5 Questions With . . . Alex Holmes

As part of our "5 Questions With" series, we interviewed one of our newest team members, Alex Holmes. As Director, Client Solutions at LeadG2, Alex focuses on the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, helping business leaders solve problems related to stalled-out growth. 

1. How do you explain what you do to those who are not aware of what inbound marketing is?

When I first get a confused look from people who haven't heard of inbound marketing, I explain that we use a variety of different tools and strategies that all work together to bring a company's best customers directly to them, rather than the business having to go out and try to convince people to consider their products or services.

I like to give people an example of buying car insurance—when I recently had to buy car insurance, I first talked to my friends and my network to find out what insurance they have and what they like, and then I went on Google to research the different companies. The Internet is like a popularity contest, and the companies that are answering the questions online that their best prospects are asking are going to win.

2. How did you get involved with digital marketing and inbound marketing?

I like to say that I got into marketing through the back door when no one was really looking. I got into it when I was in radio, because the industry was changing as digital became bigger and more important. We were eventually offering a full suite of digital marketing tools, and I had to learn how to use digital marketing and inbound marketing successfully.

3. Why are you such a believer in inbound marketing?

For a long time now, marketers have been trying ot reach the right people at the right time with the right message to convince people to buy their products. This used to mean putting the right ad on TV or radio. Now we're bombarded all day every day with ads, everywhere. 

Now marketers have to do something else to stand out. Today it's about providing valuable information that prospects and consumers are looking for. Inbound marketing allows companies to reach the right people with right message at the right time—when they're looking for answers to their questions as they are researching solutions to needs. 

4. What is one thing you would recommend to companies that want to get started with inbound marketing?

Research, research, research, and then plan, plan, plan. Consider what a surgeon does before he steps into surgery with a patient. By that point, he knows their medical history, their lifestyle, their symptoms. He knows exactly what problem he is going in to fix. An he has planned his approach—he knows what he is going to do before he steps into the surgical suite, and he has all the tools there that he will need.

You need to know your target persona inside and out. Understand the problems they deal with and what they want to accomplish. Then make sure you have all the tools you need, so your strategy is complete and will be effective. Everything from calls-to-action to the design of your content.

5. What do you like most about what you do at LeadG2?

When I'm doing my job successfully, it means that businesses in my community are succeeding. My parents are small business owners, and it's exciting and fun to know that I can help people like them. Knowing that helping their businesses be successful means helping them take care of their families and grow our community is really important to me.