Want to find out how to automate your marketing in 4 simple steps?
Have you heard of Marketing Automation?
If yes, do you know how it works? We’ve put together this article so you can learn what it is, and better yet, how to implement it in 4 simple steps with marketing tools. So in this way, you’ll be able to capture leads, improve your ranking, and sell more.
More leads and conversions and less work. How fun is that?
Table of Contents
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing Automation is a software that automates repetitive tasks such as email marketing, social media, etc.
The main objective is to plan, arrange, and schedule the automated process in order to convert a lead into a customer, with no further human intervention.
The technology behind it makes the conversion process faster, easier and time saver.
Benefits of Marketing Automation
Small companies are facing many challenges: lack of expertise, lack of human resources, lack of financial resources, and according to Liana Technologies, lack of marketing automation strategy (30, 6%).
With Marketing Automation, not only do small companies will save time, but they will able to provide a more personalized experience to their customers.
Here are some stats that prove the benefits of Marketing automation for businesses:
- According to Lenskold Group, 63% of companies using marketing automation outperformed competitors.
- Automating social posts and ads can save more than 6 hours per week.
With the following chart, we see that social media post scheduling and social media advertising are among the top three automated processes.
- A survey conducted by Hubspot’s reported that using chatbots can help save up to 30% of customer support costs.
- Automation is proven to boost sales productivity by 14.5%. More stats here.
Key Marketing Automation Tools
To choose from the endless marketing automation tools can be an odyssey. We’ve researched and we are giving you our top picks.
1. Hubspot
Hubspot is an inbound marketing and sales platform that helps companies to attract visitors, convert leads and close customers. It does this by bringing together a variety of functionalities: CRM and automation, among others. Not for every pocket. You can use its CRM for free, though.
2. InfusionSoft by Keap
InfusionSoft is an All-In-One Marketing and Sales automation solution: CRM, leads and sales.
3. ActiveCampaign
With ActiveCampaign, you can also automate your email marketing, funnels and use it as a CRM. This is a very competitive tool and not too pricey. Useful for less than 20.000 leads.
4. GetResponse
GetResponse is a non-expensive tool if you want to send emails, build landing pages and automate your marketing. It doesn’t include CRM.
Other important tools are:
5. LeadsBridge
LeadsBridge automates marketing and sales flow by connecting a source like Facebook Lead Ads with a destination like a CRM.
6. WordPress
Creating useful content and publishing it on your web is the first step of the process to generate organic traffic.
7. Facebook Lead Ads
Facebook Lead Ads allow you to find people who may be interested in your products or services and collect information from them.
Related Content: How To Start a Blog
How To Automate Your Marketing in 4 Simple Steps
First off, we would like you to understand that you need a steady flow of leads for your marketing automation campaigns be effective.
And shortcuts don’t work. So do not buy a database of leads because it will lead to a low ROI. Besides, spammy behaviors are forbidden.
Once you are publishing good content, generating organic leads, you’ve got a fertile ground for elaborating a marketing automation strategy that will nurture your leads into paying customers.
Step #1 – You can automate your marketing with software of your choice
If you are looking to implement automation in your business, the first thing you must use is software that enables you to collect leads.
The tools we are talking about are:
- Landing page builders
- Automated email marketing
- CRM
- Pop-up builders
Etc.
We recommend our clients to use all-in-one automated software to not only save money, but also to not have scattered information.
Step #2 – Convert your visitors into leads
To capture leads, you have to use the following tools:
- Landing pages – This is the page where you want your visitor to arrive, after they click the ad. You will encourage them to provide their information (usually, their email) in exchange of a lead magnet (useful and valuable content).
- Pop-ups – You can use pop-ups strategically on your website. They can offer an ebook (lead magnet) to get their email, a discount on their first order, or a subscription to a newsletter.
In any case, you do that with a goal in mind: to get leads.
Related Content: 5 Strategies To Generate Leads For Your Business
Step #3 – Convert your leads into customers
Once you have leads, it’s time to nurture them and converting them into customers.
How do you do that?
- Newsletters – It’s important that you implement a blog in your website, and publish useful content. Doing that, you will generate traffic organically. But you will also be able to educate your leads by sending them a newsletter with the blog articles.
- Automated sales funnels – With automated sales funnels, you can send emails to the right people at the right time.
You can make your leads advance through the conversion funnel:
For instance:
If your lead downloaded an educational ebook, you can send an email with next step call-to-action. Want to offer them a demo request or a complimentary consultation?
Related Content: What Is A Sales Funnel And How To Create One?
Step # 4 – Analyze and optimize
Once your automation strategy is implemented and running, there’s a step of a great importance: to analyze their performing.
For starters, these are the elements you have to check regularly:
- Sessions
- Unique visitors
- Number of leads
- Number of customers
- Email opening rate
- Email click rate
- Conversion rate
Check out if you meet your goals. If not, see the numbers (Numbers always tell the truth!) and adjust your campaign.
Conclusion
Automation is taking the marketing world by storm.
Nowadays, small businesses are creating automated processes and systems to transform them into a more productive and profitable enterprises.
To sum up, a marketing sales funnel starts by grabbing audience’s attention –Online ads, blogs, social media—, then you turn the audience into cold leads—Getting their email—by giving them a free value. Afterwards, you warm the cold leads with automated email sequences (don’t be fast!): educate them on your product or service, share relevant content, and offer them a smaller item with great value. Ultimately, offer them the main sale, with an upsell.
Keep in mind that afterwards you have to keep educating them, and offering new products or services.
When we have loyal (and happy!) customers, you can ask them their valuable review and testimonial.
You find this information very useful, but you are considering to use some help from professionals. We will be pleased to help you.