Marketing automation is the practice of utilizing software to automate repetitive and complex tasks. It also enhances lead conversion and increase productivity by personalizing the content while also saving marketing time and effort.
As per data, 60% of professions can automate at least 30% of their day to day activities with the right platform. Similarly, 45% of tasks done by paid professionals can be automated, while among companies that outgrew their competitors, 63% are using marketing automation.
Marketing automation has to be multichannel and multifaceted touching the lives of the customers (including Prospect) through all digital touch points. With marketing automation platforms, we can design workflows based on important customer interactions that trigger branded messaging. This can include, but is not limited to, SMS, social ads, emails, and even phone calls. Here are a few examples of the use of Marketing Automation
Remarketing Lost Prospect Emails
Many email marketing platforms allow marketers to send automated remarketing emails that can squeeze conversions from “lost” leads thus by increasing the conversion ratio. This can be considered to be one of the exclusive Marketing Automation benefits too.
Onboarding Emails
After the new leads have been obtained, it indeed becomes a great idea to send an automated onboarding email. This kick starts the journey and accelerate the nurturing process. At the same time, it gives the customers wow factors and on perfect execution, can increase engagement by providing different product to the customers.
Social Media
Marketing automation in Social media coupled with analytic data obtained from social networks can schedule branded messages that can reach customers at the most opportune time. This can be based on the customers favourite social media channel and at particular time.
SMS
The benefit of SMS as a marketing touch point is still viable due to its high viewability and immediacy of text messages. In multi-channel marketing automation platforms, these can be follow-up messages for conversion, acknowledgement, special offers, or simply mobile promotions.
Data Management
Data Management is the most important part of marketing automation. For proper targeting and engaging we need to continuously tracks customers interactions to allow for proper lead segmentation to fulfill customers with their specific need. This can be one with the help of lead management platforms with integrated automation features. Some examples are
Lead Segmentation in Email Campaigns
Robust email marketing platforms can move leads to a different campaign based on specific actions, such as clicking a link, pushing the customers to buy the product, or by simply letting them open an email.
Prospect and Customer Relationship Management
Once an effective marketing automation is in place this will ensures human error and time constraints doesn’t impede with customer relationship management. CRM software can be used to track customer conversations through emails, social media, website actions, and so on. Once we have the relevant data through CRM this will help us in determining the marketing content that will push them down the sales funnel – straight and right to the point when they are absolutely willing and ready to make a purchase.
Post onboarding the customers this will help us in providing the suitable product for the customer and increase engagement.
However, we should always remember that by over-automating marketing, we may end up managing a customer journey instead of optimizing it. Each business is different, but good marketing automation happens when a business is thoughtful about the personal relationships with its customers and focuses on the end result.