Marketing automation has become a popular trend these days- one that is not going to fade away anytime soon. It is here to stay. Businesses that have invested in marketing automation have witnessed a significant increase in revenue. Marketers who are aware of its enormous potential cannot imagine doing their jobs without this phenomenal software. But first let’s take a brief look at what marketing automation is and what it really does.
Marketing Automation- The Definition
Marketing automation refers to the software that exists with the goal of automating marketing actions. Many marketing departments have to automate repetitive tasks such as emails, social media, and other website actions. The technology of marketing automation makes these tasks easier. (Hubspot)
So it is only about automation, right? Read on to get the answer to your question.
Marketing Automation- The Importance
The next question that naturally comes to mind is ‘How can marketing automation help my business?’
The primary objective of a marketing automation platform is to streamline marketing tasks to increase efficiency and enhance productivity. It enables the sales and marketing teams to work side by side to optimize leads as they move through the sales funnel. It takes the guesswork out of the equation as marketers know which prospects or customers to focus their energies on. Marketers can track the overall impact of all their activities and see how each dollar being spent translates into revenue.
In a nutshell, the extent of marketing automation goes way beyond simply automating your marketing department’s repetitive tasks.
Still not convinced? Well, I don’t blame you. It’s hard to get the complete picture without knowing about the benefits of an application.
Marketing Automation- The Benefits
There are still many marketing entities that are not using a marketing automation platform as they lack adequate knowledge about the endless opportunities that this software has unleashed. This holds true not just for marketers but also for other departments such as sales as well. Let’s explore a few:
1. Multi-Channel Targeting
Today, customers use multiple social media platforms to collect information about products/services and stay updated. Hence, marketers need to ensure that they target potential customers across all such channels to increase the likelihood of customer acquisition. Marketing automation enables you to engage your customers across multiple channels.
2. Personalized Communication
Nobody likes to receive information about a product that is either irrelevant or the content that has not been tailored according to one’s specific needs. Marketing automation allows you to segment your leads to target your audience in a more effective and personalized manner. For example, by leveraging marketing automation with CRM in the Education Industry, you can run personalized campaigns to target students according to their preferred programs.
3. Build Detailed Customer Profiles
One of the most prominent benefits of marketing automation software is that it allows you to gain a better understanding of your leads. The feature of visitor tracking aids marketers keeps track of what web pages your lead has viewed, what emails they have opened, which links in the email they’ve clicked, and what forms they have filled out. You can segment your database upon those tracked activities.
With automation, you gain insight into exactly what the lead is looking for. The information can be used to improve campaigns and build long lasting relationships.
4. Enhanced Coordination between Sales & Marketing
The feature of lead scoring in marketing automation enables marketers to concentrate on the most promising leads. Every potential client receives a score, based on his activities. When a lead matures i-e reaches a threshold value, it is sent to a sales representative so that appropriate action could be taken. Being able to move leads through the entire marketing funnel is a challenging task that requires both marketers and salespersons to adopt a more coordinated approach.
5. Detailed Reporting
Know which campaigns performed well and what kind of customers did they attract. A great solution will provide you with detailed graphs, statistics and other report data that marketers can analyze in order to optimize future campaigns.
So you think you can grow your business overnight simply by deploying a marketing automation tool? Sorry to burst the bubble but the answer is NO!!
CRM and Marketing Automation- Wrap Up
Marketing automation would take care of lead acquisition and lead nurturing. But it’s ultimately the responsibility of salespeople to convert a lead into an opportunity and finally close the deal. Then comes the customer support people whose job is to provide excellent after-sales service to build long-lasting customer relationships.
If every employee has to use multiple platforms to keep the information in sync, it will result in business processes being highly inefficient. Then there’s always the chance of human error, resulting in inaccurate information being entered in the database. Therefore, the need arises to have software that can be used by all the departments to achieve the organization’s goals. And that software is called Customer Relationship Software.
It has become evident that only using a marketing automation solution in this day and age would not suffice. You need to integrate it with your CRM. According to SessionCam, 89% of users have integrated their marketing automation with the CRM because it offers ease in process and data management. Integrating CRM and marketing automation is a tested and proven way to boost sales, develop excellent marketing programs and most importantly give your clients an unforgettable experience.
Rolustech is a SugarCRM Certified Developer & Partner Firm. We have helped more than 600 firms with various SugarCRM customization, migrations, and integrations. Contact us today for your FREE Consultation Session. We will be happy to assist you!
