Here, we’ll take a look at the various features that make up marketing automation, and how best to use them throughout the customer journey. What is Marketing Automation? Marketing Automation for “Like” and “Trust” Once you’ve identified those leads that are worth approaching, you can begin to use your marketing automation tool to create an effective email campaign. Marketing automation tools allow you to segment your audience so that you can send specific messaging to different groups of people based on their attributes and interests. Using marketing automation to target them with messaging that is triggered by a specific action can be an effective tactic here. Maybe this means a pop-up on your website that invites them to a free trial of your service. Send them a welcome email that gives them additional information on how to get the most out of their purchase. Marketing Automation for “Repeat” and “Refer” You’ve already used your marketing automation platform to get your prospects to convert, but you can continue to use the tool to influence the remainder of their customer journey. Once a customer has made a specific purchase, you can offer them related products or target them with communications that are focused on their areas of interest. In addition to the benefits that marketing automation provide you throughout the customer journey, the tools offer bigger-picture benefits as well.
When companies incorporate marketing automation into their approach, they often focus on the middle of the marketing hourglass. They use the automation tool to stay in touch with existing customers or to reach out to prospects who are very near to making their first purchase.
However, marketing automation can be used throughout the entirety of the customer journey to great effect. When you’re smart about automating marketing processes, it frees you up to do more of the prospecting and lead nurturing work that only a real human can do, while taking some of the more tedious and time consuming parts of the marketing process off your plate.
Here, we’ll take a look at the various features that make up marketing automation, and how best to use them throughout the customer journey.
What is Marketing Automation?
Before we dive in, let’s provide a quick definition of marketing automation. It’s the process of using a software platform to automate some of your repetitive marketing tasks. It can be used across channels, and includes social media, email, and certain website actions.
The software allows you to group users by certain attributes or behaviors and to target them with messaging that is most relevant to them. For example, you might group people in the same geographic location together, or group people who have made multiple purchases from your business.
Marketing Automation for the “Know” Phase
At the very top of your marketing hourglass, people are encountering your brand for the very first time. Maybe they’re someone who’s in desperate need of the good or service your provide; maybe it’s someone with a passing interest in your field. How do you sort things out this early on in the game?
One of the first things that marketing automation tools can do is help you with lead capturing efforts. Using the same form across your website allows you to gather the same contact information for everyone who fills out the form. From there, you can begin the process of analyzing their attributes and behaviors to figure out whether or not they’re serious prospects.
Behavior scoring (otherwise known as lead scoring) asks you to take data on your existing clients to build a composite profile for your ideal prospect. Where do they live? What profession are they in? What kind of actions do you expect them to take before they convert?
When you know what your ideal prospect looks like, you can then use your marketing automation tool to compare each lead against this dream prospect. If they’re ticking most of the boxes, this is a lead you know is worth your time. They’re likely to convert, if you play things right, so it’s smart to spend some marketing dollars courting them.
Leads that fall completely outside of this ideal picture are likely not worth your time. They’re just not the kind of person that realistically needs or wants what your business offers, so no amount of time or money will result in them changing their mind.
Marketing Automation for “Like” and “Trust”
Once you’ve identified those leads that are worth approaching, you can begin to use your marketing automation tool to create an effective email campaign.
Marketing automation tools…
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