Marketing Automation is a multifunction system and it merges the work of marketers, salespersons and managers, enhancing the performance of a few departments. However, its improper utilization or rather unconscious and misconceived activities can negatively influence the process as a whole. Below, we list find 5 steps, which once you are aware of, will make implementation of your automation more useful and beneficial.
– Define your business strategy
A foundation of every business is clearly defined and specified goals. You must answer yourself the question: to what extent inbound marketing activities could contribute to the fulfillment of your goals. Do you want to increase income by 10-15%? Or maybe you are interested in accelerating the sales cycle? Once you make up your mind what your strategic goal is, it will be easier to prepare tactics and define ratings, which will allow to follow the progress.
– Execute your resolutions gradually
Most of Marketing Automation class systems not only require training and implementation into new work methods. It also means some kind of remodeling or redefining business processes and methods of their execution. Reorganizing all the processes instantly is not a good idea. It’s much more beneficial to take ‘increase’ attitude, while your business will be able to gradually prepare essential expert’s statements, train in system handling and adapt to new business strategies.
– Define effectiveness ratings
If you want to have real influence to the results your company reaches, you need to know which effectiveness ratings work well in your activity. You should be familiar with expressions like conversion analysis, ROI or ROMI ratings. Having precise data in the form of collective statistics or reports, you will be able to find out which elements of the strategy still need to be worked out and which function accordingly.
– Analyze and manage consumers’ data
Collected data management is one of the most fundamental elements of work with Marketing Automation system. Gathering behavioral data allows to segment contact base and hence prepare ultimately personalized content, which will have additional content value (since you know what your potential clients are interested in, you can take advantage of this knowledge).
– Create Lead Nurturing program
Not every lead which gets to your base will immediately become your client. Some segments, especially B2B, need much longer sales cycle then others. Marketing Automation systems also allow to educate potential clients, who only give it a whirl to take advantage of particular kind of services. By sending them recurrent messages with valuable content and broadening their knowledge, you’ll prepare the ground for further business.
Summary
Implementing above mentioned activities, you’ll take advantage of Marketing Automation potential. But it’s worth to previously plan implemented changes and do it gradually, when all prior parts are properly applied.