The tools that are at the hands of marketers and small business owners is constantly changing. These tools can be used to serve different purposes and can some times help business owners with the day to day operations. Innovations of these technology have changed how business is carried out as well as increased efficiency and cut costs. Marketing has not been left behind, with marketing automation being one of the most prominent trends in the marketing world.
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is the use of software by business to market their products online in a more effective way, increasing their efficiency as well as saving cost and time. It also increases revenue through an increase in conversions from potential clients. It is integrated into the normal marketing in a way that it supplements them as opposed to replacing them. Originally, its focus was on just email marketing but it has evolved to encompass many other aspects including social media marketing as well as use of the web.
Marketing automation can really change how you market your business online One major way is through email marketing. Unlike in traditional email marketing that distributes the same message to many emails, modern marketing automation is able to interpret consumer behaviour and thus respond to each customers and their needs differently. If a customer shows interest in your product, the automatic follow up is not the same as of those that don’t show any interest. This greatly increases the likelihood of successful conversions.
The software which is commonly cloud-based also can be used for collecting data and an important analytic tool. It also provides a platform for engagement with the customers and when combined with important sales and follow up provides an excellent interactive platform.
Marketing automation has been proven effective by many companies that use it. One major reason is its ability to collect comprehensive customer data and storing it which is then analyzed and used to cross sell other products based on the customer’s behaviour. Integration of marketing automation also allows the sales people to focus their efforts on personal relationships with the customers as opposed to sending emails all day long. It also brings together the different marketing strategies such as emailing, social media and webinars into one platform enabling easier coordination and integration.
Marketing automation software also enables a firm to know what leads have the potential of successfully converting to customers thus saving money that could have otherwise been spent targeting unsuccessful leads. Where it’s integrated with other processes in the firm such as budgeting and scheduling, it also automates these processes by extension enabling for a smooth running of all office functions.
Example:
If a potential client visits your website looking at a shirt in your online store but leaves before putting it in their cart and checking out – you need to find out why. Is it a case where they need to more information? Did they forgot to complete the transaction? Are they coming back several times to the website and need that extra little push? Marketing automation can do just that.
If a client is visiting the same shirt several times, you can use a series of pop ups to provide them with an incentive to buy, collect their email address for further information etc. If they add the product to the cart but don’t complete the transaction, you have the power to send a series of prompts to remind them they left their cart, provide an incentive and encourage the completion of the cart.
PHOTO EXAMPLE FROM: WWW.RESPONSEWISE.COM/EMAIL-MARKETING/3-REASONS-TO-USE-TRIGGERED-EMAILS/
In the past marketing automation had been the preserve of the big firms for a long time but over time smaller businesses have adapted it. These small and mid-sized businesses can benefit greatly from this as they get to cut down on their overheads. The real time engagement with customers in large scale is greatly beneficial to small firms as these firms may not have the funds required to employ enough sales people to do this in person. Be a big business in your community!
Marketing Automation Software on the Market
