Inbound Marketing Explained (through Popular 90s Lyrics!)

As a business, you have to ask yourself: How on earth can you stand out in a day and age that is so centered around mass production? It’s no easy feat. Today, customers are harder to reach than ever before. Why? Because they have information at their fingertips!
That’s why so many businesses have thrown their trusty playbooks (outbound marketing) out the window and turned towards their future: inbound marketing. And while the future is shiney and unpredictable and filled with possibility, I quite like the comfort of reminiscing on the good ole days – which is why I’m going to explain inbound marketing using the best, most nostalgic 90s anthems I can think of!
Let’s go!

No. I don’t want no scrub. A scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me. – TLC

How many ads do you see in a day? It’s impossible to count. We have become so immune to them, we don’t even see them as they drive by us, plastered to the side of a city bus that we inevitably miss because we are too busy playing Pokemon Go.
What does that mean? It means that TODAY, customers have the upper hand on businesses – and they aren’t likely to make any quick decisions. Instead, a business has to impress the pants off of them in order to make a conversion.
Your business CAN’T be a scrub (also know as a busta). TV ads, cold calls, and direct mail will only have your customers singing, “No, I don’t want your number. No, I don’t wanna give you mine. No, I don’t wanna meet you nowhere. No. I DON’T WANT NONE OF YOUR TIME!”

“Don’t go chasin’ waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to.” -TLC

(Yes, I used two TLC lyrics. They deserve it! RIP Left Eye.)
To put it simply, outbound marketing (though useful with great strategy) can seem a little desperate. Customers don’t like desperate. Stop chasing people! Instead, ‘stick to the rivers and lakes that you’re used to.’ This quote encapsulates the meaning of inbound marketing. Instead of knocking down people’s doors for money, let the customers come to you. Share your business’s authentic self with them, and they will open their arms to you.

I don’t want the world to see me, cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am. – The Goo Goo Dolls

Businesses fear branding, yet it’s one of the most freeing things a business can do for itself. You see, with a strong enough brand, you can become anything you want to be. When considering inbound marketing, you have to be ready to take risks and show your true colors. Let the world know who you are by generating content (blogs, website copy, social media) that tells your story and sets yourself up as an expert in your field.

If there’s a problem, YO – I’ll solve it. Check out this hook while my DJ revolves it. – Vanilla Ice

Who knew the popular 90s rapper (and soon-to-be Dancing with the Stars star) was so wise? When generating content for your inbound marketing efforts, it’s important to remember that your business’s goal is to solve your customer’s problem. (If Vanilla Ice can do it, so can you!) Content that does this efficiently will have people stopping, collaborating, and listening – we guarantee it!

Hit me baby one more time! – Britney Spears

What was the 90s without a million brilliant Britney hits? NOTHING – that’s what. So that, and that alone, is why I threw this lyric in here. But in all honestly, it’s not a bad goal for your social media: do MORE of what people like, and watch them hit you back up every time!

I get knocked down, but I get up again – you’re never gonna keep me down. – Chumbawamba

These 90s lyrics are fun, and somewhat silly, but it’s safe to assume that they weren’t developed overnight. Like songwriting, inbound marketing takes creative talent, patience, and strategic thinking. If one strategy knocks you down, get right back up again – eventually you will find your way.

Here we are now – entertain us! – Nirvana

Inbound marketing isn’t just about finding new customers – it’s also about keeping them around. Once the new customers have arrived, it’s important to keep them entertained. The longer someone is a fan, the more likely they will be to recommend you to someone else. Always refer back to your demographics data and make sure you are creating content for the right audience, and pumping it out on the right platforms.

Hey now, you’re an allstar, get you game on, go play. Hey now, you’re a rock star, get the show on, get paid. And all that glitters is gold – only shooting stars break the mold. – Smash Mouth

So, what are you waiting for? Now that you understand what inbound marketing is, and how it’s your only shot at making a name for yourself in a world where Vanilla Ice is on Dancing with the Stars, Justin Bieber is allowed to delete his Instagram account, and there are chicken tikka masala-flavored Lay’s potato chips, it’s time you took your shot! What are you waiting for? You’re a rockstar in your field – go give ‘em what you got!

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends, make it last forever, friendship never ends! – Spice Girls

As an advocate for all things that empower females, I had to end with one of the greatest female anthems of all time: “Wannabe.” It is important that you know, before you start your inbound marketing efforts, that I (Jessie) and the whole team at Uptick are here to help you conquer your marketing goals. So, if you wanna get with me, better make it fast. Don’t go wasting my precious time. Get your act together we can be just fine.
Seriously though, give us a call – strategic thinking is what we do best! Let’s discuss all the ways to help you give your customers what they want, what they really, really want.

About Anne

Uptick’s Vice President of Client Strategy, Anne studied Advertising and Public Relations and Spanish at the University of Alabama, spending one semester abroad at La Universidad de Alcalá de Henares in Madrid, Spain. Her love for the art of language has translated into four published works, multiple speaking engagements, and also, marketing. At Uptick, Anne oversees Uptick’s internal operations, including four production teams (content marketing, digital advertising, SEO, and support), process development and management, and internal business strategy. The Birmingham Business Journal also named Anne the 2022 Business Leader of the Year.

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