What is Inbound Marketing?

inbound marketing lead magnet graphic
Home » Blog » What is Inbound Marketing?
Free Web Marketing Consultations

Helping B2B Technology Companies Increase Their Lead Volume.
Serving: IT, MSP, Cybersecurity, Software Dev, SaaS, ISV, VARs & More.

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    Inbound marketing is the process of designing a marketing strategy that results in customers coming to you to do business. This is in stark contrast to outbound techniques which rely on you or a sales team reaching out to prospects to educate them about your services. Most business owners are familiar with outbound tactics such as cold calling, going to trade shows, and asking people in your network for referrals. Rightfully so. These tactics have been around much longer, are more intuitive, and for entrepreneurs with more time than money are a good way to drum up business without breaking the bank.

    There are limitations to outbound techniques though, and businesses should supplement their outbound efforts with inbound marketing. In this article we will discuss some of the outbound limitations, benefits of inbound marketing, and some techniques for developing an inbound strategy.

    Outbound Limitations

    Outbound marketing and sales techniques have a key limitation. They are dependent on hiring and training people to make outbound efforts, which equates to labor costs, and limits scalability. If an outbound employee resigns, then your sales and marketing efforts resign with them.

    There’s also evidence that consumers are getting weary of constant bombardment by outbound techniques such as cold emails and sales calls, limiting their effectiveness. Consumers are becoming more savvy and will perform independent research for a product or service before making first contact. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t leverage outbound techniques, however businesses today, especially SaaS companies who exist primarily online, should be supplementing outbound with inbound marketing.

    Inbound Marketing Techniques

    Inbound Marketing helps customers discover your business and drive them to contact or purchase using a variety of techniques. You allow customers to discover your brand and offering though:

    Once they have discovered your brand that is just the beginning of the buyer journey. Since there isn’t human interaction which yields a chance to ask questions and move closer to a purchase, you need to proactively reach out to the prospect and nurture the lead. This can be done with tactics like:

    • Remarketing
    • Retargeting
    • Email Marketing

    These move your prospect from the awareness phase toward interest in your product and service and get them one step closer to contacting you to do business.

    Inbound Marketing Benefits

    Although you lose the benefits of the human interaction element, inbound marketing efforts provide many benefits over their outbound counterpart. For one investments into inbound marketing provide and ongoing benefit and are working for you 24/7 365. Since content and advertising can be delivered asynchronously you add a multiplier to your existing staffs revenue generation capabilities, thereby increasing the revenue per employee.

    Happier Employees

    There aren’t many people in the world who would tell you that they love cold calling. Inbound marketing allows you to hire inbound sales reps and in some cases combine them with an account management role. This lets sales reps focus on providing top quality service to people who already want to be talking to them rather than the rejection filled exercise of cold calling or standing at a vendor booth flagging down people as they walk by.

    Conclusion

    Inbound marketing is the practice of developing information materials that prospects can discover on their own and that lead them to contact your business after discovery. Inbound pipelines serve as an excellent supplement to outbound efforts and can supercharge sales efforts. Leads and sales generated from inbound methods are typically much more profitable and inbound sales messaging can be delivered around the clock. Are you ready to explore inbound marketing for your business? Give us a call.

    Share This Article

    Hunter Nelson

    Hunter is the founder and president of Tortoise and Hare Software, a digital marketing agency for the technology sector and other lead generation oriented businesses. Hunter has more than 10 years’ experience building web applications and crafting digital strategies for companies ranging from scrappy startups to Fortune 50 household names. When not on the clock, you'll find him spending time with his family and pups, relaxing on the beach, or playing competitive online video games. See for more.

    Leave a Comment





    Recent Blog Posts

    Aesopians E8 – How SaaS Companies Are Maintaining Brand Integrity and Operationalizing Growth with HubSpot Ft. Mohamed Hamad Of Third Wunder Agency

    SaaS companies move fast—but if your branding and systems can’t keep up, growth can actually become a liability. In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, host Hunter Nelson is joined…

    The Ultimate Guide To ChatGPT SEO

    Most SEO professionals are racing to understand how AI tools are reshaping visibility. But the biggest shift isn’t coming from Google—it’s coming from ChatGPT. As organic search volumes and conversions…

    MSP Google Ads Costs and Pricing

    You’ve heard Google Ads can generate leads quickly, but you’re not sure how much to budget, what kind of results to expect, or whether it’s really worth the spend. Many…

    Aesopians E7 – Joining The Feel Good MSP Sales Training Program Ft. Brian Gillette

    In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, we sit down with Brian Gillette, founder of Feel-Good MSP and creator of the “Feel-Good Close.” If you’re an MSP leader who’s tired…

    MSP Advertising Strategy: 3 Fundamental Approaches to Drive Real Growth

    Is your MSP making effective use of your advertising budget, or are you weighed down too much by bottom of funnel advertising tactics that leave you in a perpetual cycle…

    How We Save Thousands With Negative Keywords For MSP Google Ad Campaigns

    Google Ads is one of the most powerful inbound lead generation channels available to managed service providers. There are few better moments to introduce your brand than when someone is…

    Aesopians E5: From Tech To Rep: Year 1 In MSP Sales Ft. Ashton Fortuna

    Most MSPs hesitate to move technicians into sales—worried they’ll lack the polish, confidence, or killer instinct to close deals. Sales is a different game. Techs solve problems with systems; sales…

    SEO Not Working: Here’s Why

    Lately I’ve been getting on more and more calls lately with people saying something along the lines of “we’ve been doing SEO or inbound for 6 months, 12 months, or…

    Why SEO Investments Help Your MSP Weather a Recession and Keep the Door Open for New Opportunities

    What happens to your pipeline when the phones go quiet, inboxes stay cold, and paid ads stop converting? That’s not a hypothetical. It’s what happens in a recession. Budgets freeze.…

    MSP Marketing – How to Build a Strategy That Works

    Let’s be honest—most MSP marketing doesn’t work.Not because the tactics are bad, but because they’re unaligned. What looks like a marketing problem is often a strategy problem in disguise. Most…

    The 10 Best MSP SEO Agencies To Help You Grow Organic Traffic

    If you’re searching for SEO agencies for MSPs, the list of generalists can feel endless—and underwhelming. Most SEO providers don’t understand the managed services space, much less the buyer behavior,…

    Why Your MSP’s Online Marketing Efforts Are Failing

    If you’re leading an MSP and investing in online marketing, you’re probably feeling a growing sense of frustration. You’ve put money into websites, content, ads—even hired an agency or two…

    What Makes a Great MSP Website? 5 Examples You Should Follow

    Your MSP website is more than just an online brochure—it’s a powerful tool for attracting and converting potential clients. But what makes a website truly effective in the competitive managed…

    Case Study: Cold Start To 2-5 Leads Per Month Via Local SEO For MSP In Canada

    Client Background A Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) in British Columbia, Canada engaged us to establish a professional online presence and generate a steady flow of inbound leads. Before working…

    Aesopians Episode 4: Leading with Cybersecurity To Spark MSP Sales Conversations – Featuring Michael Bakaic Of Iceberg Cyber

    In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, Hunter Nelson sits down with Michael Bakaic from Iceberg Cyber to discuss how MSPs can use cybersecurity as a conversation starter to attract…

    WordPress Out OF Memory Exceptions

    Recently I’ve been dabbling in programmatic SEO. I got an idea of rolling out a landing page to attract search engine traffic from every major city in the United States…

    Aesopians Episode 3 – Cold Email Marketing For MSPs Featuring Jeffrey Newton Of Cyft.AI

    In this episode of The Aesopians Podcast, Hunter Nelson sits down with Jeffrey Newton, Co-founder of Cyft and former MSP sales and marketing leader, to discuss the realities of running…

    Case Study: Sourcing 30+ Email Opt-Ins Per Month For Cybersecurity SaaS Startup Via Google Ads

    In this case study we’ll share how we helped a Cybersecurity SaaS startup source roughly 30 email opt-ins per month via Google Ads to help fuel their email marketing efforts…

    Aesopian’s Episode 2 – Streamlining SEO Content Production Featuring Raj Khera Of Make Media

    In this episode of the “Aesopians” podcast, we’re joined by Raj Khera, a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Make Media, to discuss how small businesses can transform their approach…

    Aesopians Episode 1 – Azure Cloud For MSPs

    In the debut episode of Aesopian’s Podcast, host Hunter Nelson sits down with Matt Hache, an infrastructure consultant at PAX8 and founder of Neon Cobra, to explore how Managed Service…

    Related Blog Posts

    Aesopians E8 – How SaaS Companies Are Maintaining Brand Integrity and Operationalizing Growth with HubSpot Ft. Mohamed Hamad Of Third Wunder Agency

    SaaS companies move fast—but if your branding and systems can’t keep up, growth can actually become a liability. In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, host Hunter Nelson is joined…

    The Ultimate Guide To ChatGPT SEO

    Most SEO professionals are racing to understand how AI tools are reshaping visibility. But the biggest shift isn’t coming from Google—it’s coming from ChatGPT. As organic search volumes and conversions…

    MSP Google Ads Costs and Pricing

    You’ve heard Google Ads can generate leads quickly, but you’re not sure how much to budget, what kind of results to expect, or whether it’s really worth the spend. Many…

    Aesopians E7 – Joining The Feel Good MSP Sales Training Program Ft. Brian Gillette

    In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, we sit down with Brian Gillette, founder of Feel-Good MSP and creator of the “Feel-Good Close.” If you’re an MSP leader who’s tired…

    MSP Advertising Strategy: 3 Fundamental Approaches to Drive Real Growth

    Is your MSP making effective use of your advertising budget, or are you weighed down too much by bottom of funnel advertising tactics that leave you in a perpetual cycle…

    SEO Not Working: Here’s Why

    Lately I’ve been getting on more and more calls lately with people saying something along the lines of “we’ve been doing SEO or inbound for 6 months, 12 months, or…

    Why SEO Investments Help Your MSP Weather a Recession and Keep the Door Open for New Opportunities

    What happens to your pipeline when the phones go quiet, inboxes stay cold, and paid ads stop converting? That’s not a hypothetical. It’s what happens in a recession. Budgets freeze.…

    MSP Marketing – How to Build a Strategy That Works

    Let’s be honest—most MSP marketing doesn’t work.Not because the tactics are bad, but because they’re unaligned. What looks like a marketing problem is often a strategy problem in disguise. Most…

    Why Your MSP’s Online Marketing Efforts Are Failing

    If you’re leading an MSP and investing in online marketing, you’re probably feeling a growing sense of frustration. You’ve put money into websites, content, ads—even hired an agency or two…

    Case Study: Cold Start To 2-5 Leads Per Month Via Local SEO For MSP In Canada

    Client Background A Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) in British Columbia, Canada engaged us to establish a professional online presence and generate a steady flow of inbound leads. Before working…

    Case Study: Sourcing 30+ Email Opt-Ins Per Month For Cybersecurity SaaS Startup Via Google Ads

    In this case study we’ll share how we helped a Cybersecurity SaaS startup source roughly 30 email opt-ins per month via Google Ads to help fuel their email marketing efforts…

    9 Ways To Leverage AI To Deliver Better ROI On Your Marketing Spend

    At Tortoise and Hare, we understand the challenges mid-market technology businesses face when it comes to generating leads and maximizing marketing budgets. That’s why we’ve embraced cutting-edge AI tools to…

    Case Study: TNHS Generates 30 Leads In 6 Months For DC Metro MSP

    In July of 2024 a Washington D.C. metro based MSP reached out to Tortoise and Hare Software for help with some of their advertising campaigns. This MSP was working with…

    Microsoft Loop Presents Marketing Opportunity For MSPs

    Introduction Microsoft Loop, a recent addition to the Microsoft 365 suite, is already creating buzz in the tech community, and for a good reason. With its native integration into widely…

    Granting Access To Google Search Console

    In this post we’ll show a brief overview of how to grant access to Google Search Console to a 3rd party marketing provider. What Is Google Search Console? Google Search…

    Granting Access To Google Tag Manager

    In this post we provide you with a brief overview of Google Tag Manager and show you how to grant us access to the platform as a 3rd party marketing…

    Granting Access To GA4

    In this post we will provide a brief overview of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and show you how to grant access to a 3rd party marketing partner. What Is Google…

    5 SEO Strategies for MSPs to Turbocharge Revenue Growth

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. For managed service providers (MSPs), developing a strong SEO strategy can mean the difference between…

    Top MSP White Label Content Providers

    Are you struggling to keep your content pipeline filled with high-quality material that truly resonates with your target audience? You’re not alone. Managed IT service providers (MSPs) often face the…

    The Ultimate Guide To MSP Website Optimization

    A well-optimized website is essential for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) looking to scale their business, attract more leads, and achieve a lucrative exit. A lot of MSPs check a few…

    Top Blog Content

    The Ultimate Guide to Hiring an MSP Marketing Agency

    Are you one of the many MSPs struggling to attract new clients consistently? According to research conducted by MSP Dojo, a leading MSP sales consulting firm, approximately 85% of MSPs…

    The Ultimate Guide To MSP Website Optimization

    A well-optimized website is essential for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) looking to scale their business, attract more leads, and achieve a lucrative exit. A lot of MSPs check a few…

    The Ultimate Guide To Paid Search On Google Ads For Managed Service Providers

    Generating leads for your MSP can be a challenge. You spend so much time managing employees, making sure customer support tickets are answered, procuring hardware, and defending against cyber threats,…

    The Ultimate Guide To MSP SEO

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most important ways to attract new business for mid-market managed service providers (MSP). If you look at MSPs that have achieved any…

    The Ultimate Guide To Setting A Marketing Budget For IT Companies

    Many IT companies get their start as a one-man operation and rely almost exclusively on word of mouth, referrals, and other organic offline means to get past their initial growth…

    Featured Review of Tortoise and Hare

    ryan drake president nettech consultants
    R.D.
    President Florida Based MSP

    Tortoise and Hare has been a key partner in our MSP's growth. Over the year's we've worked together they've helped our MSP dramatically increase our website traffic, and build a steady stream of leads sourced from our website and advertising efforts. Over that time, we've been able to raise our base customer size, build economies of scale to more efficiently service customers, and expand into new markets.