Let's break it down with a simple analogy everyone can understand: Fishing.
What is Outbound Marketing? (The "Push")
Outbound marketing is like fishing with a giant net or a spear.
You get in a boat, go to where you think the fish are, and you actively push your tool at them. You throw your giant net (a TV ad) over a huge patch of water and hope to catch some of the fish you want, along with a lot of dolphins, old boots, and junk.
It's "push" marketing because you are pushing your message out to a broad audience, interrupting their day.
Examples: TV Ads, Radio Ads, Cold Calling, Email Blasts (to purchased lists), Banner Ads, Trade Show booths.
Pros: It's fast, and you can reach a lot of people.
Cons: It's expensive, intrusive, and most people (the "dolphins") are annoyed by it.
What is Inbound Marketing? (The "Pull")
Inbound marketing is like fishing by building the perfect trap or using the perfect bait.
You study the fish you want to catch. You learn what they love to eat (their problems). You create the perfect, irresistible bait (a helpful blog post, a free guide) and put it in the water. The fish, who are already hungry and looking for food, find your bait and happily come to you.
It's "pull" marketing because you are pulling your audience in with value.
Examples: Blog posts (SEO), YouTube tutorials, Social Media, E-books, Webinars.
Pros: It builds trust, attracts only the right "fish" (qualified leads), and feels helpful, not annoying.
Cons: It takes time. You have to wait for the fish to find you.
Solving the "Dilemma"
The "marketer's dilemma" is the false belief that you have to choose one.
You don't.
The best fisherman knows when to use a net and when to use bait. In fact, the smartest fisherman uses the net (Outbound) to send fish toward their high-value trap (Inbound).
Don't choose between "push" and "pull." Understand your customer, and then decide: do they need to be interrupted, or are they already searching for an answer? The solution is almost always a little bit of both.