The last few years have been different for a number of reasons:  lives have changed; the way we do business has changed -  with both of these having a massive impact on our approach to the future.  For the team at Bud Marketing, the influence has been far-reaching, as our customers needed extra help in moving from face-to-face events, to attracting more customers online with Inbound, then back to face-to-face events!

Ok, I hear you say, but what do big cats have to do with Inbound?  We already know that our customers benefit from our partnership with HubSpot. It was one of their sales courses that got us fired up about thinking more like a Lion  - and how it can help our customers to grow faster. 

Here are three actionable insights that you can adopt today.  

#1 Be LOUD

If you want to grow then you have to be heard.  Did you know that Lions are the only cats who roar together!  Lions are the only known cat species where individuals roar as a team - with even young cubs joining in with their mews. Prides often roar together to mark their territory and a roar can be heard from 5 miles away.  

Loud doesn't have to mean aggressive or pushy, but you have to be heard.  In order to increase your voice in the market, take a step back and think about how you can help your prospective customers. How can your product or service help them on a personal level? What would it mean to them? If you are genuinely helping them, then your call, or email, or post on social media, will be useful and appropriate. 

Think:  How can I help, instead of what can I sell?  Create a strategy for addressing more customers, where you aim to first understand, and then help - with or without your services. 

#2 Be Proud 

Living and hunting together can also have a huge benefit to your business. Lions are, in fact, the only feline species that live together in groups, better known as "prides."  If the pandemic has shown us one thing, it's that we don't need to do things in isolation!  When we have a clear direction and understand our value to customers, then we can be proud of what we have to offer as a group.  Wether you are selling, supporting, managing or directing, there is value in searching out others in the same situation - industry groups or channel communities are a great place to start, (HubSpot has a fantastic customer community, for those that are interested).   

And, if you're helping then you shouldn't fear rejection or feel like you are annoying them.  This is a big shift for many people who need to find new business.  If you have traditionally waited for customers to walk through the door, then channeling your inner Lion will really help. 

Think:  Who can help us to deliver this better?  Has someone had this problem before?  The answer is often just a click away. 

#3 Be Predictable 

One of the biggest advantages to thinking like a Lion is bringing structure and predictability to your growth.  Lions tend to assume specific roles in the pride; some may always hunt, whilst others may provide other valuable services to the group. I hear you, nobody wants to be predictable, except, however, when it comes to growth. If we were to talk about lead generation, customer acquisition, client engagement and competitive advantage - predictable is what you need!  

Structure has brought predictable growth to our business and it can do the same for yours!  Building an Inbound business from the ground-up takes time, and one of the best ways to get started is with a plan.  As part of our additional services we introduced an Inbound Business launch plan.  This service offers an introduction and evaluation of Inbound strategies, across marketing, sales and service functions - with everything you need to take the first steps towards attracting more customers and scaling growth in the future. 

Think:  What tools and processes can we use to attract more customers?  A strategy for word-of-mouth and referral?  How can we turn existing customers in evangelists for our business?

Anyway... enough of all the Lion stuff!!  Want to learn more about Inbound?  Find useful information and updates here in our blog, read more about our Inbound services or book a meeting.