Marketing automation the key to marketing productivity!

Marketing automation, in simple terms, is the automation of recurring tasks that previously required separate manual action. With this automation, you aim to convert existing leads into customers more quickly by engaging in lead nurturing, which involves pampering customers. The goal is to identify leads that are not yet ready or willing to make a purchase. You want to gradually inform and persuade these leads by sending the right information at the right time. The aim is to facilitate the lead’s journey through the customer journey. The ultimate goal of this automation is to convert leads into purchases from loyal customers.

How does marketing automation work?

Marketing automation is set up using workflows. These workflows define triggers and tasks so the system knows when actions should occur. A trigger is an action performed by a visitor/lead, such as downloading a file, opening an email, subscribing to a newsletter, etc. Tasks are the actions the system must perform based on those triggers, such as sending a personalized email after subscribing to the newsletter, etc.

Before starting with marketing automation, it’s important to go through several steps to set up the system as effectively as possible. These are the five steps:

1. 1. Define a strategy

Who do you want to reach (the ideal customer)? How will you reach them (which channels do they use themselves)? What do you want them to do on your website (action-oriented)? It’s important to have answers to these questions before proceeding. Every action you take thereafter should be aligned with your objectives and your strategy. Ultimately, you’ll be best able to help your own leads if you also know what your ultimate goal is.

2. 2. Segment your leads

Create a buyer persona of your leads and determine which stage of the buyer journey they are in so that you can more easily send relevant information and encourage them to take further steps in the process.

3. 3. Creat content and campaigns

Create a template for all your content that you can use for different campaigns. Determine in this phase which information should be sent to the leads when, as timing is crucial!

4. 4. Personalize and automate.

It’s important to personalize all your content so that the lead feels directly addressed! In this step, it’s also crucial to set up your triggers and tasks so that the system knows what to do when, allowing everything to happen automatically.

5. 5. Analyze and adjust.

After setting up the personalized system, it’s also important to monitor how leads respond to your content. In this phase, you can potentially adjust and fine-tune your content to the leads for optimal results.

 

The benefits of marketing automation

• • Achieving more (quantity) and better (quality) leads

You can achieve more and better leads by tracking their online interests. Based on these insights, you can send them the right information at the right time (lead nurturing). By assigning points to these interactions and actions (lead scoring), you can more easily identify which leads are most suitable for your organization.

• • Saving time with more efficient marketing processes

By creating a template that you can use for every type of campaign, you can work more efficiently. You can also integrate your CRM system so that you can automatically send the right information to all your contacts.

• • Increase your relevance

Every lead will be in a different stage of the buyer journey. Therefore, it’s important to know where they are so you can send each lead the right information at the right time, tailored to their interests and the events taking place.

• • Simplify tasks

By automating recurring tasks, you can improve marketing productivity. Implementing lead scoring also allows you to guide a visitor (almost) entirely through a buyer journey in an automated manner.

 

Examples of marketing automation

• • A welcome email: Sending the lead an email after subscribing to the newsletter or registering for an event, etc.

• • Lead nurturing: Feeding leads with relevant content tailored to them, sent at the right moment in the buyer journey.

• • Sales notification: When a lead shows increased interest, send a notification to the sales team to contact this lead.

• • Site messaging: Automatically opening a chat window when the lead visits the website to encourage interaction.

• • Personalized emails: By sending personalized emails, you can engage the lead and generate interest in your products and/or services.

• • A reminder: When the lead starts filling out a request form/survey but abandons it without completing or submitting, you can send a reminder asking if they would like to continue. You can also send a reminder when a product or service is left in the online shopping cart to encourage them to make a purchase.

• • Re-engagement: Contacts who have been inactive on the website or haven’t opened the newsletter for a while are considered inactive customers. You can re-engage them by sending personalized emails with new content, such as something timely or an irresistible offer.

• • Events: Sending personalized invitations, reminders, directions, and program information.

 

After converting a lead into a customer, it’s important to keep the marketing automation active. Retaining the customer is crucial after acquiring them, and confirming their purchase is crucial for satisfaction!