In marketing automation, the company uses technology to automate marketing actions and processes and reduce manual work, making them more scalable and effective without neglecting personalization.
This way, marketing automation tools are used to nurture and drive the lead (potential customer) until checkout. Read on and discover the benefits and how to get started.
What Is Marketing Automation?
In this strategy, actions are automated in a scalable way, but in a personalized way, for the people who come in contact through the different digital channels of a company.
It can refer to any activity, such as email marketing, scheduling social media posts, and using chatbots. Its objective is to automate the management of leads (potential customers) in the sales funnel, nurturing and directing their journey to the purchase of the product/or service.
Is Marketing Automation The Same As Email Marketing?
Although this strategy is widely applied in email marketing, the two have differences:
- Email marketing is related to timely sending to contacts, while automation represents a whole set of interactions between brand and customers;
- Email marketing is manually configured to send a message simultaneously to a segment of the base (several contacts that fall into a particular group). Automation, on the other hand, is triggered by the user’s actions, showing an automatic message personalized just for him;
- Regarding the metrics, in the email, they are explicitly analyzed (open rate, click-through rate). In automation, a complete view of the funnel performance is analyzed.
Differences Between Automation And CRM
In automation, the concern is attracting, converting, and nurturing leads until they arrive at the time of purchase (and then retaining them to remain loyal).
Meanwhile, the CRM tool tracks, organizes and records leads’ interactions. The aim is to create personalized customer relationship approaches.
It is recommended that the two processes are integrated. Even good marketing automation tools already allow integration with CRM tools.
4 Benefits Of Marketing Automation For Your Business
Automating digital strategies helps improve customer retention and increase sales. Check out the main advantages:
1 – Nurturing Leads Who Aren’t Ready To Buy Now
Not all potential customers are at the point of purchase when a company approaches them. But that doesn’t mean he can’t buy it soon!
Thus, automation allows you to remain close, adding value and credibility to keep your company in the potential customer’s minds when it is time for them to buy.
2 – Reduction Of The Sales Cycle
As the system can do the entire lead preparation process, salespeople receive people close to closing the purchase!
3 – Leads Arrive More Prepared For Salespeople
Consequently, if leads have been nurtured and know more about the problem and solution (your product/service), salespeople invest fewer contact hours in closing the sale.
After all, the conversation with a potential customer discovering the problem and your product as a solution differs from the conversation with leads who need support to make the final decision!
4 – Reduction In Customer Acquisition Cost
Marketing processes that took hours and the dedication of several employees to complete take only seconds to complete. In other words: more potential customers are reached with time and money savings!
The sales funnel is divided into three stages: top, middle and bottom. Each part shows which stage of the buying process the consumer is at.
For example, a person who has just discovered your product is less likely to close a deal than someone who has even read customer reviews on your website.
In this way, understanding how the sales funnel works is essential for developing strategies that lead the customer to close the purchase. And these strategies are created through relevant content for each stage of the funnel.
Also Read: 11 Uses Of Artificial Intelligence In Digital Marketing