An adage states that "to err is human." This statement rings so true in business, where even the most successful companies are occasionally guilty of making mistakes. Still, there are some common pitfalls that companies should watch out for when implementing marketing automation.
Marketing automation is a powerful tool that can help small businesses to maintain effective relationships with their customers. However, like all things, not every marketing automation solution is right for every company.
When choosing a software platform, companies should assess the platforms' capabilities and make sure they align with the business's needs and goals. Once a company has identified and implemented its marketing automation system, it's important to make sure they're using it correctly.
Even though one of the advantages of marketing automation is its ability to scale your team while freeing up valuable time, this benefit can be severely diminished if you aren't taking advantage of all features available in your chosen marketing automation platform.
To help you avoid mistakes, we’ve outlined these simple points to keep in mind before diving into your next campaign. These are the mistakes to avoid when using Marketing Automation-
Mismanaging Leads and Opportunities
When using a marketing automation solution, it's important to make sure you're setting up your system correctly to work effectively. It's also key to track and properly classify leads in the system so that they can be managed and nurtured at different stages of the sales pipeline.
Not Envisioning What Your Perfect Day Will Look Like
Automated messages should always provide users with content based on their needs and preferences.
But make sure you are thinking about what these automated messages should do- whether it's providing an upsell or cross-sell offer, sharing new blog posts, or directing traffic back to your website- before implementing your solution.
Not Integrating with the Rest of Your Marketing Stack
One of the key benefits of marketing automation is the ability to integrate your systems, automate processes and work more cohesively as a team.
Unfortunately, many companies fail to do this when making the switch from their legacy system to marketing automation, which can lead to some big problems down the line. Make sure you are always looking at how you can streamline processes for yourself and your team members by combining both systems effectively.
Failing to Track KPIs in Real-Time
When implementing a new platform- including any other situations that may arise- it's important to track your KPIs on an ongoing basis so that you can work based on results rather than vague estimates.
By setting up your KPI tracking system correctly and working to integrate it with other tools in your marketing stack, you can avoid wasting time and resources on weak areas of the business while continuing to build upon successful elements of your strategy.
Keep your message consistent
Your company already has a unique selling proposition or brand- make sure you don't undermine its uniqueness by advertising different messages to different audiences.
It's very important to identify the type of prospect you're trying to reach and make sure everyone involved in the process is singing from the same song sheet.
Don't use every tactic available for every campaign
One of the most common mistakes companies make with marketing automation is to apply every tactic available, regardless of its effectiveness for each type of campaign.
It's important to have some process around testing messages- otherwise, you might find yourself being covered by Google, Bing, and Yahoo all at once, which might garner a few extra clicks but won't do much in terms of conversions or revenue.
Don't forget about your company culture
There's nothing worse than running a fantastic marketing campaign that is derailed by an internal issue, such as someone higher up not supporting it properly (or even worse, taking credit for success). A successful online marketing program needs participation from everyone in the company- nobody should feel like they're "out on an island" when it comes to supporting.
Marketing automation is truly a powerful and useful tool for small businesses. With the right platform and approach, companies can simplify their marketing strategies through automation, saving themselves time and energy- which they can use towards more productive areas of their business.
Still, as with all things in business (and life), not every solution or plan is perfect for every company. When making the switch from traditional marketing methods to an automated system like marketing automation, it's important that companies choose a platform that is truly right for their needs and goals, rather than one that looks great on paper but doesn't offer the functionality they need.
Additionally, when implementing the software, it's essential to make sure you're using it appropriately to avoid wasting time and money (and even losing customers) in the long run.
Automated messages should always be personalized - based on information in your CRM or other databases- to provide users with content they want. It is also important to track key performance indicators (KPIs) in real-time so that you can make changes as needed based on results, rather than just vague estimates."
By making use of all these components and keeping in mind the mistakes to avoid when using Marketing Automation, small businesses can maximize their time and efforts while ensuring their strategies are as effective as possible.
Contact Helium CRM for more information.
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