Marketing Automation is a new buzzword in the online world. It is very well created by marketing experts to assist marketers to make their job easier and more productive.
With increasing competition, marketers are supposed to be highly active day and night on social networks, blogs, etc. so as to be updated with the latest trends and news.
Marketing Automation tools are meant to help you in such tasks.
It is a program that promotes your business by interacting with customers, sending updates about new products, services, etc., without any human intervention required.
In this article, I have compiled the most commonly asked questions about marketing automation and addressed them below:
What is a marketing automation software?
Marketing automation software is a tool built for small and medium-sized businesses to assist their marketing efforts on social media, email lists, and blogs.
It is installed in the cloud so there is no need for an IT department to run it or maintain its operations.
What is marketing automation primarily used for?
We need marketing automation because it promotes the business and increases conversion rates.
Marketing automation tools can save time and provide up-to-date information to clients and customers. It can also guide you on how to best approach your audience for maximum results (e.g. email, SMS, social, etc.)
How marketing automation works?
Marketing automation automates marketing tasks, which means that tasks performed by humans can be automated.
Marketing automation does not replace marketers. In fact, it allows marketers to work smarter and focus on higher value and more creative tasks directly related to sales and revenue generation.
What is Marketing Automation in CRM?
When you develop marketing automation in CRM, it includes:
- Create and personalize content based on customer interaction history.
- Develop automated communication for customers and prospects using “pipelines” – sequences of activities that move leads through your sales funnel.
- Automate repetitive tasks to save time so marketing teams can focus efforts on higher-level activities such as interacting with customers and prospects.
When to use marketing automation?
If you don’t have enough time for marketing, or the skills to do it, then you can focus on higher-impact activities like developing new products and services.
It also lets your business be more customer-centric; it allows for better customer service by planning future campaigns based on customers’ history.
How does marketing automation help in achieving campaign goals?
Marketing automation is helpful in achieving marketing goals. It offers a platform that is flexible, scalable, and affordable for small businesses to have new features added as needed.
Moreover, it facilitates the sales and marketing teams in integrating the entire customer journey from lead generation to top of the funnel nurturing all along with the bottom of the funnel campaigns as well.
How to choose marketing automation software?
To find a good marketing automation platform, you need to conduct market research online. Make sure that the service can be used with other tools and is compatible with your current web applications.
Who uses marketing automation?
Mainly used by digital marketing teams. Marketing Automation helps marketers in different ways as mentioned below:
Lead generation – You can find potential buyers for your product. You wouldn’t have to waste time searching for leads on social media, blogs, or other portals, you’ll be receiving them in your email box automatically.
Marketing campaign – Automated marketing campaigns help you reach out to your audience through emails, social media posts, and blogs.
Which marketing automation software is the best?
It depends on your requirements, the size of the business, and the websites on which you are willing to market.
Marketing automation is difficult to install in an enterprise-level company; however, there are solutions for mid-sized businesses with a minimum requirement of one or two employees.
Some of the common tools used in marketing automation include Marketo, HubSpot, SharpSpring, Marketing Cloud, etc. These tools can be purchased online or through a reseller company as per your requirements and budget.
How much does a marketing automation software cost?
It depends on the kind of tool you want and how many services (modules) you get.
In general, for a small business having 1-5 employees marketing automation tools can be purchased under $1000 per month and if your business is large or requires advanced features you may have to pay up to $5000 per month.
Why marketing automation is important?
Marketing automation tools can help businesses to:
- Develop a solid database of information on potential buyers, personalize their marketing messages.
- Learn why they didn’t buy your product or service Increase traffic on websites and keep customers up-to-date about new products or services.
- Launch automated campaigns with the help of an online sales platform and social media networks.
Does marketing automation really work?
Like any technology, marketing automation works if it is used appropriately.
The key to marketing automation is the software you choose, whether or not your organization has an effective business strategy and dedication on part of its users.
How much time does it take to learn marketing automation?
It depends on the service provider, as some of them offer online training sessions for free while some charge a fee. In general, it takes around 1-2 weeks to learn the basics of marketing automation and years to become an expert.
Where to learn about marketing automation?
You can learn about marketing automation from online resources (e.g. HubSpot academy) or through a good training course (Udemy, Khan Academy, etc.)
Ali is a digital marketing blogger and author who uses the power of words to inspire and impact others. He has written for leading publications like Business2Community, Inc. Magazine, and Marketing Profs. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his family.