The good news is that implementing automation technology is easier than ever, thanks to more options for data migration and marketing automation consultants who know how to get the most from your new system. The better news is that you’re still not too late to gain an edge over the competition by stepping up to automation today. To update an old proverb, the best time to adopt marketing automation was two years ago; the second best time is today.
What can marketing automation do for you?
1. Do More
Marketing has become vastly more complex than it once was, and automation is an essential tool for keeping multiple tasks running smoothly. A single centralized system that can handle lead generation, revenue marketing applications, lead nurture programs, auto-responses, and routine tasks essentially acts as a force multiplier for marketers. You’re able to do more with the data you collect and focus your efforts on other aspects of marketing while the software takes care of details for you.
2. Do It Faster
Speed matters when your competition is close on your heels. Automation reduces tasks that used to take days to a few hours’ work. Many operations are in real time, including website and email analytics. A/B split testing samples can go out in the morning and return actionable results by that afternoon, followed by a same-day launch of the winning version. Communication is so rapid that prospects feel as though you’re anticipating their needs, leading to better service. Without marketing automation, no rivals can compete.
3. Do It All at Once
Most of us like to think we’re competent multi-taskers, but research doesn’t bear it out. We tend to perform best on tasks when we’re focused on one of them at a time. That isn’t true for marketing automation systems; they’re the ultimate multi-taskers, able to orchestrate omni-channel campaigns with precision and never missing a beat. It would be impossible for you to carry on a hundred discussions at once, but marketing automation lets you talk with thousands of leads at a time in customized interactions that feel like one-on-one conversations.
4. Do It Together
In the relay race that is marketing, one of the most critical points is the hand-off at which the marketing team passes qualified leads over to sales. Without sufficient nurturing, a lead’s not yet sales-ready; wait too long for the transition, and a lead’s interest could already be lost. Automation makes the switch seamless by ranking leads, establishing definitions of qualification, nurturing leads for sales readiness, and coordinating efforts so prospects always feel supported during their buying journey.
5. Do It Better
How do you know how well your marketing efforts are paying off? With marketing automation, that question has definitive answers. Demonstrating measurable, reliable ROI allows you to set concrete goals and quantitatively measure your progress toward them. By attaching real value to all your marketing activities, you can make more meaningful forecasts and know what you need to do to meet objectives. “Better” is a relative word, but with automation, you deal in absolutes.
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