Guess what unexpected present I received under my tree early this year? Stilettos….nope!  A fabulous new cocktail dress….guess again. It’s better! Much better, actually.   I just unwrapped a fabulous new client — Michigan-based, Vibration Research — thanks to effective inbound marketing.  If your company has been ‘bah humbug’ about modern marketing methods, please listen closely to my inspiring holiday tale.  

Chapter One: A Guest Blog Post

My story begins 18 months ago when I decided to take my best shot at writing an engaging and relevant post for GROW, Mark Schaefer’s highly successful blog.  I understood that it would take an investment of time as Mark’s guest blog standards are extremely high.  But, I also knew that having my writing critiqued by one of the best minds in the marketing profession and the visibility would be fantastic. After a conversation with Mark, we settled on the topic, “The essential guide to hiring a marketing specialist … when you’re not a marketing person,” The post went live on June 20, 2013 and was a hit, receiving over 250 retweets on Twitter and well over 150 shares on LinkedIn.  It also garnered some significant search engine power, ranking Marketri for long tail keyword phrases related to hiring strategic marketers.

Chapter Two: A LinkedIn Message

In early November, 2014, I received the following message on the popular business social networking platform, LinkedIn:

Debra, 

Hello! I learned of you through your guest blog “The essential guide to hiring a marketing specialist … when you’re not a marketing person!”. It was a great read. 

Currently, I am working with a tech/engineering company that is in need of the “full-time, mid-level, tactical professional” you describe. We can handle that hire internally. 

However, they also require the “experienced, strategic marketer” to build a better play book than they have now. Are you available for that kind of consulting currently? If so, let’s talk! 

Chapter Three: Vibration Research Partners with Marketri!

Earlier this month, I spent two days in Michigan meeting the Vibration Research executive and sales teams to assess the company’s current situation and marketing needs.  After recapping my observations, recommending next steps and a submitting a formal proposal, I received word last Friday that all systems are ‘a go’ for 2015!

The sales cycle took less than 30 days.  Just to recap, during that short time, the following happened:

• A Google search was conducted and my content was found;
• The prospect located me easily on LinkedIn and reached out through the platform’s Inmail feature;
• A phone conversation was held;
• I was hired for a two day site visit prior to any face-to-face contact;
• Vibration Research signed a contract within a week after my trip to Michigan.

A recent survey revealed that 94% of  B2B buyers conduct online research during their purchase cycles. My holiday tale certainly supports this statistic. Inbound Marketing works across all industries and yours is no exception.  There’s no time like the New Year to set an intention, embrace change, and channel positive energy and actions towards driving results and achieving new heights.

Learn more about Inbound Marketing and incorporate this modern marketing approach into your 2015 marketing plan. Receiving presents in the form of new clients should not be reserved for the holiday season!

Thank you for a wonderful 2014! I’m grateful to all my readers of the UnMuted Marketer!  Happy holidays everyone.

If you’re looking to get a proactive marketing plan together, download our guide to Strategic Marketing Plans.