We do the creative thing: How creativity fuels inbound marketing

We’re all creative beings. From making breakfast to writing instant messages, to engaging in small talk with a stranger. Creativity is a fundamental part of how we move through the world, how we express ourselves, and how we map our aspirations. In other words, to live is to create.

So it should come as no surprise that creativity plays a vital role in business and marketing. Without creativity, every business idea would be a carbon copy of the last; every marketing campaign a dull presentation of product features; every customer engagement a tedious transaction. (Actually, considering a lot of the marketing and customer experiences out there, maybe creativity isn’t that common after all.) 

But here’s the thing. Effective creativity in a business or marketing context is tricky to get right. It needs to balance strategy with imagination. It needs to have a purpose. It needs to align with clearly defined objectives and offer a way to see if those objectives have been achieved. After all, creativity without measurable results is useless.

A key ingredient across all business functions, creativity is especially important for inbound marketing. This is because successful inbound marketing relies on messaging and visuals that stand out from the crowd. These elements need to be strong enough to attract, engage, and convert prospective customers on their own accord. Inbound marketing without creativity is like a magnet without charge. A paperweight.

Let’s examine a few ways that creativity fuels successful inbound marketing:

Creativity fuels differentiation

If you’re operating in a business landscape with competitors that offer a similar product or service, key differences between you and the next-best provider won’t be immediately apparent to new prospective customers. This is particularly the case if they are in the awareness or consideration stages of their buyer’s journey, as they’re still in the process of defining their problem and solution type, let alone comparing differences across possible vendors. With meaningful and unique creativity, your marketing campaigns will help your brand stand out from the competition far earlier in your customers’ buying journeys.

Creativity fuels brand values

In any conversation, how you speak is just as important as what you say. And while the marketing strategy will define what a given blog post, infographic, or video communicates, it’s the application of creativity that defines how it is presented. As such, every creative project is an opportunity to express and demonstrate your brand values, personality, and voice. If you’ve put the work in to develop a strong brand identity, investing in strong creativity will offer the dual benefit of showing the world that identity while boosting campaign performance.

Creativity fuels human connection

Customers who feel an emotional connection offer a customer lifetime value that’s three times higher than average, according to a recent Motista survey. Sparking and fostering that emotional connection requires more than a list of features and benefits — it needs creativity. The first impression of any brand engagement, whether it’s watching a video, landing on the website, or catching sight of a blog post title, will depend on the look, feel, and tone of the piece in question. All of these elements are a direct result of creative decisions made in the production process. Putting the time and effort into foolproof creative, strategically aligned with your buyer personas, will result in marketing that connects with people on a human level. In other words: more attention, more clicks, and more leads.

Creativity fuels clear communication

If you’re thinking to yourself that creativity only has a place in fun, quirky, B2C marketing communication, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, the B2B realm is rife with complex products, lengthy sales cycles, and many discerning stakeholders in a typical buying committee. But this is actually why creative juices are all the more vital — creativity makes it possible to express complex ideas with elegance and simplicity. Weaving a creative thread across a B2B inbound marketing campaign that leverages analogy, storytelling, and imagination will help customers understand exactly what you’re bringing to the table. Just make sure every embellishment is strategically sound and speaks to the type of person you’re trying to engage.

Bring your inbound marketing to life with a partner that does the creative thing

At Huble Digital, our creative team understands strategy. We know that our clients should never have to choose between a creative solution and a strategic solution; rather, creativity and strategy are two sides of the same lucrative coin. That’s why engaging content and inspiring design are essential elements of any successful inbound marketing strategy.

To learn more about our creative service offerings and to see some of our work, click here.