The Basics Of Marketing Automation Systems

By Tammie Caldwell


When talking of marketing automation, one normally refers to software platforms and technologies that are geared towards assisting the marketing teams and the organizations at large increase their effectiveness in promoting their products in various online platforms. Products may be promoted by email, through websites and social media platforms. The platforms take over repetitive online functions from being operated by human beings. They require a command that triggers action when the required task is achieved online hence the importance of the Marketing Automation systems.

The process starts when marking individuals or the department involved in marketing specifies what outcome they would like to have from any process or task that touches on marketing. The software picks up the commands, makes a quick interpretation, and implements them as needed. It is efficient and not prone to error as humans are. In the recent past, such systems have been used to analyze behavior online and its effect on overall results. Cloud hosting enables clients to use the platform as a service.

There are three categories of marketing automation. The first involves collecting relevant information to assist in realizing the marketing goals. This is called marketing intelligence. This platform makes use of tracking codes on webpages, social media, and emails to enable the marketing team track behaviors of visitors interested in the product or the service that the company is marketing. The team also gains a measure of intent.

Examples of tracking includes recording the link that was clicked in an email, search terms that visitors used to access a website, a forum thread that was followed or a social media group that has so many followers. Buyer behavior can be tracked by use of such links for a product x. This feedback helps the retailing team develop programs that are in line with the interests of the prospects.

Developments have also brought platforms with the sole aim of moving prospects down the sales funnel. Normal visitors are guides slowly until they are hot customers in waiting. The software scores the prospects in the normal interaction with the online presence of the brand and help nurture their interest until they are ready to buy.

Commonly used sales cycles include (B2B) Business-to-business, B2C (Business-to consumer and B2G (Business-to-government). In essence, this is a mix of typical email marketing enjoined with structured business processes. This helps avoid following clients that have no intention to buy from the company and follow those that have shown interest in the products and services that the company is promoting.

Some platforms are meant to ensure automation of internal retailing processes. These are referred to as workflow automation platforms. In most cases, the sales cycles are delay by the internal component that takes some time to be accomplished. Such processes include planning, budgeting, internal collaboration, development of retailing calendar among others. They check on anything that involves internal marketing process.

Your CRM administrator feeds the software with the rules and directions. The software then activate other actions needed to be done by the sales team when needed. For example, it may remind them to send emails, design marketing material, or call a client. With marketing automation you are more efficient with very few errors.




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