Inbound vs. outbound marketing: Channels and tactics for B2B

When discussing outbound vs. inbound marketing, it’s important to understand the following quote from Belkins’ co-founder, Michael Maximoff:

The mistake most marketers make is thinking some channels, such as email and calling, are only useful for outbound marketing, while other channels, like LinkedIn and blog posts, are strictly “inbound channels.”

Each channel can be used either way. LinkedIn can be used in an outbound capacity to tap into a new audience through connection requests. It could also be used as an inbound tactic through regular posting.

So how do you know which channels to choose? How should you use them?

In this article, we’ll share the current best channels, how to use them for both inbound and outbound marketing, and successful examples from our own case studies.

Which marketing channels are best for your business?

Take a look at the channels that are currently available.

Are webinars a possibility given your current offer? Would case studies make sense? What about road shows, conferences, and face-to-face meetings?

Where is your audience? What kind of content and messaging are they responding to?

At Belkins, we build on whatever channels our clients use. If you’re using paid ads, content marketing, social media, and webinars, then we might complement them with calling, LinkedIn, and email. We’ll then integrate each channel, customer touchpoint, and message into a multistaged journey that builds your sales pipeline.

To manage what quickly becomes a complicated process, we connect everything through HubSpot. It allows us to track every interaction across every channel clearly.

Once you’ve got an idea of the available channels and how your audience interacts with your brand through them, you’ll know which channels work best.

Outbound marketing: Channels and tactics

The primary channels we use for business-to-business (B2B) clients are LinkedIn, email, and calling. We don’t limit campaigns to only these 3, but they do serve as core functions for our lead generation efforts.

However, using any channel effectively means aligning your messaging with the stage of awareness (aka buyer journey).

For example, you might send a cold email with the simple goal of introducing yourself and your brand. At a later stage, you might send an email with relevant links to a conference the prospect just visited.

A channel can be used in an outbound or inbound capacity. But it’s also used differently based on the prospect’s stage of awareness.

Here are the 4 major stages of awareness that we use for all of our campaigns, along with their outbound marketing goals:

1. Awareness: Make a new audience aware of your brand, your company, and the problems you solve.
2. Activation: Prompt a first (indirect) interaction or provoke interest from a new audience.
3. Engagement: Start a conversation or have some other form of direct interaction with prospects.
4. Conversion: Solicit a sales-related action, such as booking a meeting, requesting a demo, or discussing a potential deal.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most powerful ways in B2B to get noticed, build connections, and start conversations with your target audience.

Below, you can see tactical real-life examples of how we’ve used LinkedIn for outbound marketing at each stage of awareness.

While each of these examples is pulled from our case studies, they are not the same. We encourage you to use these as inspiration for your own tactics based on the client challenges they were used to solve.

Awareness-stage example: Video production agency

7 Wonders Cinema sought to expand globally but was running out of warm leads and referrals. Their social media presence, especially on LinkedIn, was lacking. Additionally, their ideal customer profile (ICP) needed tweaking to better match the markets they were trying to move into. They also had an underperforming cold email campaign that we knew would benefit from improving social presence.

We started by building up their brand on LinkedIn. This involved content promotion as well as sending out connection requests to newly defined and highly relevant decision-makers. The new ICP and content we put out served as the basis for improving their cold email campaign.

Activation-stage example: Health testing company

YorkTest, a U.K.-based company, sought to move into the U.S. market. What they lacked was a thorough lead research ability and overall campaign strategy.

We started by warming up the audience through relevant LinkedIn posts and educational content. After targeting them through cold email, we followed up through LinkedIn posts and personalized messages, appearing in their LinkedIn inboxes and feeds, pushing them to engage with the content rather than directly with a sales rep.

Engagement-stage example: Contractor management and prequalification software company

Appruv struggled with converting both new and existing LinkedIn connections into actively engaged leads. After carefully reviewing and further defining their ICP, we developed a comprehensive LinkedIn strategy.

Our approach followed a series of steps to drive better engagement:

1. Tailor LinkedIn messaging sequences to different segments of their audience.
2. Equip Appruv’s team with automation tools for LinkedIn outreach, along with improving the visibility of their content and ability to report corresponding data.
3. Create an editorial calendar that guides the production of unique LinkedIn content meant to resonate with their target audience.
4. Provide detailed weekly reports that share actionable statistics and insights, guiding both our teams and their employees on how to continuously improve engagement numbers.

Conversion-stage example: IT outstaffing company

Naym needed innovative ways to connect with high-value prospects in the latter stages of the buyer journey, when brand, problem, and solution awareness were already established.

We used LinkedIn hashtags as a research tool to find relevant conferences that their prospects were discussing or planning to attend. This allowed us to craft much more personalized messages that referenced each event.

By demonstrating a deeper awareness of the prospect’s professional interests and upcoming activities, we could then create contextually relevant touchpoints that resulted in increased response rates and conversion opportunities.

Email

While email campaigns work well for every stage of awareness, we find they often do best when used to complement awareness-stage outreach to help guide prospects into later stages.

Awareness-stage example: Solar energy company

Alectric Renewables aimed to expand their footprint in Ontario’s market but faced 2 critical challenges:

1. The need for rapid market penetration and a reliable marketing channel to increase their presence across different commercial sectors
2. Scaling operations by identifying business opportunities amid intense competition

We’ve been using email for a long time, and it’s provided us with an extensive portfolio of specialized email campaign types. This allowed us to select templates that were already tested and proven for Alectric’s specific business scenarios and ICP.

While most email campaigns struggle to produce real results, ours enabled Alectric Renewables to establish the visibility they needed in their target market through the following tactics:

• Focusing on large commercial buildings (warehouses) that were already qualified for solar installation
• Reaching out to the companies’ leadership, which included presidents, CEOs, VPs, and managing directors
• Launching a campaign that initially targeted manufacturing companies that fell into Class B electricity consumers, hence, they were prime candidates for high energy savings
• Calculating building roof sizes based on our client’s lead database and Google Maps, then using that info to personalize outreach to the most qualified prospects

Activation-stage example: Online continuing education provider

Cengage needed better email content (templates) to identify and activate potential partners.

We developed first-touch email templates designed to quickly qualify organizations by asking a single crucial question: “Do you provide direct workforce training?”

Once a number of prospects were already aware of Cengage, answers told us which prospects would be a good fit.

For positive responders, we suggested ways to expand their career training initiatives.

For non-responders, we implemented a persistent follow-up sequence, offering case studies and relevant materials to nurture interest over time.

Engagement-stage example: Industrial IoT Solutions Manufacturer

AMI Global needed to start engaging with the right decision-makers in the pump manufacturer and distributor market.

We started with thorough market research to understand the industry’s structure and decision-making hierarchy. This led us to define 2 distinct audience segments that needed different approaches:

1. Engineering/technical roles
2. Sales/business development professionals

For each segment, our writers built separate email campaigns with messaging crafted to address their unique priorities and pain points using the professional language of each group. By analyzing, segmenting, and personalizing content to multiple audiences, AMI Global began seeing much higher reply rates.

Conversion-stage example: Digital sales room

JourneyDXP was struggling to penetrate their market through inconsistent lead generation, ineffective pitches, and a lack of understanding of how to position themselves in the enterprise space.

To drive conversions, we implemented a 2-part strategy.

First, we crafted more compelling CTAs by asking prospects to reply with super simple responses to experience JourneyDXP’s platform firsthand. This frictionless message dramatically increased positive response rates.

Second, we designed follow-up messages using a “choice with no choice” technique that engaged prospects to either confirm interest or provide valuable feedback for targeting refinement.

These conversion-focused tactics led to (and maintained) a much bigger pipeline of leads, a higher reply rate, and 8–10 appointments per month.

Calling

We’ve all experienced dinnertime phone calls where some stranger attempts to introduce their company, offer a product or solution, and sell you right off the bat. However, we find that calling still works well to overcome objections, especially in the engagement and conversion stages.

Awareness-stage example: Credit card processing service

MONA found that targeting larger companies wasn’t successful because these organizations already had established merchant providers. So the payment-solution consulting firm needed to identify a more ideal target market.

We implemented a systematic testing approach across multiple industries, including wholesale, facilities, medical devices, transportation, retail, e-commerce, and building materials. The result was over 7,300 prospects added to the sales pipeline.

We then tested out different approaches, titles, and buyer personas to determine optimal targeting parameters.

Two months into the campaign, we introduced a research package where Belkins professionals conducted lead research and built lead lists. The MONA team conducted outreach by cold-calling leads directly.

Engagement-stage example: Commercial solar power service

Peregrine Renewable Energy relied on referrals for years to engage prospective clients. When it came time to establish lead flow from new relationships, they faced a number of challenges, including a less-than-great online presence, an undetermined target audience, and a geographic limitation.

We challenged the conventional wisdom of solely targeting CEOs and founders. Realizing that all building owners collaborate with real estate brokers, and that real estate brokers were much easier to reach, our team followed personalized emails with calls. This resulted in our calls often being forwarded to our target buyer.

Conversion-stage example: Urgent care clinic network

GoHealth Urgent Care includes multiple private urgent care companies. They had an overwhelmed and inexperienced team of sales development representatives (SDRs). Consequently, their sales follow-up process was slow and inefficient.

We employed what is often referred to as “intent-based calling.” It refers to a more targeted, personalized, and less intrusive manner of calling that builds on past interactions rather than tries to secure an initial connection.

Our team used calling as a sales follow-up method. While strategy and personalization matter when it comes to continuing the conversation with prospects, persistence is the key to securing calls.

Industry events and conferences

Conferences are great both for making your brand known and for forming initial connections, as well as for the activation and engagement stages.

Awareness-stage example: Medical technology company

GE HealthCare was preparing to showcase its Enterprise Imaging solutions at the prestigious RSNA conference, but faced significant time constraints when it came to securing meetings with potential customers. They needed a partner capable of connecting them with key decision-makers and making a strong industry presence.

Our team implemented a targeted pre-conference outreach strategy through email. It identified and attempted to engage relevant prospects before the big show. This worked to position GE HealthCare’s conference participation as an opportunity to discuss specific pain points and solutions.

The result was a successful conference investment that exceeded their target for qualified meetings.

Direct mail

Yes, physical mail still has its place, especially for companies that sell physical products.

Conversion-stage example: Power banks and charging stations manufacturer

Omnicharge lacked digital brand awareness, and most customers had moved to online purchases. The company also needed to expand into international markets, improve LinkedIn content, and market a physical product in a new way.

We developed a conversion-focused campaign that mailed product demos to prequalified high-value prospects. Because the digital space is so saturated, providing a more tangible touchpoint created memorable brand experiences that stood out from competitors.

Each mailer was designed with personalized elements reflecting the prospect’s industry challenges and potential solutions. We also implemented a synchronized digital follow-up sequence that referenced the physical mailer, combining email outreach, LinkedIn connection requests, and targeted content sharing.

Such an integrated approach worked well to leverage the initial impact of the physical product while adding efficiency and scalability online.

Inbound marketing: Channels and tactics

For inbound marketing, the channels stay the same, but the goals for each stage of awareness change:

1. Awareness: Increase the visibility of your brand among your existing audience or those who have already shown some initial interest.
2. Activation: Encourage further interaction and gather more information from your existing audience.
3. Engagement: Build up relationships and foster a sense of community with your existing leads and audience.
4. Conversion: Guide your qualified leads, who are already familiar with your brand and have engaged with you in some way, to take a direct sales-oriented action.

LinkedIn

For LinkedIn, the transition between outbound to inbound marketing can at first seem subtle. Once you’ve used it to establish a connection and start a conversation, you can then use it in an inbound capacity to reengage past contacts or improve brand image with an existing audience.

Awareness-stage example: Media advertising platform

Despite winning the Deloitte Technology Australia 500 award in 2020, CitrusAd was still new and couldn’t figure out how to break into a nuanced niche market.

We partnered with CitrusAd’s CEO, Brad Moran, to implement a LinkedIn Influencer Program. The purpose of the program was to address and qualify their current (very large) ideal customer base.

First, we developed an ICP, defining company size, customer base scale, average profit, industry specifics, current tools and vendors, and key pain points. This set the stage for creating relevant content for approximately 10,000 ideal prospects.

Each LinkedIn post generated 10,000–20,000 views, dramatically boosting their LinkedIn profile’s popularity and facilitating connections with high-value potential clients.

Activation-stage example: Brand agency

Born & Bred, a San Francisco-based creative agency, had steady organic growth but faced challenges when it came to scaling. Two in particular were holding them back:

• Better lead nurturing to increase the number of clients
• An overwhelming number of sales processes for their small team

In collaboration with Kyle Merwin, we implemented LinkedIn influencer marketing centered around the agency’s leadership. With their team, we developed professional visuals for their posts designed to trigger brand interaction.

Additionally, we leveraged LinkedIn InMail messages to connect with prospects who engaged with the client’s content on the platform.

Engagement-stage example: Media advertising platform

Once we had gained the attention of CitrusAd’s ICP on LinkedIn, we sought to deepen the relationships.

We monitored posts’ interactions and communities where CitrusAd was active. After identifying engagement opportunities, we started sending out handcrafted LinkedIn templates. The idea (and result) sparked direct conversations with various titles within enterprise organizations.

Conversion-stage example: Digital transformation service

Maark, being a new company, urgently needed to increase sales and revenue.

We conducted LinkedIn outreach for multiple stages of awareness, including direct messages to get prospects to book consultations.

The process began with sending personalized connection requests to identified decision-makers. After they accepted, we’d ask about their experience with Adobe Experience Cloud.

Email

Email campaigns are often thought of as starting cold and then “nurturing” prospects through a series of spammy follow-ups. Below, we share some examples of campaigns that target specific problems.

Activation-stage example: Consumer trends research company

Ebco had trouble overcoming their long sales cycle, lack of tangible results to share through case studies and outbound messaging, and outdated lead generation strategies.

We first conducted what we called “Find the Right Approach for Each Email Sequence” — our way of testing different ways to get past spam filters. It also included testing to see if we could reengage leads through feedback-based content.

Here are some of the core tactics we used:

• Test long- and short-form copy.
• Give each sequence a different story arc.
• A/B test different content inclusions in the emails, such as case studies, multimedia, and testimonials.

The end result was tested email templates that ensured high click-through and reply rates.

Engagement-stage example: Digital library of peer-reviewed journal articles

DeepDyve lacked product awareness and knowledge of where to find qualified leads.

After 6 months of testing, we implemented a prequalification strategy by sending information decks to prospects before trying to schedule calls. This significantly shortened the qualification timeline and increased their conversion rate.

We then created cold email templates for 2 distinct audience segments — STM (science, technology, medicine) and social sciences. We personalized each template for different social groups, such as senior researchers and professors.

Our communication style deliberately avoided sales-focused language, instead adopting a sincere, friendly tone.

The combination of sending information ahead of time, segmenting the audience, and adjusting the tone of messaging kick-started dialogues that led to qualified appointments.

Conversion-stage example: Minicomputer manufacturer

Simply NUC needed to maintain a steady flow of qualified leads while keeping lead nurturing and closing in-house. We implemented a 3-part strategy.

First, we conducted lead research that extended beyond small and mobile businesses into global companies across multiple sectors. All of these could benefit from minicomputers.

Second, we conducted outreach with simple templates that leveraged referral names, effectively testing initial engagement.

Third, after gaining traction, we refined the whole approach to focus exclusively on the industries that demonstrated the highest open and reply rates. This narrower focus enabled us to craft original, more personalized emails that drove higher conversion rates.

Calling

Here we share 2 examples from the same client on how we used intent-based calling to both nurture engagement and book appointments.

Engagement-stage example: Startup investment platform

Our client had a high-volume email campaign, but it wasn’t generating meaningful engagement and produced both low conversion rates and a frustrated sales team.

As part of an omnichannel campaign, we implemented an intent-based calling strategy as a follow-up with prospects we had previously reached out to through email or LinkedIn.

It began with testing different time slots in the prospect’s time zone to optimize call times. Once we discovered that midday yielded the highest pickup rates, we added a brief waiting period before making calls based on the level of intent:

• Immediate outreach for cold calls
• 1–2 days after LinkedIn connection acceptance to allow for lead exports and phone verification
• 2 days after active email exchanges that went quiet

Additionally, we called prospects who missed scheduled meetings to offer rescheduling opportunities.

To maintain persistence without overwhelming leads, we limited our attempts to 2–3 calls per prospect before marking them as nonresponsive. This calibrated calling strategy successfully reactivated prospects who might otherwise have been lost.

Conversion-stage example: Startup investment platform

Once we had fully engaged prospects, we continued our call strategy to convert engaged prospects into scheduled meetings.

Our conversion strategy emphasized script adaptation and personalization. While maintaining consistency in our core message, our SDRs could personalize conversations based on prospect responses.

We also developed effective techniques for handling the most common objections:

• For prospects who didn’t remember previous interactions, we offered quick overviews with immediate appointment settings.
• For those too busy to talk, we suggested contacting alternative decision-makers.
• For confused or aggressive responses, we clarified the value proposition related to their specific funding stage.
• For those ready to proceed, we proposed specific meeting times in their time zones.

This objection-handling framework improved our ability to convert engagement into actual appointments.

Blog content

Blog content can attract new audiences (outbound) through Google searches, or be shared through existing social and email channels (inbound).

Activation-stage example: How to map the omnichannel customer journey

Once prospects have clicked the link to any article and then spent time on the page reading, they’ve signaled interest through indirect engagement. Our job is to encourage further interaction.

For instance, the blog post “How to map an omnichannel customer journey” was structured to guide readers through actionable steps for mapping out complex customer behavior. It directly addresses the pain points we hear most often from clients.

The more time the prospect spends on the page, the more it shows they’re interested in this topic and how we solve it. The more it makes sense to reach out to continue the conversation.

We invite readers to take the next step by embedding CTAs throughout the content:

• Download a free resource for deeper insights.
• Subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on similar topics.

One of the great things about SEO content is that searchers who already know your brand will be curious about what you have to say about relevant topics.

📚 Relevant reading: Why bottom-of-the-funnel SEO is the game-changer your B2B needs

Integrate your outbound and inbound marketing with an omnichannel campaign

Integrating everything is not simple. It requires the following major tasks and changes:

• Breaking down silos between your marketing and sales departments and giving them shared goals
• Relying on highly trained SDRs to masterfully manage interaction across different channels and stages while leveraging AI, other software tools, and human interaction
• Using a single source of truth, such as HubSpot or some other customer relationship management (CRM) tool

Start with the tech side of things. Set up tracking and marketing forms to pool all the data from your social media, website, tech tools, email campaigns, contact list, and everything else into one database.

Next, map out the touchpoints to get a clear picture of how, where, and when prospects are interacting with your brand. Look at the number of touchpoints. How many are you getting through social? How many touches does it take through email to get a reply? How many are needed to achieve a sale?

When you’re able to see everything at the contact-list level, you can assign different stages of the lead life cycle, from marketing-qualified lead (MQL) to sales-qualified lead (SQL), etc. You’re also able to see their current lead status in relation to their stage of awareness, which will tell you what kind of message to send next.

Triggers and alerts notify you when a prospect engages your brand on a specific channel, prompting you to reach out through another. For instance, if they read a case study on your website, a salesperson could send a personalized email or make a call.

The trick is to track and associate everything through a single visual pipeline. This is how you bring inbound and outbound marketing together in a way that always drives revenue.