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MARKETING BEST PRACTICES
Why Allbound Marketing Is the Security Industry’s Secret Weapon
While outbound marketing has long been a mainstay for security companies — think cold calls, trade shows and advertisements — modern approaches like inbound marketing, where the goal is to be found by potential clients, have also gained ground. However, an “either/or” mindset might limit your opportunities.
Enter allbound marketing: a hybrid strategy that blends the best of both worlds. For the security industry, it’s quickly becoming the secret weapon to drive more leads and close more deals.
The Problem With Outbound Alone (or Inbound Alone)
Outbound marketing, while effective for immediate attention, can often feel like throwing a rock at potential customers to grab their interest. Whether through advertisements, trade show booths or direct mail, the reach is broad but it can be costly and less targeted. Conversely, inbound marketing, which focuses on being found by prospects when they’re ready — such as through content marketing, SEO and social media — can generate highly qualified leads. But inbound alone can take time to build momentum and doesn't always guarantee instant sales.
In an industry as competitive and nuanced as security, waiting months for inbound leads to convert is impractical for many companies. You need action now. But how can you balance the quick results of outbound with the long-term sustainability of inbound? That’s where allbound marketing shines.
David Morgan and Alex Chavez are co-founders of Security Dealer Marketing, a full-service marketing agency for the security industry, servicing dealers, integrators, manufacturers and other industry professionals. Visit Security Dealer Marketing at
sd.marketing.
Why Allbound Marketing Is Perfect for the Security Industry
The security market has its own unique challenges. Dealers, integrators and manufacturers are working in a field where trust and relationship-building are paramount. Whether you’re selling surveillance cameras, access control systems or guard services, the buying process isn’t usually a quick, one-off transaction. Companies and organizations want to know they’re partnering with a brand they can trust to safeguard their property and people.
Allbound marketing allows you to take a more comprehensive approach by combining the immediate reach of outbound marketing with the relationship-building capabilities of inbound. With this blended strategy, you can effectively attract, nurture and close leads in a way that suits the unique sales cycle of the security industry.
‘Allbound marketing allows you to take a more comprehensive approach by combining the immediate reach of outbound marketing with the relationship-building capabilities of inbound.’
Key Strategies for Allbound Marketing in Security
Here are a few ways security companies can use allbound marketing to enhance their lead generation and conversion efforts:
1. Leverage trade shows to build your inbound pipeline
Security dealers and integrators often attend trade shows to showcase their latest technologies. These events are a prime example of traditional outbound marketing, offering face-to-face opportunities to capture attention. But why stop there? Instead of just focusing on the moment, use these events to build your inbound pipeline. Collect contact details, invite attendees to sign up for newsletters, and direct them to follow your social media channels or download exclusive content. This way, once the trade show is over, you continue engaging these prospects with inbound tactics, nurturing them toward a sale.
2. Combine TV ads with digital campaigns
TV commercials may seem outdated, but they still hold a lot of weight, especially when paired with a digital strategy. Imagine running a commercial during prime time, showcasing your latest mobile surveillance trailer or access control solution. Now, during that same ad, direct viewers to visit your website or follow you on social media for more details. This allbound tactic takes the wide reach of outbound (the TV ad) and funnels the interest generated into inbound channels where the conversation can continue.
3. Email campaigns: nurture & close simultaneously
Email marketing is a powerful inbound tool, allowing you to educate prospects over time. But you can boost the effectiveness by adding an outbound twist. Once you’ve nurtured leads through helpful content — such as blog posts about improving security or product updates — use an email campaign to invite them to a live demo or exclusive webinar where they can engage directly with your sales team. This outbound effort encourages quicker action while riding the wave of trust already built through inbound efforts.
Why Allbound Is More Than Just a Buzzword
If you’re wondering whether this is just another marketing fad, it’s not. Allbound marketing works because it leverages both proactive and reactive approaches. For a security company, this means you’re always ready to catch opportunities from every angle. You’re casting a wider net while also ensuring that the leads you catch are nurtured and guided through your sales funnel.
Security is a high-stakes industry. Decision-makers often have layers of approvals, security assessments and budget constraints to work through. A purely inbound strategy might leave you waiting months for a prospect to convert, while a purely outbound approach can miss the mark in terms of building trust and authority. Combining the two ensures you’re engaging leads wherever they are in their buyer’s journey.
Closing More Deals, Faster
Allbound marketing isn’t about doing more for the sake of doing more. It’s about doing the right things at the right time. By blending outbound’s reach and inbound’s personalization, you create a strategy that works smarter, not harder. Security dealers and integrators using allbound marketing can expect to see more qualified leads and better conversion rates. More importantly, this approach builds relationships, fostering trust while keeping your company top of mind.
In a trust-based industry like security, the combination of outbound and inbound marketing — aka allbound — is not just an option; it’s a necessity. By leveraging both strategies, you can generate leads, build relationships, and close deals faster, making it the ultimate secret weapon for your business. //
