As an inbound marketer, you are adept in all the inbound marketing methodologies, and you’ve probably put most of them in use as well. But you still aren’t observing that lift which you were expecting in your business? And now you’re here, wondering what are the things that you should be taking care of apart from those that you’re already doing, right?
HABITS! Yes, habits do play a very important role in everyone’s life. There are some habits that successful inbound marketers have developed in them, which you should acquire to keep yourself moving towards success faster.
Habit 1: They Question Everything – Why?
‘Why’ should be your favorite word just like many successful inbound marketers. You should question everything around; also constantly ask yourself – Why you need to do it? If you don't get a definite answer, that means you don’t need to do it! Time is money, thus you need to optimize it efficiently.
Habit 2: They Have Their Goals Set Right
Only 32% of B2B marketers said that they have a documented content marketing strategy (Content Marketing Institute, 2015)
Are you among them or the rest 68%? If your answer is yes for the latter, then my friend, you need to have a game plan, and if you already have one in your mind, jot it down right now. Writing down ideas as they come is one of the best habits an inbound marketer could ever have.
Habit 3: They’re Always Up for Learning
In our world of digital marketing, where trends and methods change so quickly, marketers need to keep themselves on top of the trends by learning new skills, developing themselves constantly and being open to change. You can follow inbound marketing influencers, read relevant books, take online classes, and follow industry blogs/news. This enhances your personal and professional development.
Educating your viewers and converting them into leads is the gist of inbound marketing. Constant learning and improving your knowledge base will also help you educate your leads and in turn leverage your business.
Habit 4: They’re Proactive
You need to make things happen, rather than waiting for them to happen. That’s what being proactive means. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Don’t wait for the right time. You need to do what needs to be done right now.
Plan everything and put first things first. Figure out what needs to be done, how long will it take, and prioritize tasks accordingly. And that’s what will drive you towards success in your inbound marketing campaigns.
Habit 5: They Always Focus on Metrics
“Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed” – says Dan Zarrella, author of the book: ‘The Science of Marketing’. Keeping track of your metrics keeps you informed about your progress and helps you take better data-driven decisions based on it. Also, keeping track of not just any, but the right metrics is important. Know what metrics need attention and work accordingly.
Marketers that calculate ROI are 1.6 times more likely to receive higher budgets (HubSpot, 2016)
Habit 6: They’re Not Afraid of Risks and Failures
If you try, you risk failure. If you don’t, you ensure it. Effective inbound marketers are always willing to take risks and they don’t let failure define them. Failure is a part of life and in inbound marketing, failure makes you learn what didn’t work for you and why it didn’t. Embrace failure and think of better options to be successful the next time.
Habit 7: They’re Okay With 'Done'
Companies that published 16+ blog posts per month got about 4.5X more leads than companies that published 0-4 monthly posts (Source: HubSpot, 2015)
A true-blue inbound marketer knows the value of time and is cognizant with the fact that he/she has to be very consistent when it comes to blogging. You need to insist on high-quality stuff, but at the same time you need to be highly disciplined. So to be a successful inbound marketer, always prefer posting at least one good blog daily rather than waiting it to be perfect for a week.
Now that you know what the habits of successful marketers are, start working out different things, of course, one at a time. Remember, small changes can make a big difference! And as you move forward, you’ll definitely see success follow you. I’m pretty sure you too have your own habits that have brought success to you. Share your habits with us; write to us in the comments section below. Be humble and always keep learning. Happy Marketing! ☺
