It’s going to happen. I decided. The pressure from outside and within got too big.
I am going to write a book.
There. I said it. A book about Inbound Marketing. REAL Inbound Marketing. What Inbound Marketing is? It’s eh the opposite of Outbound Marketing, and that’s the traditional marketing in which we interrupt people at what they find interesting (e.g. watching a movie) because we want to shout a small message in their ears. More and more companies are switching their marketing from Outbound to Inbound, although I noticed that they still want to do a little bit of outbound marketing: when you download their whitepaper you have to fill in your ‘resume’ and they will call you in 5 minutes. That is what I call semi-inbound marketing, and I see it as a phase. REAL inbound marketing is inbound till the end: the customer will lead the dance. And to quote Doc Searls: “The market will have many more dances when customers can take the lead”.
.
The pressure from outside
I heard it more and more often: “Why don’t you write a book about Inbound Marketing? If someone should, it’s you”. But the most important pressure from outside came from the many marketeers who are still interrupting people with expensive Outbound Marketing. Marketeers that cry about laws that restrict them in harrassing their customers by telephone, mail or tracking cookies. Big LinkedIn discussions about how terrible the governments are treating these poor marketeers who are restricted in stalking their customers. But it’s the stalking that put us marketeers at the bottom of the ‘most reliable professional’ list. Am I the only marketeer that is not happy with this position? Don’t we want to change that? Do we want to wait till the next law restricts our hunting behavior?
I’d like to help the image of the marketeer by turning them from hunters to fisherman. Those who put authentic and relevant content online and wait till someone bites. Who show their real, authentic face on social media. Inbound marketeers. But REAL inbound marketing, not the semi-inbound marketing in which the sales department still hunts you, but only after you downloaded a whitepaper.
The pressure from within
I have had to accept it, there is a writer inside me. When I decided to start blogging, I had to push myself writing each next post. Now I see potential subjects every day, and I don’t know which to choose. It’s mainly an e-book from Jeff Goins (click here) about writing books that persuaded me to start doing it. And eh stop it again after two weeks. Because although writing blogs can go pretty quickly, I noticed that writing a book gets you stuck very easily. But then I came upon an idea that suits me: write the book in parts in your blog.
The Plan
So that’s what I’m going to do. From next week on, I will start writing the first chapter, in which the blog will be sort of a summary. I presume something like ‘Why Outbound Marketing doesn’t work anymore’. And I also would like some help: anyone that actively collaborates on my mission by responding to the chapter-blogs, will (of course) be sent the e-book for free. I’m curious. I’m motivated. Let’s start. Who will dance with me?
Edwin Vlems 
Kitty Kilian (@KittyKilian)
29/06/2012 at 20:38
1. Great idea! But why not write the entire book out here, on the blog? Readers will sharpen your pen and your arguments with provoking questions.
2. Why English?
3. You call the semi-inbound-semi-outbound strategy a transitional phase, but cannot the two coexist? Somehow I find it hard to imagine Porsche being sold withoud any ads.
Edwin Vlems
01/07/2012 at 20:52
Good questions, Kitty.
1 Actually, I am going to write the book as a blog. The first chapter is imminent
2 English because of the potentially larger audience
3 I think you will have to get used to the idea of Porsche being sold without ads. But that doesn’t mean you will never see Porsche in media, it’s just not paid media but owned media (porsche.com) or earnt media (stealth photo’s of the new secret Porsche, sent to you by the @porschephotos twitter feed)
Betty
03/02/2013 at 00:46
Howdy! This blog post couldn’t be written any better! Looking at this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept preaching about this. I will send this post to him. Pretty sure he will have a great read. Many thanks for sharing!
Edwin Vlems
03/02/2013 at 01:55
Thanks Betty, I like your previous roommate already 🙂
Tracie
09/04/2013 at 22:16
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was curious what all is required to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I’m not very web savvy so I’m not 100% certain. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Kudos
Edwin Vlems
09/04/2013 at 23:28
Hi Tracie,
Blogging is free! Just open a free WordPress account, find a blogging course / tips and see which topic makes your heart go faster.
Keep me posted!
Edwin
pink taco
11/04/2013 at 10:18
Howdy, i ‘m a blogger just like you, and was wondering if you ever experimented with those addthis.com social bookmarking buttons and if they will be any good. I noticed they do load a ton of code, so i’m unclear if its indeed worth adding them, due the massive raise of KB of the total filesize.
Do you have ever give it a shot? I am very interested
to hear what you think about that? Please sent
me a message to terese.eck@t-online.de if you have any knowledge with
those add-ons. Thx .. btw, luv the site since months!
Madonna
23/04/2013 at 16:35
It’s really a cool and useful piece of info. I’m
happy that you shared this helpful info with
us. Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Edwin Vlems
23/04/2013 at 16:45
Thanks Madonna!
http://www.Alphabeta.com/forum/profile.php?mode=Viewprofile&u=23366
14/05/2013 at 17:34
I have gone ahead and included a hyperlink back
to your site from one of my clients requesting it. I’ve used your website URL: https://realinboundmarketing.com/2012/06/24/a-book-about-real-inbound-marketing-who-will-help-me/ and blog title: A book about REAL inbound marketing? Who will help me? | Edwin Vlems to insure you get the correct anchor text. If you woud like to see where your hyperlink has been placed, please e mail me at: magdarand@gawab.com. Thanks!
Workout Nymphos
19/05/2013 at 07:59
Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Delia
24/05/2013 at 18:57
Appreciating the commitment you put into your blog and in depth
information you present. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information.
Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m
including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Edwin Vlems
24/05/2013 at 20:35
Thanks for the compliment, Delia!
Edwin Vlems
27/05/2013 at 07:17
Thanks Jacob!
Pintrest Chicks Filme
09/08/2013 at 17:38
Good post however I was wanting to know if you could write
a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Bless you!