Marketing automation is only effective if you know what you need from it. If you go in without having done your research or taking the time to set it up, it won’t give you what you need. Marketing automation isn’t meant to replace human intelligence and creativity. It’s meant to be used as a tool to enhance your existing marketing strategies. There are several different ways in which you can effectively use marketing automation. However, it’s both the marketing team and C-level executives to determine the overall goal of automating marketing tasks and sifting through all the ideas for marketing automation.
You can use marketing automation to generate mass e-mails, send reminders of items left in a shopping cart, notifications of discounted items, any time there’s a new update, personalized content, etc. The list for uses of marketing automation is extensive. This is why it’s important to first figure out what your company’s goal is and then determine how to incorporate marketing automation. Without a clear goal, you can start using a marketing automation software that most businesses use and have generated successful ROI. Here are 5 ideas for marketing automation:
1. Abandoned Cart
Have you noticed that you buy something on most online stores, you will get an email with the subject line, “Psssst….Did you forget something?” or “That’s a great choice! Don’t let it get away!” This is marketing automation at its finest. People love to window shop and add items to their virtual carts. Sometimes they don’t intend on buying it, but if you send enough e-mail they may be convinced because now it’s on their mind. They’re envisioning that item in their lives and they will eventually buy it.
2. eBook Nurture
Some website provides free eBooks, but the only way to receive them is by entering your email first. Once the client’s email address is recorded in the database, it’s easy to send follow-up emails about the eBook and then follow-up emails about related content. EBook nurturing is probably one of the most undervalued ideas for marketing automation. But people need information quickly. And if your website pops up and provides them with a guaranteed answer in an eBook, they will be sure to download it.
3. Interest Tagging
It’s important to keep in touch with clients that have already visited your site or have purchased from your only store. This way you can build your marketing automation database with all your customers. This gives you access to their interactions with your website, which allows for personalized content.
Having their information in a database also allows for automated emails about things they may like based on past search or purchases, future discounts, members-only deals, etc. These emails triggered by interest provide your audience with the next step with your company, thus making it easier for them—and you—to get what they need. This ensures that your company stays in their working memory and generates more engagement.
4. Resend Emails
One of the most common ideas for marketing automation is email reminders. Email reminders don’t necessarily have to be personalized, but the more times individualize emails the more human you’ll appear and this will ensure customer satisfaction. If your client hasn’t opened the e-mail you sent, you can program the marketing automation software to resend the same e-mail in a few days. If your client has an appointment coming soon or a related event to a past experience, you can automate emails reminding them about it.
By incorporating their data into your software of choice, you can set up how often the reminder emails should be sent and how many days, before after, an event or purchase. Remember that marketing automation is about optimizing steady client growth. You don’t want to continuously lose clients because they forget about it. Consistent email reminders ensure that you’re at the top of their mind when they think of whatever you’re selling.
5. Post-Purchase Review Reminder
For eCommerce one of the best ideas for marketing automation is having your customers review your product. This allows your customers to remember you when they want to buy something similar again. Also, sending a review reminder gives you access to updated, good reviews for your website. This will help with link building and safeguarding your online presence.
All these ideas for marketing automation make client interaction and satisfaction so easy. This is why ideas for marketing automation have skyrocketed in the last five to ten years. These ideas allow you to provide constant reminders to your clients, which allows for purchasing, re-purchasing and reviewing. It’s important to remember that all your marketing efforts need to work together. One thing does not replace another. They need to complement each other to work for you effectively and efficiently.