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3 Well Known Brands That Have Adopted Inbound Marketing

2 mins read

Thousands of businesses have adopted the revolutionary inbound methodology over the years. But have there been any real success stories from well-known brands? Of course there have. Inbound marketing isn’t just limited to small businesses. In fact, it works amazingly well for enterprise businesses too.

Blog 18 - Paige and Will

Here are three well-known brands who have adopted inbound marketing:

Nike

There’s a good chance that just about everybody has heard about the popular global footwear brand Nike - even your great-grandparents!

Nike uses a hybrid of traditional marketing methods and inbound. Their traditional efforts have included billboards and TV adverts of Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams, LeBron James and Tiger Woods in previous years. 

As for their inbound efforts, they utilise blogging and video marketing, pushing content through various social media channels.

Video, in particular, is a huge part of inbound marketing and will be for years to come. A great example of a successful video marketing campaign from Nike is their Labor Day “Dream Crazy” release featuring former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.

Not only was a full video ad released, but Kaepernick himself tweeted a black-and-white photo of himself, the Nike logo and the “just do it” slogan as well as a quote: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

The former QB is one of the leading NFL players who protested against police brutality during the national anthem before the games. The inclusion of him was a big gamble, as the protest divided the whole country. However, Nike reported a 31 percent surge in sales just days after its release, proving it to be a real success.

Starbucks

Coffee giant Starbucks are another global brand that utilises the inbound methodology. If you’ve ever been into one of their coffee shops, you’ll know that they’re very customer-centric. Whether it’s a quick conversation over an Americano or posting eye-catching content all over their social media channels, they’re all about interacting with their customers.

One thing you might have noticed from enjoying one of their drinks yourself or seeing them posted on social media is that Starbucks like to get to know their customers on a first-name basis. This connects to the customer on a personal level, enhancing their experience and increasing their chances of returning.

Which is proven by over $110 million worth of funds being reloaded to customers' Starbucks cards.

You may have also seen that sometimes the name on the cup is misspelt. Sure, everybody makes mistakes - even those talented baristas - but have you ever wondered if it's actually a clever marketing campaign for you to share it with friends and have a giggle over the false name they’ve called you? The inbound methodology can be utilised in various clever ways.

Dell

Founded in 1984, Dell is one of the leading computer manufacturers in the world. The tech giant has utilised savvy inbound strategies to get to the top and have always put a great onus on customer feedback and participation during the product development phases.

Now they roll out new product releases across social media channels and engage fans by asking them questions and encouraging them to like their posts.

They also use their Facebook page for a growing collection of interesting videos. Not only do they signpost these videos here, but they also push them out through Twitter where followers can interact and engage with them, sharing them to their own profiles if they’re intrigued and fascinated by them.

Video marketing and feedback aren’t the only inbound tools that Dell use either. They realise that customers want to do their own research when buying a necessity like a laptop or a computer that could be pretty costly.

So, Dell has a detailed blog, a newsletter and a glossy magazine packed with reviews from experts and other customers for prospects to sink their teeth into.

Dell is also introducing mobile technology into their marketing campaigns. This aims to attract greater response to their emails. In the short term, it has shown to work indefinitely, as on the day the emails were sent out about the app, there was a 500 percent increase on downloads.

Find Out More About Inbound Marketing for Enterprise Businesses

So, now you’ve seen how these global brands have successfully implemented inbound marketing methods into their campaigns, it’s time for you to learn how you too can do so.

Whether it’s something as simple as streamlining your email marketing lists or how to pick a new CRM to help you nurture leads, we’ve created a free comprehensive guide that includes various tips and helpful advice to help you.

Download it below.