Generating qualified leads is the Sisyphean task of every sales specialist. No matter the effort, there is always the risk of the rock rolling back into the valley. Marketing automation has made this strenuous process a lot easier. Is this the end of the traditional salesperson?
Nothing will stop the triumph of marketing automation: statistics reveal that more and more companies rely on tools like HubSpot and Eloqua to make their marketing efforts more effective (see infographic). However, this does not mean that the marketing department has nothing to do anymore. Instead both marketing and sales are becoming more aligned with one another, which is a good thing as they are essentially pursuing the same goals.
We have created an infographic with many interesting stats on marketing automation:
Marketing automation is nothing else than software that monitors and analyzes the online behavior of potential clients in order to trigger content that suits exactly their needs. Prospects become leads by interacting with the content the marketing team has created. And with every interaction, the software learns more about the user to guide him or her towards a purchasing decision. This obviously means that the typical tasks of a sales person such as identifying prospects, nurturing leads and pitching offers now happen automatically. Potential clients already know about the products and services of a company very well. The salesperson as pitch master has become a thing of the past.
The Sales Specialist as Problem Solver
Does this mean that sales personnel has become expendable? No! It only means that the sales department has to adapt to changing circumstances. Never have clients been this close to companies: they are always only one click away. Social media channels, blogs and other websites always keep them up to date. They do not need anyone to explain products and services to them. All of this is happening automatically nowadays. Salespersons do not need to get the ball rolling anymore. What is needed is a collaborative approach.
This means that sales specialists are well advised to see themselves as problem solvers. Marketing automation provides them with all the data they could ask for. All they have to do is put that data to work. The essential question they should ask themselves, however, is not “How can I sell a product to a client?” but “how can I help clients to achieve their goals?” The cornerstone in sales is not the sale of a specific product anymore. It is not about the price of a product, but about its value: A salesperson's job is to show clients the added value of what they are selling and not that they possibly offer it at a better price than the competition.
There is no denying the benefits of marketing automation in sales: The automated, targeted triggering of content improves the user experience as users now get the information they are really looking for. From a sale's perspective, work is becoming more effective. On top of that, every step of the customer journey can be observed in real time, which means that marketing and sales strategies can be optimized constantly for maximum effect. As solution providers, who do more than just sell stuff, salespersons establish trust and can count on clients' loyalty in the future.
The Advantages at a glance: With Marketing Automation you...
✓ Increase your ROI: more traffic, more leads, more sales.
✓ Stay on top of things: the software enables you to keep better track of sales processes.
✓ work flexibly: marketing automation offers many different and fully automated application options.
✓ are fit for the future: use modern technology to continually optimize sales processes.
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Would you like to know more about the benefits of marketing automation? We are happy to tell you all about the available software providers and help you with the development of your own campaign. Get in touch!
