Some of you may have heard of it . . . heard over and over again how obsessed some marketers are about it . . . What am I referring to?
Marketing Automation.
This is a hot topic right now in the world of digital marketing, but most companies still have no idea about what it can do for them.
Marketing automation is the process of streamlining certain processes such as lead generation, email marketing, social media management, lead nurturing, and segmentation. Please don’t think it is limited to just these processes, I just named a few.
Best of all, it can be used for businesses of all types, whether you find yourself in the B2B or B2C industries. Did you know that 79%Â of top-performing companies have been using marketing automation for more than 2 years?
So you’re feeling a bit left behind? Let’s get you caught up!
How can Marketing Automation help your business?
Every business strives to save as much time and money as possible. This drive leads every business owner to seek out new forms of technology that can help them achieve better use of their resources. Marketing automation software is an efficiency-enhancing solution that can help business owners meet their specific needs.
Choosing the right platform for your company can be a tricky process, but once you have accomplished that step, the rest is cake!
When do you know if Marketing Automation is the solution for you?
There are a few questions to ask yourself if you are considering an MA (marketing automation) platform:
- Are you generating a steady flow of new leads?
- Are you generating a steady flow of qualified leads?
- Are you developing content consistently?
- Are you nurturing your leads?
When answered truthfully, these questions can lead to a positive sign that you are ready for an MA platform. The secret here is to remember that MA software doesn’t just do marketing for you, it will help to scale your successful efforts.
So what are some common features and functions?
MA software can all include a wide range of features, but most stick to a general set of core features including:
- Email Marketing
- Landing Page Builders
- Form Creators
- Campaign Management
- Social Media Marketing
- Lead Scoring
- Lead Nurturing
- CRM Integration
- Marketing Analytics
When used correctly, all of these features can help you accomplish multiple marketing efforts to a large-scale audience in a short amount of time.
Where is the ROI?
Companies who adopt an MA strategy can expect to see more production out of their sales team and higher revenue. 78%Â of successful marketers cite MA systems as most responsible for improving revenue contribution.
In a benchmark study by eMarketer, the research found that B2C marketers who are using automation- including everything from birthday emails to cart abandonment programs – have seen conversion rates as high as 50%.
ROI matters! MA adoption is tied to annual revenue, as itemized below. (Raab Associates, Marketing Automation 2014 Industry Overview, Feb 2014)
- 60% – large companies (> $500M revenue)
- 10% – mid-sized companies ($20M – $500M revenue)
- 5% – small companies ($5M – $20M revenue)
- 3% – micro companies (< $5M revenue)
The proof is in the pudding. Marketing Automation can bring true value and ROI to your marketing efforts if used correctly.
So what do you think? Will this be a path for your company? Let us know in the comments below.
Much success,
