What is marketing automation, and how can it help my business?

Marketing automation is the use of software and tools to automate repetitive marketing and sales tasks, and it’s becoming increasingly popular within top-performing businesses. You can generate leads and nurture prospects through the customer journey by automating tasks, increasing sales revenue and reducing your cost per lead and staff overheads.

Examples of What Can Be Done with Marketing Automation

There are many ways in which marketing automation streamlines your marketing efforts. Here are some examples:

• Following an enquiry or download on your website, automatically send a series of personalised email and SMS messages to nurture that person to become a customer.

• A/B testing landing pages to improve conversion rates from visitor to enquiry or sale.

• Allow people to book an appointment in your calendar via your website and then automatically send a confirmation email with a Zoom link and reminders on the run-up to the meeting. If they don’t attend, automatically send an email inviting them to reschedule.

• If you have an ecommerce website, you may be aware that many people add items to their basket and don’t complete the order. This is often because they get distracted, or they are shopping around. With automation, you can send an email reminder with the items they had in their basket, encouraging them to check out, possibly with a discount code as an incentive.

• Automate answering sales and support questions on a company’s website or social media channels, providing 24-7 customer service without any staff costs.

• Send a database reactivation campaign by email or SMS to your contacts database, for example, ‘Hi Sarah, it’s Verity from Smile Dental. We’re holding an Invisalign open day on 15th May with free teeth whitening. Would you be interested in attending?’ If they reply to the message positively, automatically reply with a link to the online booking form.

• Based on data held in your CRM, automatically send email reminders, for example, an annual car service or a discount on their Birthday for booking a table at your restaurant. For ecommerce websites, this is also useful for encouraging repeat orders of consumables such as beauty products or printer toner.

Marketing Automation Tools and Platforms

Many marketing automation tools and platforms are available, and choosing the right one depends on your specific needs and budget. Here are a few popular options:

HubSpot is a CRM and full marketing solution with automation features like email marketing and social media scheduling.

Keap is a comprehensive marketing automation platform that allows businesses to manage leads, automate follow-up tasks, and track customer interactions.

ActiveCampaign helps businesses automate personalised email campaigns, track customer behaviour, and automate sales processes. ActiveCampaign integrates with third-party applications, including social media, e-commerce, and analytics tools.

MailChimp is one of the most popular and affordable email and marketing automation options out there, and it’s consistently one of the best-rated, particularly by small businesses. It offers email marketing, landing pages, and social media scheduling features.

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows businesses to schedule and publish posts across multiple social media channels.

Calendly is a scheduling tool that allows you to share your calendar and let clients and prospects book appointments online.

Sales Igniter is an all-in-one sales and marketing solution that offers features like CRM, email marketing, and social media scheduling. It’s an excellent option for businesses that want to manage all their marketing activities in one place. Link Digital created Sales Igniter; we can help implement a complete marketing automation solution for your business using this platform.

Conclusion

Marketing automation is essential for businesses looking to streamline their marketing efforts and improve efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks, companies can focus on more important tasks, like strategy development and customer engagement. Many marketing automation tools and platforms are available, each with strengths and weaknesses. Consider your specific needs and budget to choose the right one for your business. With the right tools and strategy, you can drive more revenue and quickly grow your business.