Everything is moving to automation in the digital age. When you order online, a robot can deliver it to you. It is convenient, fast, and labor-saving.
Are you ready for automation to increase your business’ success? There is no need for a robot to run your business. Automation can simplify, optimize, and streamline many aspects of your business.
Marketing automation can be a great way for your company to increase its revenue. Recent research shows that 77% of users of marketing automation saw an increase in conversions and 91% agreed that marketing automation is crucial to the success of their online marketing efforts.
This article will discuss marketing automation. We’ll explain why it is important for your business and what it can do. We’ll end with a list of top marketing automation software to help you choose the right software for your business.
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is software and technologies that allow marketing departments to manage campaigns across multiple channels more efficiently, as well as automate repetitive tasks.
Marketing automation covers all channels. It includes direct email, phone calls, online, social and mobile campaigns.
Pardot points out that “by leveraging Marketing Automation, your Sales and Marketing Teams can work together to achieve one goal: Sales Generation.”
Marketing automation has many common features and functions:
- Email marketing
- Forms and landing pages
- Prediction and scoring
- Customer lifecycle management
- Management of the leader
- CRM Integration
- Social marketing
- Marketing analytics
- Tracking website visitors
What makes marketing automation so important for eCommerce businesses?
You can save time, labor, and money
Businesses can automate many of the steps that connect marketing and sales with marketing automation. Automation can save time on tasks that require specialized expertise such as customer interaction and strategy.
Multiple tasks will be covered by automated marketing processes, including customer communication, lead nurture, content scheduling, Social Media Management and Market Research. Analytics is also included. These tasks don’t require any active human involvement.
Your staff will be more productive if they have more time to stay engaged and focused on their core tasks. This also means that you can save money on hiring and training additional staff. It is possible to save significant amounts by putting more money into sales and marketing campaigns that produce real results.
Marketing automation software reduces time-consuming and laborious tasks and increases productivity and efficiency in your business.
Reducing human error
Automation reduces human error and assures accuracy at every stage.
People are prone to rush work, especially to meet deadlines, and often skip or miss important tasks without realizing.
Human errors can be made when there is a lot of work involved, including creating reports and populating data. Automation software is able to accomplish exactly what you ask it to.
Automation eliminates human error and ensures accuracy and efficiency in every task.
Better data collecting
Marketing automation allows you to harness big data, which can be used to collect, store and retrieve customers in ever more effective ways.
Marketing automation software allows you to analyze every bit of data in your leads and find the most valuable data for your business. It is easier to plan, coordinate and manage your campaigns efficiently with accurate data understanding.
Reach potential customers through multiple channels
Marketing automation tools allow you to identify segments of customers that are relevant to your company and reach them in a personal way through different channels.
To deliver complete messages to your customers, you can integrate multiple marketing channels automatically.
You can use some marketing automation tools to target behavior and interests, create data-driven content marketing or determine specific audience touch points.
You can have sales and marketing on one page
Although integration between sales and marketing is difficult, it is possible with marketing automation.
Customers can find the majority of product information online today. To ensure that their content is useful and engaging to customers, the marketing team should collaborate with sales.
A successful lead generation process is possible when the sales and marketing teams work together. Marketing is responsible for attracting potential customers. Marketing can reach more prospects and create more pipelines, which leads to more closed deals.
Marketing automation automates manual processes such as lead assignment and follow up, which can help improve lead quality. Both sales and marketing teams can use it to help them focus on their core tasks, and share more information.
How to use eCommerce marketing automation
Get new customers for your brand
Marketing automation is becoming more important than ever. However, it’s essential to start the process right from the beginning. Automated email is a great way for potential customers to be contacted.
It’s important to make an impression in any situation. Automated campaigns are no exception. This should be a welcome email series that attracts new leads and directs them to your brands. A great first email series can convert a recipient into a subscriber or customer.
You can send your welcome emails with videos, blog posts, special offers and sign-up forms. Or just a friendly hello to establish a connection with prospects.
76% expect a welcome email when they subscribe to your list. This is why it’s important to use welcome emails to interact with customers.
You are making a first impression for your brand by sending welcome emails to new customers. Your email will be open at a high rate if you impress potential customers.
Food52 has a great example of a welcoming email.
Win back lost sales
You must be aware of the negative impact abandoned carts have on your business’s sales and revenue. This situation is made worse when abandoned carts are displayed on different screens.
Let’s look at the current breakdown by device of shopping cart abandonment rates, as provided by Force
- Desktop: 73.1%
- Tablet: 80.7%
- Mobile: 85.6%
Mobile devices have the highest abandonment rates. Mobile shopping is becoming more popular. It’s hard to predict a drop in cart abandonment.
This problem can be solved quickly by using automated abandoned email
There are many reasons customers abandon their carts. Customers can be reminded by automated emails that they have not completed their checkouts. To make your emails more appealing, you can include coupons or discounts in these emails. This will increase the likelihood that your products will be purchased.
Automated emails can therefore reduce cart abandonment rates significantly.
Reconnect inactive customers
Are your customers signing up for your service, but not paying much attention to it?
This is a common situation in many businesses and organizations. While customers can shop at your store and sign up for the newsletter to receive updates, it doesn’t guarantee that they will return business.
The good news? To re-engage inactive customers, you can use an automated campaign for re engagement.
You can automatically send emails to customers to win their attention and increase their interest in your products and services, similar to an abandoned cart email program.
Customers can be attracted to your email by offering discounts or daily sales, along with product recommendations.
Get customer feedback
Show what customers have to say about your brand and you can increase conversions. It is not enough to talk about the quality of your products. Customers must also be able to share their opinions and reviews.
It’s because it’s such a loss if your customers aren’t actively collecting their reviews and feedback about their purchases.
Marketing automation automates the process of asking customers for their opinions about your products and services. Marketing automation automates the feedback collection process, so customers can quickly leave feedback and reviews right after making a purchase.
Automated feedback collection does not force customers to voice their opinions about your products. It is more likely to invite customers to review your products.
How to select the best marketing automation software
1. Identify your business goals and needs
Your business goals and needs should guide all business decisions.
Before you start your search for the best marketing automation software, make sure to identify your needs.
These areas will help you to define your overall needs.
- Marketing channels: Choose the right channels to market your company. It is important to choose a solution that supports your sales and marketing channels.
- Analytics/Metrics: Find out if the software you select can report your marketing KPIs. This will help you track your business. Are you able to access robust analytics and reporting tools from your marketing automation platform?
- Integrations: You should ensure that the marketing automation software that you choose is compatible with all existing systems and applications.
2. Your marketing funnel
Layout your marketing funnel to get a better understanding of your marketing automation requirements.
Marketing automation software can increase efficiency and productivity for your company when it supports all channels that help in generating the most leads.
First, identify the channels that can help you generate leads from paid search ads and SEO-optimized blogs posts. Next, nurture mid-funnel channels such as LinkedIn Articles and marketing emails.
Finally, find out where your customers purchase. Are customers more likely to purchase from your website than after viewing demos or having a direct conversation with sales staff?
3. Make a shortlist
You can create a list of marketing automation software that meets your criteria by having a specific goal and funnel.
Do not add too many programs to your list. Choose five options that are within your budget.
4. Each software on your list should be evaluated
Once you have a list of marketing automation software, go through each option and narrow down your options to make a decision.
Start looking for software providers that offer support and features. It is important to establish a list of criteria that you will use to assess providers and then select those who meet your marketing automation requirements.
Learn more about customization and integration to meet your specific needs. Check to see if the platform can be integrated with your existing CMS or CRM systems . Your content marketing will sync with other marketing efforts if it integrates with your CRM.
Marketing automation makes it easier to manage complex tasks like coordinating data from multiple touchpoints and working across channels. Marketing automation software should have an easy-to-use interface that is intuitive, clean, and simple.
5. Run a test
Testing the software is the best way to determine if it’s worth the investment.
Any viable candidates from your initial list should be tested against the actual marketing scenario in your company. The real-world testing will show how the software integrates with your business processes and marketing strategy. Does the software make it easy for staff to use and do they find it useful?
You can test each software to see its shortcomings and unexpected issues.
6. Compare prices
When you buy something, your budget is an essential element that you must not ignore. Your budget must be kept in check.
Look at options that will meet your marketing automation requirements as well as your budget.
Learn more about discounts, extra costs for upgrades, integration customization or waiving setup.
Many providers will provide a price quote that is based on your needs and requirements. To get discounts and additional support, you can negotiate pricing with your provider.
7. Think about the future growth
It is important to determine your current business needs in order to select the best marketing automation software. However, it is also vital to consider your future growth.
As your business grows, you will need more leads and a larger database. A marketing automation program that scales with your business is a good choice.
Top 7 Marketing Automation Softwares
1. AVADA Email Marketing
AVADA is an email marketing platform that makes it easy to create and manage email marketing campaigns. Avada is an email marketing platform that’s rapidly growing for marketers who need to automate their email workflows for greater ROI and better results. Let’s look at how this tool can improve your marketing automation.
Highlights of AVADA Email Marketing:
- Automated email marketing: Create an email workflow quickly with well-designed templates from the library. Marketers can apply the content immediately (welcome emails series, abandonment Cart series, order follow-up emails, up-sell/cross-sell emails).
- Email segmentation: Create smart segmentation based upon customer behavior or personal information. Plus, you can use pre-made segments (subscribers, post-purchase, repeat customer, engage/ re-engage, win back, exit intent).
- Email Builder: Create your brand emails using an intuitive creator or one of the available templates, without any IT requirements
- Automated website popups – Create engaging pop-ups that welcome and motivate customers who are about to leave.
Avada Email Marketing integrates intuitively with Shopify (and Shopify Plus) and Magento. This tool is ideal for small and medium businesses that need an easy-to use, yet powerful, and efficient solution to their marketing needs. The all-in-one email solution is user-friendly and can help you reduce your workload and improve the performance of your campaigns.
Price:
- Free Plan, 1000 Contacts
- Pro: $ 9,00/mo; upto 20,000 contacts
2. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign makes it easy to set up marketing automation.
ActiveCampaign is the best marketing automation software. It automates tasks that don’t require a human touch. ActiveCampaign automates all aspects of marketing that no one has the time to do.
3. Hubspot
Hubspot is one of the best marketing automation tools. Hubspot is fundamentally different than other marketing automation tools because it focuses on inbound marketing (including search marketing)
The platform claims it offers all-in-one marketing solutions for inbound marketing that help businesses and marketing teams increase traffic, convert leads and track the entire funnel from one location.
It also provides Sales Hub and Service hub that allow you to gain deeper insight into your prospects and improve customer services.
4. Marketo
Marketo is a well-known marketing automation tool. It claims to provide marketing automation that can be used for any channel or every engagement. It offers a complete suite of features that help marketers manage their email campaigns and also provide excellent tools for sales teams.
Marketo is a great place to start if you want to get into advanced marketing automation.
Marketo also offers dozens of integrations in LaunchPoint.
5. Pardot
Pardot is now part of Salesforce and a valuable marketing automation tool for businesses. It offers solutions that address almost all aspects of marketing automation. These include smarter lead management, smarter email marketing, sales alignment and insightful ROI reporting.
Pardot supports B2B marketing analytics, including Salesforce Engage and account-based marketing.
6. Autopilot
Autopilot, a trusted marketing automation platform, allows you to automate the complex task of creating a customer journey.
Autopilot lets you capture leads via your blog, website, or app and nurture them with personalized messages. Automating repetitive tasks allows you to spend more time building your business.
7. SendinBlue
SendinBlue automates segmentation and marketing messages to save time and increase marketing performance.
Although SendinBlue’s automation marketing builder has limitations in visual design, it is still very powerful and effective without any bells or whistles.
You can create a brand new email design and personalize it to engage your recipients when you set up email marketing automation.
8. Adplorer – Your local marketing solution
Adplorer’s digital marketing software was created specifically to assist you in managing local marketing campaigns. This technology allows you to scale your marketing campaigns across thousands upon thousands of Franchise Locations and Enterprises around the globe. This software is used by agencies and internal marketing departments to automate the creation, management, and reporting of campaigns on Google, Bing and Facebook.
9. Eloqua
Eloqua can be used as part of the Oracle suite. This marketing automation software aids businesses and marketers to streamline engagement, increase efficiency, gain real-time insight, and accelerate the return on investment.
Oracle Eloqua offers marketers the best-in-class campaign and lead management tools to help them connect with the right audience at the right moment.
Marketers can create personalized campaigns to attract audiences through multiple channels including email, search and display.
10. EngageBay
EngageBay is a marketing automation tool for small businesses that automates their marketing processes. We work closely with our customers to ensure they reach their marketing goals.
It can help your business create innovative marketing campaigns, powerful content recommendation engines, effective customer management, social media marketing and automated email marketing.
EngageBay also offers Sales and Service Bay, which can help small businesses grow more quickly and smarter.
Marketing automation is worth it!
Marketing automation is quickly becoming the most efficient ROI activity for your business.
The first step to optimize your marketing and increase sales is choosing the right marketing automation software. To make it easier, follow the steps below.
Good marketing automation software should be able to integrate with your existing systems and support your staff in maximizing their jobs while staying within your budget.
We hope that you found this article useful. Let us know if marketing automation has made a difference in your marketing.
