Lead generation is the lifeblood of businesses today. Done right, it creates a steady flow of clients, instead of leaving businesses to continually scramble for their next sales.
To generate enough good leads to keep your business profitable, you have to market your services. Lead generation activities can be broadly categorized into two main groups: inbound marketing and outbound marketing.
Inbound marketing involves attracting leads to your business by creating resources that potential buyers will find valuable, such as informative videos and interesting infographics.
Outbound marketing traditionally involves advertising your business on a variety of traditional media aimed at proactively getting in front of your target audience and letting them know about your products or services.
In other words, outbound marketing is any kind of promotion where a company makes the initial first contact with potential leads. Outbound marketing examples include billboards, television ads, print ads, radio ads, trade show displays and “cold call” sales emails.
Here are six real-world outbound marketing examples.
Outbound Marketing Example #1 — Email marketing
An email marketing campaign is a series of emails that a business uses to communicate with current and potential customers while encouraging them to engage with the company. Email marketing has managed to stand the test of time, yet many marketers have failed to update their strategies since its inception. It’s important to ensure you’re sending effective emails that warrant your recipients’ precious time and attention.
Here is an example from an email marketing campaign from PayPal that achieved the primary goals of email marketing. This is a great email because many of us have been in the awkward situation of splitting restaurant bills with friends. The email encapsulates this pain point perfectly and swoops in with the perfect solution.
Outbound Marketing Example #2 — Billboard advertising
Billboards may seem like an outmoded form of marketing, but rest assured they are still working for many companies, and they aren’t going anywhere. However, they are getting more creative to capture people’s attention.
Unlike other forms of advertising, billboard ads are competing against extreme challenges, like consumers driving by at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, open roads and distances that can make them illegible. To overcome these challenges, companies are leveraging creativity. They want their billboards to be attention-grabbing, legible from a distance and memorable.
In this example, the billboard achieves all of those goals by breaking the mold of traditional billboard advertising — literally. Edna Reality played with the dimensions of the horizontal billboard to attract attention. The company not only had size working for them, but also 3D space.
Outbound Marketing Example #3 — Television ads
Ideally, TV commercials are produced in ways that inspire consumers to remember not only the ad, but also the brand and message. While many TV commercials are quickly forgotten, some are remembered only because they are catchy (think about the famous Wendy’s commercial with the line, “Where’s the beef?”).
However, memorable isn’t enough. Unless commercials generate leads and sales, they are not worth the investment.
At the 2021 Super Bowl, famous for the television commercials that air during the game, one that seemed to cause the biggest stir this year was for the Cadillac LYRIQ. The company created a commercial that paid homage to the 1990 movie, Edward Scissorhands. Acting in the two lead parts was current Hollywood golden boy, Timothée Chalamet, paired with the female lead actress in the actual movie, Winona Ryder. The premise of the ad is that even Edward can drive the car because it features driver assistance.
Outbound Marketing Example #4 — Print ads
In a world where digital advertising is everywhere, it is hard to believe that traditional outbound formats, like print ads, still work. But they do. In fact, done right, they still play a significant role in brand awareness and lead generation.
Among the best-performing print ads of all time is this ad for a WMF Grand Gourmet knife. Its creativity and message are so memorable that it speaks for itself about its success. If you need a quality knife, you’ll certainly remember this one.
Outbound Marketing Example #5 — Podcasts
An estimated 46 million Americans listen to podcasts every month, according to a report by Edison Research and Triton Digital. As their popularity grows, a growing number of companies are taking advantage of the opportunity to promote their products and services to the ever-expanding listener base. What’s more, a growing number of brands are creating their own podcasts. As with all branded content, reaching the consumer on a personal level is the key to success. Just look at eBay: Open for Business.
You might think that a podcast created by eBay, the online marketplace giant, would be about auctions and how to list items to sell. However, the global auction house is instead using this modern medium to appeal to the American spirit of making one’s own way in the business world.
The podcast is actually about creating businesses from the ground up. Hosted by entrepreneur and founder of Cofound Harlem, John Henry, the episodes explore a wide range of topics ranging from hiring employees to sharing your brand story. The host interviews business owners who have survived challenging experiences, so listeners can learn from them.
Outbound Marketing Example #6 — Trade show promotions
Trade shows are a common venue for companies to generate highly targeted leads. These targeted leads can help businesses build relationships and improve sales. Yet, it’s all too easy to blend into the chaos and be overlooked in your booth by the attendees. To stand out in the crowd of vendors and create a successful outbound marketing opportunity, you need creativity.
Axiz is one company that found a way to stand out and be remembered. It took its company’s mission of “building ecosystems” through innovative technologies and ran with it by building its trade show booth out of modular units. Not only is it a flexible design with an easy build-out, but also the block design provided a bit of whimsy and childhood play.
It’s easy to imagine a large number of trade show attendees walking into the booth out of sheer curiosity, thereby giving the company the opportunity to build a large list of leads of highly targeted consumers.
Outbound marketing can be a powerhouse when it’s done right. It gives businesses the opportunity to proactively get out in front of their potential customers with clear and compelling messages. The next time you’re ready to create new marketing opportunities, remember these six powerful outbound marketing examples.