Updated in June 2024
Marketing automation is sometimes mistaken for traditional email marketing.
While email marketing is a solid starting point for your marketing journey, simply sending out mass emails to everyone on a generic list about your company’s event needs to address where each customer is in their journey reasonably.
Imagine truly understanding and engaging with your customers, responding to their needs instead of bombarding them with generic messages. That’s the power of marketing automation. Tailoring messages based on each person’s recent interactions not only delivers higher returns on investment compared to essential email marketing but also opens up numerous opportunities for boosting conversion rates.
With so many marketing automation solutions available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. It’s important to consider your goals and which tool will best meet your needs. While a feature-rich tool might seem appealing, ensuring that those bells and whistles won’t just add clutter and hinder your workflow is important. Remember, simplicity can often be more effective than complexity.
Are you planning to have someone dedicated to managing the tool full-time, or do you prefer a set-it-and-forget-it approach? If simplicity and ease of use are priorities, opt for a straightforward marketing automation solution that gets the job done without overwhelming complexity. Your choice should seamlessly integrate with your existing marketing, sales, and analytics tools, cater to the various roles within your company, and provide the analytics insights you need. Remember, the right tool should align with your workflow and business goals.
We’ve compiled 11 ways marketing automation can drive growth for your business.
Tip #1: Welcome Your New Contacts with an Email
On average, welcome emails generate up to 320% more revenue per email than other promotional emails. They also generate one of the highest returns on investment among automated emails. To get the most out of them, make sure to personalize your welcome messages.
Consider including a coupon related to their website visits to encourage their first purchase or offer materials like e-books to show your appreciation for their business. Other giveaways can also be a great way to make the offer even more enticing. Additionally, providing a brief guide or tips related to your products can add extra value for your new customers.
Tip #2: Recover Abandoned Carts
People abandon their carts for various reasons, and it’s not always intentional. Sometimes, they choose a competitor, but often, they just get distracted or run out of time before an appointment and forget to return. A gentle reminder can bring them back. You can also consider adding a sense of urgency, like a limited-time offer, to encourage them to complete their purchase sooner.
Another common reason for cart abandonment is uncertainty about the product. Whether the reason is significant or minor, the cart abandonment rate is surprisingly high at 70%. To reduce this, consider providing additional information or reviews to reassure potential buyers about their choices.
Try sending an automated email to educate them on the product’s benefits and encourage them to complete the purchase. Marketing automation is an effective way to remind people of what they’ve unintentionally left behind.
Tip #3: Increase Sales
There’s nothing like making more out of a good thing. Since they’ve already shown interest in your products through a previous purchase, you can now suggest complementary products that enhance their experience, an upgraded version of what they bought, or items with additional features.
Tip #4: Send Order Confirmation Emails
Order confirmation emails have a high open rate of 60% because customers want to ensure their orders are successfully processed. Now is a prime opportunity to develop your relationship with your client further.
Every email, including order confirmations, lets your clients to get to know you better. So, don’t hesitate to give your emails some personality. Just because your customer made a purchase doesn’t mean the interaction should stop there. It’s also a great time to try out various calls to action, like following you on social media, upgrading their account, or checking out your latest products.
Tip #5: Organize Your Valuable Leads into Segments
Although it may come with a price tag, marketing automation enables you to categorize your leads, leading to much better results than a one-size-fits-all approach. Research shows that over 83% of customers dislike generic messages because they often feel disconnected. They’re more likely to engage with personalized offers instead. So, why not meet their preferences and send tailored emails? Doing so could boost sales significantly and significantly increase your marketing budget’s return on investment, potentially several times over.
Now is the perfect opportunity to invest in top-notch content, knowing it’ll be valued by your audience and drive results. Consider segmenting your audience based on gender, age, engagement level, customer status, location, or any other unique aspects relevant to your business. The beauty of marketing automation is that you can automate this process effortlessly. Simply define your criteria, and you’re all set. Additionally, you can personalize content based on these segments to further enhance engagement and conversion rates.
Tip #6: Offer Educational Content
Offering free educational content demonstrates your commitment and care, going beyond the basics to provide added value. This gesture can help people feel more connected to your brand, even if they’re still waiting to make a purchase. You might direct customers to resources like your help section, upcoming webinars, eBooks, or relevant blog posts.
Your content should align with customers’ journey with your brand. Make sure you’re sending them valuable information tailored to their preferences and current stage rather than overwhelming them with irrelevant content. This personalized approach helps build trust and keeps your audience engaged.
To create valuable educational content, begin by reaching out to your existing customers with a brief survey. Ask them about any challenges they encounter while using your products. This direct feedback will provide valuable insights to tailor content that addresses their specific needs. Additionally, consider hosting interactive Q&A sessions or online forums where customers can share their experiences and questions, further enriching your content strategy.
Tip #7: Reconnect with Customers Who Have Disappeared
You likely understand that not all customers stick around forever. Some might inquire about your product and then disappear, while others might sign up for your email list but never engage further. And there are those who make a purchase but have yet to come back for more. It’s all part of the business landscape. Additionally, consider implementing a win-back campaign to re-engage these customers. This could involve offering special discounts or personalized incentives to encourage them to return and make another purchase.
If you’ve got marketing automation tools, keep customer disengagement from the slide. Take it as a chance to reconnect. Consider sending a quick survey, offering exclusive deals, or suggesting different products they might like. You could also share stories or testimonials from happy customers to remind them why they chose your products in the first place. And don’t forget to thank them for their past support—it goes a long way.
Tip #8: Improve Customer Service
Great customer service involves offering the right amount of support at the right moments. When done manually, there’s a risk of contacting customers at the wrong times, which can result in losing them during the buyer’s journey or onboarding process. Automating this process ensures timely and appropriate communication, helping to keep customers engaged and satisfied. Additionally, consider using automated follow-ups to address any issues or questions they might have promptly.
Setting up an automated email flow based on specific triggers while ensuring the messages still feel personal greatly enhances your email productivity and customer engagement. This leads to higher retention rates and increased profitability. Additionally, keeping existing customers is much more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Investing in automation for customer retention is a smart move for long-term success.
Tip #9: Offer Useful Reminders
Any opportunity to provide relevant tips to your audience should be taken. Relevance is key. Is there an upcoming holiday associated with gift-giving, like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Christmas?
Your customers will likely appreciate these timely reminders, as they might have forgotten to buy a gift otherwise. Connecting with their emotions can enhance the value of their purchase even more. Additionally, offering personalized gift suggestions can further strengthen their connection to your brand.
Tip #10: Encourage Loyalty
It’s well-known that retaining existing customers is far more valuable than acquiring new ones. There are several ways to foster loyalty, using marketing automation to keep customers engaged and prevent them from slipping away.
Your loyalty emails can explain how your loyalty program works, remind customers of their available bonuses, and reward your most loyal customers. Additionally, you can offer exclusive deals or early access to new products to show appreciation for their continued support.
Tip #11: Send Subscription Alerts
Losing a customer due to a preventable oversight, like missing the end of their subscription, can be frustrating. Sending a timely automated email, or even a series of emails, can help retain those who wish to continue their subscription.
Sometimes, a gentle reminder about the implications of losing their subscription can prompt customers to act quickly. Additionally, offering a special incentive or discount for renewing can sweeten the deal and encourage them to stay on board.
Conclusion
There are countless ways to leverage marketing automation to benefit your business! If you’re already engaged in email marketing, upgrading to marketing automation should be your next move.
The numbers don’t lie— the benefits are clear. With marketing automation, you can communicate more consistently and frequently with your customers. By pinpointing each customer’s position in the buyer’s journey, you can send tailored messages that boost conversions across the board. Start by setting clear objectives and monitoring your progress closely to address any potential issues or revenue losses promptly.
