When many people hear “marketing automation” they get excited. Automatic anything often excites people because they lead busy lives, and anything that helps them do more in the same amount of time sounds like a good idea. Is marketing automation a good idea though? For some people, yes, but for others, it may be better to pass on it.
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is software that helps businesses buy and sell using valuable content to convert prospects. For many businesses, this system has generated a ton of new revenue, and it’s returned a great deal on investment.
It’s not as easy as it sounds though. Research shows that most people who invest in marketing automation software never see the benefits of it. The main reason for that is because it doesn’t help with bringing in new leads.
While many business owners have decided to buy email addresses to try to get it to work, it’s only a temporary solution. Those email addresses that people sell aren’t usually fruitful because they aren’t warm. Warm leads are what convert easier and quicker.
Long term success with marketing automation means you need to continue filling your funnel with leads. Some people will argue that this software isn’t so automated if they have to continue to work on marketing. These people are right only to a certain extent. Yes, you’ll have to continue marketing for leads, but once you have those leads, you won’t have to do anything else with email marketing. The software does it all for you. If you think about the times you spend collecting leads versus the time it takes you to market to those leads, you will realize that gathering leads takes much less time.
Can It Work for You?
Marketing automation comes with a hefty price tag. New business owners may want to consider their budget if they are going to invest in it. Everything the software does can be done by a human. It’s merely a system that will act as a human marketer and track success.
If money is not a concern, another thing you should think about is the ability to generate leads. Most business owners will devise a marketing plan just for leads and implement it along with the automation software. That works best. If you can do that, marketing automation will be a success for you.
The other consideration is that marketing automation is through email. There are still other types of marketing you’ll need to do online such as social media and search engine optimization. You will still need a marketing team working on other ways to improve your brand and bring in new customers.
If you’re still wondering if you should make the move towards automation, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you generating new leads regularly?
- Is your sales team overwhelmed with all the leads coming in?
- Do you have a content strategy for prospects?
- Are you tracking your consumers’ activity online?
- Do you want to scale your lead nurturing strategy?
What to Expect When Using Automation
Automation does handle your email marketing efforts, as long as you fill the funnel with leads. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that it doesn’t take over all of your marketing. You still need to generate the leads and market your business in other ways. People usually enjoy using the tracking capabilities that marketing automation provides. It helps business owners pinpoint whether or not their efforts are successful and identify areas that need to be changed.
What is your experience with marketing automation? Would you recommend it? What software have you used? Your experience can help others make the right decision for them.