Ah, barbeque season. I can already smell the burgers on the grill, hear the good laughs between friends, and picture the awesome summer memories to be made. But what does this have to do with inbound marketing? Well, as you set out to plan your stellar backyard barbeque, think about how the steps you take to make it relate perfectly to inbound marketing.

Plan, plan, plan.

You don’t just wake up and say, “Today I think I’ll throw a barbeque.” You haven’t planned at all. You have no food in the fridge, you don’t know if your friends and family are available, and have you looked at the weather forecast? Cloudy with a chance of failure.

The same goes for inbound marketing. To be successful you have to plan first. Consider who you want to reach. Are you trying to reach new customers? Do you want to maintain relationships with past customers?  Once you know who you want to reach, consider what your audience wants to know, and cater your content to their needs.

Send your leads invitations.

You put hours into carefully crafting your handmade barbeque invitations to perfectly replicate the Pinterest post you saw. (Now you’re just hoping the glue will hold up in the mail.) With those expertly crafted invitations, you’re bound to get a cohort of lively guests.

You should spend just as much time pouring over lead generation. Inbound marketing is all about bringing customers to you, as if they were guests at your party. It’s possible by creating calls to action. Have your leads “RSVP” by providing a form to “learn more” through eBooks or case studies. Then, craft an email that provides your lead with something of value—give them a reason to attend your party.

Make your content crave-able.

Oh, the sweet deliciousness of barbeque-style food. Burgers bathed in tangy sauce, fresh golden corn on the cob, and juicy, delicious watermelon—it’s what brings everyone to the table. That mouthwatering food is the heart of your barbeque, just like good content is the heart of your inbound marketing strategy.

In order to rock your inbound marketing, create content that compels people to visit your site, like the sweet, sweet smell of burgers on the grill. Create blogs that are so flavorful and creative that your audience will eat them up.  If you served bad food at your cookout, you’re not likely going to see any returning guests. Poorly written content is going to make your readers look elsewhere to satisfy their craving. Don’t let that happen to you.

Tweet it out.

#BBQ2015—all those wonderful memories made in the backyard usually end up stored in the virtual realm. Your guests are tweeting, favoriting, and sharing the most epic moments from the day. It keeps the good laughs going, and might even encourage more guests to attend to next year’s celebration.

Likewise, upping your inbound marketing’s social media presence can promote a deeper, more meaningful interaction between you and your audience. Instead of seeking content on your site, they’ll be able to quickly see it in their feed. When people see their friends and peers sharing your posts and liking your page, they might be encouraged to finally join your party.

Keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be able to give your inbound marketing a boost this summer.