You won't get very far if you just blindly collect contact data. You goal should be to generate qualified leads. The following list shed some light as to how marketing automation will help you to get there:
1. Personalization
Personalized content engineers trust and enables a targeted communication. Somebody who has opened you last newsletter will see different content (compared to an unknown user) when they visit your homepage the next time.
2. Automate communication
Marketing automation allows you to automate your complete communication. As an example, you can schedule that a contact receives an email three days after the download of a file from your website. This email should offer new content in order further advance the lead nurturing process.
3. Usability
The set-up of the marketing automation system is the biggest challenge. The IT and marketing departments should work hand in hand here. Once this hurdle is taken, almost all systems run straightforwardly. Thanks to the easy handling of the marketing automation software, your marketing department will hardly need IT assistance going forward.
Another plus is that you can access most components online. You won't need to instal additional software. Furthermore, the system updates itself automatically. You do not have to worry whether every team member has access to the current version anymore.
4. Qualify leads
By continuously offering new and interesting content (white paper, check lists, etc.) you will obtain additional information about your leads to qualify them further. These insights are valuable to your sales team, which can now access relevant information comfortably (such as the landing pages a user has visited recently).
5. Make success visible
Marketing automation allows you to monitor and measure your marketing activities. This allows you to understand what it takes to convert a visitor into a qualified lead. You can now account for your success or the lack thereof.
6. Get a head start
More and more companies will invest in marketing automation in the coming years. You should not miss out on this and take advantage of the benefits of marketing automation now. Make your own experiences to gain a competitive edge with regard to knowledge and technology.
Even small and medium-sized businesses can keep up with big corporations thanks to the many possible applications offered by marketing automation tools. You can make decisions much faster, react to developments much more flexibly and gain the edge despite disadvantages with regard to resources.
Download our exclusive infographic if you want to learn more about how marketing automation benefits your sales department.
