Despite being challenging to convince some companies that they need it, marketing automation is an invaluable business tool.
Before becoming familiar with the software and its benefits, it can be easy to dismiss it as unnecessary. There are likely many things you may not know about marketing automation.
A study by the Lenskold Group showed that more than 60% of the top marketing companies were using marketing automation. In addition, nearly 80% of successful marketers believed that marketing automation was responsible for their success.
Bear in mind that this was a few years ago now. Since then, marketing automation has come a long way, and even more successful businesses are reaping the benefits.
Some companies are excited about the prospect of marketing automation but have yet to execute it. In contrast, other companies implemented the software but did not complete it successfully.
Downfalls can occur when companies are unfamiliar with and use the software. Others are unsuccessful because they didn't take the time to learn what they didn't know. Some things you may not know about marketing automation include myths and unexpected benefits.
Despite the common misconception, marketing automation does not eliminate the need to understand the sales process. You need to understand sales and marketing to use the software successfully.
If you're not knowledgeable about how the sales process works, automation will not help. Therefore, you should educate yourself on how to use marketing automation to its fullest extent.
One of the things you may not know about marketing automation is that it does not eliminate the work you need to put into your sales process. It will enable you to automate your emails alongside your other marketing methods. However, you must still monitor your campaigns' success and adjust them accordingly.
Another thing you may not know about marketing automation software is the sheer number of benefits you will experience from it. It will enable you to communicate better with your customers. You will gain insight into your customers' and prospects' needs and preferences and tailor your communications accordingly.
Some companies find that marketing automation removes the need for a CRM system. However, marketing automation and CRM go hand in hand and truly complement each other. Most marketing automation systems will have integrated CRM capabilities so that you can use the two together. At Flowbird, we recommend using both.
We repeatedly encounter a misconception, with small businesses questioning whether they're too small to need marketing automation software. This misconception stems from the cost barrier that used to exist with marketing automation platforms. However, many platforms now have established themselves as budget-friendly and suited to smaller businesses.
We would almost go as far as to say that marketing automation software can be more beneficial for your small business, as these businesses often work to the bone. Marketing automation takes some of the load and allows you to implement a successful marketing strategy without requiring much time commitment, thus giving you the time to focus on other business areas.
As a small business, this fact is almost sure to be one of the things you may not know about marketing automation. You might be amazed at how cost-effective marketing automation can be, coupled with the excellent return on investment; marketing automation is affordable for almost any business.
It may surprise you that marketing automation software often begins to show results in just the first few weeks. Nucleus Research, a market research firm, says that marketing automation software can achieve about a 15% increase in sales efficiency whilst reducing the overhead required for your marketing by over 12%.
If you don't know much about marketing automation, it can be challenging to know what questions to ask to determine which software to choose. It's not the kind of software you would choose based on its excellent spell-checker feature! It's sophisticated software that can have multiple complex features. There are many options for selecting the right software for you. It would help to consider the different benefits and disadvantages of the available platforms.
Start by listing the features that you need for your marketing. Then, speak with a representative and ask about the software's features, methods, and complexity. You might also like to ask what kind of ongoing support they offer.
Marketing automation software can shorten the overall sales cycle. The entire process can be sped up, meaning you can make more money for your business in a shorter period. Pre-qualifying your leads is faster, moving forward is more efficient, and the overall sales are faster. Marketing Automation Software can help in the lead generation process, the comprehensive buyer nurturing strategy, and the end sales process. Your sales process will be more efficient and more effective.
At Flowbird, we can guide you in selecting and using a marketing automation system. This article covers a few things you may not know about marketing automation. Contact us today to find out more.