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Marketing automation means using software to automate and simplify tasks that otherwise would take a lot of daily time and effort. Tasks like sending email drip campaigns and follow-up messages, posting on social media, and refilling the coffee pot. (Well, not the coffee pot. Yet.) Everything you need for customer relationship management can be done with a marketing automation strategy.
The right marketing automation platform solutions can help any company get organized, increase sales, improve the customer experience and save a tremendous amount of time. They can be a real game-changer for small businesses.
So let's take a closer look at how marketing automation systems work.
We all have that list of manual, repetitive tasks: reminders, follow-ups, reporting, drafting emails. These tasks aren’t difficult, but they distract you from the more meaningful to-dos that can have a bigger impact on the bottom line.
With marketing automation, you can set those manual processes up once and forget about them. Your automated campaigns can continue to run in the background while you focus your attention on bigger projects.
How does marketing automation work? At a very high level, marketing automation campaigns send specific content to leads based on behavior and data, with the goal of closing more sales.
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Here’s an example:
Finally, when leads download that case study, they are automatically routed to your sales team so they can follow up with them (because these leads are much more qualified and further down the purchasing process).
In this post, we’ll dive deeper into marketing automation. We’ll look at how it can be used in small businesses, the role of email marketing, how to choose the best marketing automation software, and more.
Marketing automation isn’t limited to companies with huge budgets or a seemingly never-ending list of customers. It can make a powerful impact on companies of all sizes, especially small businesses who are already strapped for time and resources.
Here are three ways automation strategies can be used in small businesses:
Email marketing is the key asset in marketing automation. Emails are the vehicle to communicate with leads and provide endless flexibility in what you say and when it is delivered.
Email marketing automation is the act of using software to automate and simplify your email sends, decreasing the time and effort needed to execute successful performances. From drip campaigns to welcome campaigns to customer experience surveys and more, email marketing automation utilizes innovation to help target specific customers with smartly scheduled sends.
Marketing automation can be used throughout the customer journey, from building awareness to cultivating a dedicated user base. It is especially powerful in the conversion stage, helping you boost revenue.
Here are three ways marketing automation can help increase sales:
The backbone of marketing automation is the use of client management software (CRM). When kicking off automated marketing campaigns, make sure they integrate with your CRM software and you’ll experience a number of benefits, including:
How do you find the best marketing automation software? As a general rule of thumb, here are the top features to look for:
An even bigger group—four in five—said they had increased leads, with most also seeing a rise in conversions. Those are major benefits for sure, but marketing automation features can also include:
Personalize communications to all your contacts
Nurture leads without any extra effort on your part
Lead generation through landing pages and lead capture forms
Track the milestones that are important to your business
Boost conversions by targeting customers with the highest purchasing potential
Marketing automation can be a real game-changer for small businesses. It helps you score, sort, and nurture leads throughout the sales cycle, boosting conversions by targeting customers with the highest purchasing potential.