5 Ways to Get Started with Marketing Automation

Do you know what’s great about marketing automation? It’s completely free! Marketing automation is a software platform that automates repetitive tasks in your business. You can set up rules to help you with email campaigns, social media posts, and other online activities. If you want to get started with marketing automation there are 5 simple steps for getting started:

1.    Find the right tools.

You can’t start using marketing automation without first finding tools to manage email campaigns, analyze social media stats, and track customer data. There are a lot of tools out there to choose from, so I recommend a few that have a proven track record:

• GetResponse – It’s a different kind of email marketing company that does it all – from email design and delivery through to analytics. You’ll have access to 18 million customers worldwide or you can import your list.
• HubSpot – HubSpot has been around since 2006, and they offer a range of services from webinars to video hosting for marketers. They have the capability to aggregate existing data from your email service provider, event management system, Google Analytics, and marketing automation.

2.    Define your goals

Setting goals is a vital part of any marketing campaign. You’ll eventually end up with a lost cause if you don’t know where you’re going, and it’s much easier to use marketing automation for your campaign if you have a goal in mind. Here are five different types of goals that your business might want to set:

• Goal for brand awareness
• Goal for lead generation
• Goal for conversion
• Goal for customer retention
• Marketing goal on social media

3.    Create detailed workflows

Start by using a pencil and paper or a whiteboard to diagram your workflows. For each action in the workflow, ask yourself:

     i.        What is the trigger that tells me I need to take this action?

    ii.        What information do I need to take this action?

  iii.        Who will be responsible for taking this action?

  iv.        What system or document can we use so that we won’t forget about it when the time comes?

    v.        What is the next step in the workflow?”

By diagramming your workflows, you’ll have a good sense of what needs to be done. At the same time, by writing down each step in detail and assigning it to someone on your team or project partner, you are making sure that there is accountability for completing tasks without forgetting about them.

4.    Set up triggers for specific actions

Setting up triggers for specific actions is a great way to make sure you stay on top of your day with minimal effort. You can set an alarm on your phone or email. For instance, you might want to set a trigger for taking a break from work every five minutes. It’s important not to use these as crutches, though.

The best way to keep yourself motivated is to give yourself a clear goal and then find small ways that you can achieve that goal each day with minimal effort.

5.    Track results

Marketing automation simplifies the customization of your campaign to meet your specific customer needs. The system does much of the work, however, it can be overwhelming because there are many tools involved. It may be difficult to keep track of how all the pieces are working together. It is necessary to have an understanding of what is happening with your marketing, especially if you are using automated marketing for profit.

The solution is to use marketing automation software that has tracking capabilities built into it. When you implement the software, it will tell you exactly what parts are working best for you or not. The information will allow you to make changes and improve your campaign over time.

When you make changes, test them and then track the results. This method will keep your automated marketing on point with what is working for your business providing you with a better return on investment (ROI).

Bonus Tip: Benefits of Marketing Automation

Marketing automation helps companies by streamlining processes so they can more easily reach out to their target audience.

While they may be overwhelmed with all of the work that needs to get done, there are ways you can use marketing automation tools such as Google Docs or Trello for free and help them stay organized while doing it efficiently without spending too much time working on tedious tasks that don’t add value.

For example, setting triggers when taking breaks from your day or following your morning routine every day ensures you keep yourself motivated by giving yourself clear goals and finding small ways in which you can achieve those goals each day with minimal effort.

Marketing automation helps companies streamline processes so they not only reach out to their target audience more easily but also do it efficiently without spending too much time working on tedious tasks that don’t necessarily add value. Marketing automation is a great way for companies to boost productivity in the workplace and improve business results.

Conclusion

Marketing automation simplifies the customization of your campaign to meet your specific customer needs. The system does much of the work, however, it can be overwhelming because there are many tools involved. It may be difficult to keep track of how all the pieces are working together. This is where the marketing automation software comes in handy! When you implement a piece of software that has tracking capabilities built into it, not only will you know what’s happening with every part but also have access to valuable insights about your customers and competitors’ campaigns too.