No one is a stranger to marketing automation. Maybe you don’t know the full extent of its details, but chances are you’ve received an automated notification recently; whether it was a reminder about an event, a birthday coupon from a restaurant or a promotion from a retailer. Automation technology has been used since ancient Greece and even has its own Golden Age, “The Golden of Age Automata”.
Today in the world of business, automation is everywhere. Emailing, social media and website actions can be automated, and with many proven facts of the benefits of this, all companies should be utilising it. It’s recognised to give your business the opportunity to increase the speed, efficiency and accuracy of its marketing efforts; allowing you more time and energy for strategy, content and creativity.
If you haven’t implemented automation into your marketing strategy, here’s the three we recommend every business start with:
1. Contact Form
Does your website have a contact form? If it doesn’t, why not? Utilising a set of basic questions to be filled by interested visitors to your web page is a vital part of developing your online presences, as well as playing an integral role in shaping and growing your company.
The benefits of this include reduced risk of spam, a professional appearance, reliability it will get to your mailbox, accuracy in the delivery of contact details… but most importantly, a lead.
A contact form automation can ensure that your company is immediately notified as soon as the prospect clicks submit. An autoresponder to the prospect is also a great opportunity to start a relationship. Personalise it by mentioning offers, events and related products/services, or simply just by saying thank you and informing them their enquiry is being handled. Remember, contact forms convert visitors to customers!
2. Indoctrination Campaign
After filling out the contact form you have prospects that have expressed interest, developing an effective automated strategy to build this relationship is vital. There’s a fine line between automation and personalisation, as spammy emails and negative first impressions can dismay your potential customers.
It is important to ensure that your first tailored email will instil the readers’ awareness of your brand, through the specification of both your company and the customer. It shouldn’t be a sales pitch but a campaign to introduce your business. A few pointers include:
· Use the readers’ name
· Introduce the company and the sender/team
· What you are passionate about
· What they can expect from you
· Clear information for them to contact you further
Automation can still be personalised and the more human you make your business sound (while also professional), the more your audience will feel a sense of brand awareness and loyalty. With that being said, the indoctrination campaign can improve business-to-customer relationships and boost sales.
3. Quarterly ‘How Can I Help’
Let’s say by now you’ve built up some rapport with the client after the contact form and indoctrination campaign went to plan. They might be a frequent user of your product/service by now, or maybe their interest has decreased. Engagement is an essential part of the customer journey, and automation can keep you be accountable for this.
Sending out a ‘How Can I Help’ email quarterly may be the million-dollar question. It costs less money to keep a current customer than it is to gain a new one, as well as less effort when an automation campaign is in place.
Leaving questions open and using personalisation can assist in building trust and attracting opportunities. Developing and nurturing ongoing relationships with clients is necessary for all businesses, and this automation can help in achieving this.
With that being said, marketing automation is a simple and cost-effective strategy to build customer relationships and your company. So, if you’re not already running automation in your business operations, what’s your excuse? Maybe you are… but is it the most effective strategy?
The team at Greenfish Marketing are your experts in all things automation. We can help you develop a marketing strategy to utilise this opportunity of all the benefits that come from automated marketing. Fill out our ‘Contact Form’ to get in touch with us today.
