We hear it every now and then–from marketing gurus, industry leaders, and even Jim from Marketing–that Marketing Automation is a godsend.
They make it seem as though Marketing Automation is their not-so secret recipe to success, whether they’re working in a fancy MNC or a quaint SME.
But what sets Marketing Automation apart from other tools businesses use? How can SMEs benefit from marketing automation?
Marketing Automation 101
Marketing Automation is the usage of software platforms to help businesses, big or small, automate an array of marketing & sales engagement activities and processes. The aim of doing this is at the core of every business:
- To save time
- To lower costs
- To increase sales
- To increase efficiency
In short, automation is about simplifying your marketing efforts by streamlining various processes and making sure that they work themselves out without constant monitoring.
Marketing Automation brings about a whole era of convenience to our already bustling lifestyles. If you feel that your tasks are piling-up and never-ending, you’re not alone. Marketing Automation might just be the answer for you to simplify manual and repetitive tasks. For example:
- Automating processes such as sending “thank you” emails & social media postings
- Reminding your salespeople to follow up on leads
- Churning up sales and analytics reports
Yes, that’s correct – say goodbye to the tedious, menial tasks (but still important) that take up so much of your time! All you’ll need to do is periodically check on your workflows to see if they’re working the right way you want them to be. Now, doesn’t that sound like a dream? Can you imagine just how much time you’ll save?
Did you know?
74% of marketers claim that the biggest benefit of automation is saving time.
With the time saved from automating manual and repetitive tasks, you can spend more time on growing your business. This means more time to work on other important tasks: brainstorming on your next big idea for a proposal or campaign, deciding on your advertisement strategy and budget, discussing your social media strategies to get those followers—you name it!
Not just for the Big Boys!
Now that we’ve understood the power of Marketing Automation tools, you may wonder if it’s going to be expensive and only suitable for big corporations that have a long, long list of customers – it doesn’t!
Contrary to the popular belief (read: misconceptions), Marketing Automation tools can be cost-efficient and suited well for small teams too. Some Marketing Automation tools are even built to specifically alleviate the pain points faced by small businesses to help them grow!
What's next for you?
We know that leads are finite, just like your resources. Hence, there is a need for lead management and nurturing to make the best out of your leads.
Lead management doesn’t have to be complicated, nor time consuming and expensive. There are easy and achievable steps that you can take to ensure that your leads grow along with your brand, and that you are effectively educating your leads about the need for your products or services in their lives.
