INTRODUCTION

According to the 2016 State of Inbound Report, companies face many marketing challenges on a daily basis.  HubSpot has cited that a company's largest marketing challenges are generating traffic and leads and proving the ROI of marketing services. 

Although there are other top marketing challenges that companies face such as securing an adequate budget, managing the website, and identifying the right technologies, it is important to focus on the top two challenges for businesses to thrive. 

So, why is generating traffic and leads so difficult?  As shown in the visual below, in order to generate leads, one must attract strangers and convert them into visitors.  These visitors will then close into customers and soon after, they will become future promoters of the products/services.  If a company cannot find the right strangers that will generate leads, this can lead to major failures within the organization.

One way to generate more leads is to build and promote landing pages.  In a HubSpot blog post by Lindsay Kolowich, she cites 20 types of lead generation content to put behind your landing pages.  Some of these lead generating ideas include e-mail subscriptions, podcasts, events, trials, demos, and even contests. 

The type of lead generation content ideas will differ depending on a company's industry.  It is important for each organization to discuss with marketing personnel which type of lead generating ideas will work best for them. 

The second largest marketing challenge cited by the 2016 State of Inbound Report was proving the ROI of marketing services.  The first challenge for many organizations may be deciding what type of software to use.  If an organizations opts for a marketing automation service, HubSpot may be the best answer.  HubSpot's average two-year lead growth is impressive, with their services providing 5 times more starting leads per month within two years. 

For more HubSpot ROI statistics, you can use the ROI Calculator to input your current metrics and get information on what your potential could be by using HubSpot software. 

Although HubSpot may prove to have the best results for generating leads that may turn into customers over time, it's important to note that there are other alternatives for marketing automation. 

These alternatives include Hatchbuck, Infusionsoft, Act-On, Wishpond, Ontraport, Marketo, Pardot, and Wordpress.  For a detailed explanation of the above mentioned software, check out the "8 HubSpot Alternatives for Marketing Automation" post on Inbound Method.  

It's no surprise that the third most common marketing challenges is allocating an adequate budget for marketing.  Generating leads through an automation marketing software comes at a price, which can make it difficult for some businesses to thrive.  However, there are many alternatives for software that cost under $100 per user per month. Also, HubSpot has begun offering a "free" version -- HubSpot Marketing Free. 

CONCLUSION:

If your business is facing any of the above mentioned marketing challenges, it's important to address these issues as quickly as possible.  Time is money and any time wasted can result in your business becoming obsolete in today's technologically advanced world.  If you are considering advancing your company in terms of inbound marketing, you should consider taking the free certification classes provided by HubSpot.  The more you educate yourself and your business, the better your marketing tactics will be, and the more leads you will be able to generate into prospective customers.