Marketing automation involves using mainly online resources to target customers and prospects with personalised content that is increasingly tailored to their needs. The goal of marketing automation is to turn prospects into customers, and customers into fans! In this article, we take a closer look at the reasons for using marketing automation. Not very familiar with this topic yet? Then please first read our previous article: What is marketing automation.
1. THE RIGHT CONTENT, AT THE RIGHT TIME, IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND TO THE RIGHT PERSON
The number one marketing challenge is engaging (potential) buyers and decision-makers within your target audience; making sure they feel connected to your company and/or product. Who is interested in getting what type of information and when? And which channels do they use to search for information? You can’t have effective dialogues until you can adequately understand your target audience. In order to share the right content, at the right time and in the right place with your (potential) customers, you need to incorporate all of the (customer) data available into one process and system that makes this data accessible in an integrated way. Marketing automation makes this possible.
2. AVOID IRRELEVANT INFORMATION
If your customer is a restaurant that only offers vegan dishes, then there’s no need to bring in a Black Angus steak. While that makes perfect sense, there are also other less obvious things that can go wrong. We often see companies without a marketing automation system offering trial packages and then, at a later date, putting the (same) trial packages in the spotlight again with a slightly different message. That’s great for those who missed the message the first time around or who didn’t respond to it, but not for those who already ordered the trial package after the first message. The latter group needs a different message and to be enticed into making an initial purchase (if they haven’t already done so).
3. SAVE TIME AND MONEY
Most marketers are faced with the ongoing challenge of having to spend their time and often limited budget as efficiently as possible. While implementing marketing automation clearly costs time and money, it will actually save costs in the long run. This is because the sales and marketing processes are (partly) automated, meaning there is much less (manual) work for you to do. One example is automating communication related to an event including:
- pre-announcements
- invitations with (online) reply option
- invitation reminders
- confirmations
- confirmation reminders
- entry registrations
- registration of any purchases made
- ‘thank you for joining us’ messages
- follow-ups
4. BUILD, STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE YOUR CUSTOMER DATABASE
Marketing automation is used you to help you continuously expand your customer database. This will provide you with even more insight into your target audience and allow you to make your content even more personal and tailored to your (potential) customers. Marketing, sales and product development in your organisation can benefit from this advantage. Customers who buy frozen French green beans, for example, may also be interested in frozen broad beans but not canned green beans, while those with little to no freezer storage may prefer canned vegetables.
5. INCREASE THE ROI FROM YOUR MARKETING ACTIVITIES
Marketing automation has a positive impact on return on investment (ROI). It gives you insight into the bottom-line results of your campaign. This is because marketing automation allows you to very precisely measure where your leads, conversions, deals and sales are coming from. That means you can analyse the ROI of each campaign, source, medium and web page.
6. INCREASED USE OF DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES ALONGSIDE AN ACCOUNT MANAGER
Marketing automation simply allows you to reach more customers, where it would otherwise be impossible for an account manager to visit them all. Digital contact also costs less than face-to-face contact. This makes marketing automation an interesting complement to personal sales consultations or even a substitute if, for example, there are capacity shortages, for geographical reasons or because of internal choices based on estimated sales potential.
7. VISIT PROMISING (POTENTIAL) CUSTOMERS
While often overlooked, marketing automation is also referred to as sales & marketing automation for good reason. In fact, marketing automation ensures that marketing, sales and product development within an organisation can work together (even) better and operate as one team.
Activities should always be connected to sales, regardless of whether you opt for inbound marketing activities by distributing valuable content that naturally leads customers to your product or service, or outbound marketing where you are actually seeking out customers. Follow the customer journey with purpose until the sales team can adopt the most promising leads.
In turn, all of the customer data available in your marketing automation system makes it easier for account managers to respond to the needs and wants of your customers.
KEEN TO GET STARTED? THEN DO THE RIGHT PREP WORK WITH OUR MARKETING AUTOMATION PLAYBOOK
We hope that these 7 reasons have helped get you as excited about marketing automation as we are. But, as we mentioned earlier, it’s all about your business. And about the valuable time you may currently be spending to bring that ‘personal touch’ to your customer contact, when it could also possibly be done automatically.
Want to get started with marketing automation? Download the playbook: How to start a marketing automation project. This playbook makes sure you are well-prepared.