What is Outbound Marketing?

In today’s competitive digital landscape, outbound marketing remains a key strategy for engaging your target audience. Proactively reaching out through cold calls, TV ads, digital ads, and direct mailings can help you initiate contact and generate immediate interest in your products or services. This method typically works well for engaging potential customers who aren’t actively looking for products but may be interested when presented with compelling advertisements.

Outbound marketing has evolved from traditional methods like radio and TV ads to include digital tactics such as paid social media ads. Integrating outbound and inbound strategies can ensure comprehensive audience engagement with your customers. This balanced approach can maximize your marketing efforts and drive growth by combining the strengths of each method.

Learn more about outbound marketing strategies, how outbound marketing compares to inbound marketing and the benefits and challenges of outbound marketing.

What is outbound marketing, and why is it important?

Outbound marketing is a strategy businesses use to initiate contact and conversations with potential customers rather than waiting for them to come to them. Cold calls, TV ads, paid digital advertising, direct mailings, and billboards are all examples of outbound marketing.

Also known as traditional, push, or interruptive marketing, outbound marketing involves “pushing” contact between you and the customer into the customer’s day, such as through a postcard in their mailbox or a radio ad while listening to music in the car. This technique encourages customers to make a specific purchase and builds brand awareness.

Outbound marketing is important because it is a key way to actively reach potential customers and create immediate awareness among a large group of people who may not yet know they want to make a purchase. It’s an effective marketing technique for businesses with broad-based appeal and a solid grip on their audience’s demographics.

How did outbound marketing originate?

Outbound marketing has existed for millennia, and some of the earliest evidence dates back to around 3000 BCE [1]. The invention of the printing press in the 1400s made it possible to mass-produce advertisements. Technology, from the development of the radio to the birth of social media platforms, has created new outlets for outbound marketing.

Outbound vs. inbound marketing

If you consider outbound marketing “push” marketing, inbound marketing is “pull” marketing. The primary goal of all marketing is to let potential customers know about the products and services you offer. How you do this will vary depending on your preference for outbound or inbound methods.

With inbound marketing, you connect with customers so they can look to your brand as a trusted expert and purchase from you when needed.  Outbound marketing prompts customers to purchase from your business even before they are familiar with the brand. 

The following chart highlights some of the differences between these two methods:

What aspects of traditional marketing exist in outbound marketing?

Traditional marketing involves offline media, including print, television, and radio advertisements. You practice traditional marketing when you place content in front of a potential customer through TV ads, direct mailings, and cold calls.

Popular outbound marketing strategies

Popular outbound marketing strategies include many techniques designed to reach a broad audience of people who may or may not be aware of your company and services, such as cold calls and banner ads. Ideally, these individuals will purchase when presented with the opportunity through direct advertising. 

When choosing strategies, you may find it helpful to conduct market research to identify your target audience before launching a campaign. This increases the odds of getting your message to the right audience—the people most likely to buy your product. When ready, you may consider the following popular outbound marketing strategies:

• Cold emails: Cold emailing is the practice of sending emails to potential customers who haven’t had previous contact with your company. These emails often include a call to action or an incentive to purchase, such as a discount on a product.

• Cold calls: Cold calls are similar to cold emails; a salesperson calls a potential customer who hasn’t had contact with the company before. These calls often include a script or pitch about a service or product. 

• Paid advertising: Paid advertising can include social media, websites, or search ads you purchase to ensure they appear in the feeds and results of an intended audience.

• Direct mail: Sending out postcards, fliers, and brochures are all examples of direct mailings. The interactive nature of direct mail can help your brand resonate with your target audience.

• TV and radio ads: Local and national TV and radio ads are classic examples of outbound marketing. One forecast predicts that advertisers in the US will spend around $100 billion on paid television advertising in 2027, underscoring its effectiveness [2].

Pros and cons of outbound marketing

Outbound marketing is an effective method of growing brand awareness, as it can make large groups of potential customers aware of your company. It also helps you alert your target audience to your service or product’s existence, which is the first step to someone becoming a customer. You also may find that outbound marketing techniques generate leads and convert to sales quicker than inbound marketing techniques.

A challenge of using outbound marketing techniques is the way customers limit advertising in their daily lives. Browser extensions can remove online ads, TV commercials can be skipped, and phones can screen for unknown numbers. Moreover, some outbound marketing techniques, like cold calls, have a poor reputation among professionals who disregard them as spam. Outbound marketing also tends to be more expensive than inbound marketing.

Thorough demographic research and high-quality marketing branding are smart ways to address these challenges while maintaining an effective outbound marketing approach. Personalized emails that offer value and highlight the benefits of your product or service can initiate a conversation with a potential customer.

How to get started in outbound marketing

Several careers exist in marketing, which can give you different pathways to enter the profession. Although you may be able to get an entry-level job without a formal degree, some education is helpful. For example, you can take a course or do your research to learn the skills necessary to work as an SEO specialist. Other positions, such as social media coordinator and public relations specialist, typically require a degree.

Through an entry‐level job, you can learn the skills to use in mid‐ and senior‐level positions. Here are some examples of these advanced positions, including required education and average salaries.

Digital marketer

Average annual US salary (Glassdoor): $74,629 [3]  

Requirements: Digital marketers typically have a bachelor’s degree in business, communications, marketing, or a related field. 

Digital marketers are professionals in charge of planning, creating, and implementing digital marketing strategies and content for online audiences. In this role, you may craft and execute digital ads, create online content, and implement social media and website strategies. 

Social media specialist

Average annual US salary (Glassdoor): $52,267 [4]

Requirements: Social media specialists may have a bachelor’s degree in business, journalism, public relations, or communications. Experience in sales and marketing may also be helpful.

Social media specialists create, manage, and monitor social media posts and ads. You can work alongside influencers, and may optimize social media platforms to spread marketing campaigns for businesses and organizations. 

Copywriter

Average annual US salary (Glassdoor): $72,118 [5]

Requirements: Copywriters have strong writing skills, which you can develop by completing a bachelor’s degree in writing, journalism, or English.

Copywriters write all marketing content, like blog posts, emails, and website copy. To be successful in this role, you should understand the organization’s branding and work with the creative team to ensure the marketing messaging for products and services are consistent.

Getting started with Coursera

Outbound marketing focuses on actively reaching potential customers through methods like cold calls, paid advertising, and direct mail to create brand awareness and encourage purchases. It remains an important strategy for businesses aiming to engage large audiences.

Whether you’re taking your first steps toward a career in marketing or ready to expand your knowledge of the profession, check out marketing courses, Specializations, and degrees available on Coursera. Digital Marketing Institute’s Digital Marketing Strategy and Planning Specialization includes a course that examines the use of outbound marketing within digital marketing campaigns. You can work at your own pace and receive a shareable certificate when you complete the program.