoB media world.  In just the last two years I have seen some dramatic shifts as publications have merged, some have shut their doors and others have emerged as leading magazines in their industries.

One of the biggest changes has been the transition from print publications to their digital versions. Many of these leading publications have already developed digital editions of their print magazines and others are well on their way to doing so. Some have chosen to go completely digital, phasing out their print editions all together.

A new “Communications Industry Forecast” was just released from Veronis Suhler Stevenson’s, a New York based private equity firm, and indicates that by 2013, BtoB e-media spending will surpass BtoB print spending.  With the transformation I’ve been seeing, this comes as no surprise.

According to the forecast, e-media will continue to grow and by 2014 e-media spending should reach $8.03 billion, growing an average of 12.8% a year from 2009 to 2014.

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As marketers, we spend a lot of time and energy in creating well thought out marketing messages for our email campaigns.  But a well crafted email message is only good if somebody reads it, right?

So of course, the most asked question when it comes to email marketing… when is the best day and time to send email?

With just a quick search on-line you’ll find there are hundreds of articles and blog posts with varying thoughts and opinions on the best time and day to send emails.

But the real answer is, there is no universal best day or time.  When it comes to sending marketing emails, one specific day/time definitely does not fit all.  What works great for one company or type of industry may not work at all for another.

The answer lies in answering the question, “what works best for your specific audience?”.

Test your email campaigns, analyze the data and determine what time frames are working better than others.  Reviewing email reports with results of previous campaigns will help you determine if your readers have any specific patterns when it comes to the day and time they open your email.  Do you notice any trends?  Is there a day or time that seems to get better results than the others?

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Or should I say, what’s your social media sign?  Are you an avid Tweeter or a more dedicated Facebook Friend?

Research suggests that Twitter and Facebook users differ based more on psychographic characteristics rather than simple demographics.

Two-thirds of daily Facebook users are fans of a brand, and about four in 10 daily Twitter users follow a company or brand.  So as marketers, it’s important to know why and how consumers are using these social networks in order to develop marketing messages better tailored to each specific audience.

A recent report from eMarketer shows that users that have the greatest focus on becoming fans of brands are motivated by trendy topics, entertainment and like the ability to publicly show support for brands.  Using Facebook to promote messages that are informational as well as entertaining can be greatly effective.

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