7 useful tips on how to get started with marketing automation

Thanks to the computer relieving us of some tasks, marketing automation is not only a time-saving measure., but it also allows performing tasks which would not be possible without technology, including sending personalized product recommendations.

What should you remember about before getting started?

Marketing automation system won’t do everything for you. As a marketer, you will still have to plan client communications strategy. However, thanks to marketing automation the delivery of your messages will become far easier, as the system will send them automatically, at a time prearranged by you. This article will show you what should you remember about and what to pay attention to in order to properly start your adventure with Marketing Automation.

What should you pay attention to while getting started with Marketing Automation?

1. Update your contact list

If you own an online store, you have a customer base – e-mail addresses of people who have made a purchase or subscribed to a newsletter. The first step that you have to take is to transfer these contacts into your Marketing Automation System’s mailing base. It’s best to choose a system that has plug-ins integrating it with your online store platform. Thanks to that the whole process will be smooth and safe, and won’t take longer than 15 minutes.

2. Explore available scenarios

Marketing automation is possible due to the available scenarios which are activated at the moment chosen by us, for example when a customer abandons their cart or subscribes to a newsletter. In order to make proper use of these scenarios, you need to get acquainted with them first. Learn what they are about and how efficient they are. Consider how you could use them so that they would bring the best possible results.

Image 1: Before you start, explore scenarios available within your marketing automation system

3. Plan the communication with a client

Based on the knowledge about available scenarios and your customer group, consider which form of communication will get to your customers. We don’t recommend launching all of the scenarios at once. Start with the most basic ones, such as a welcome message or a dynamic newsletter.

Image 2: After starting a scenario, analyze its effectiveness

4. Analyze the data

Analysis of the efficiency of particular scenarios will enable you to improve them in the future. Apart from such basic indices like Open Rate (open rate of messages) and Click-Through Rate (a rate of clicks on the link in the message), check also such information as how many people have made a purchase after receiving a given e-mail or how many people have abandoned the subscription. Thanks to that you will get to know your customers better, you will learn about their interests, and which kind of messages has the highest efficiency. You will gain a general overview of things that you should adhere to while designing other scenarios.

5. Take care of gaining new contacts

It’s not enough to communicate only with the existing clients. Remember about gaining new contacts as well. A good way to acquire leads is the usage of pop-up windows with newsletter subscription. These should not appear immediately after entering the site. It is much better to let the customer get acquainted with our offer, so that they can decide whether they’re interested in receiving your newsletter.

Image 3: Exit pop-ups are a good way or acquiring new leads

6. Don’t be a spammer

While launching subsequent marketing automation scenarios you will quickly realize that they bring measurable benefits in the form of increased conversion and growth in sales. This can encourage you to use them as much as you can. Remember, though, to act with moderation. By sending too many messages you will achieve an effect opposite to the intended one, and instead of increasing the sales you will discourage the customers – and it is quite hard to gain their trust back.

7. Remember about personalisation

Marketing automation doesn’t mean that you will lose an opportunity to send personalized messages to your clients. Quite the opposite. eCRM and Marketing Automation systems, such as edrone, gather information about the products that a client was browsing and purchased in the store; thanks to that it knows which products should be recommended. Engaging technology in this task helps to determine client’s needs with incredible precision, as well as automate the process of recommendation. You can read more about it here.

Image 4: Technology allows you to create personalized messages with recommendations

Become a marketing automation expert

Marketing automation brings lots of benefits, and using it is even easier than it might seem at first glance. Moreover, it’s an effective way of communication with a client, regardless the size of your store and mailing base. Even if marketing automation seems to be complicated, you will surely make it work while using our tips. You can find a series of articles on our blog; these will uncover for you, step by step, the secrets of eCRM system – and you will soon become an expert yourself!

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