Does marketing automation really work? This is a question many small businesses are asking as they try to get the most out of their marketing efforts. We decided to find out. Our research is clearly shown in the infographic below. As you’ll see, the reasons to consider marketing automation are quite strong.
Marketing doesn’t have to be such a gamble
For lots of small businesses, marketing is a hit-and-hope kind of a thing. Some businesses don’t think they have the expertise to create a successful campaign. Others simply lack the time. It needn’t be like that for you.
Marketing automation helps you learn more about your audience. This allows you to create targeted, personalized campaigns that are more likely to succeed. With analytics tracking the key metrics, your marketing becomes accountable. You’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and how to adjust it.
Automation means more personalisation, not less
Some people fear that marketing automation will mean their campaigns lose the personal touch.
They worry about losing control.
The opposite is true.
Marketing automation doesn’t mean your online marketing gets done automatically. It’s not going to do your marketing exec out of a job. Rather it’s software that makes it easier to schedule, prioritise, and execute your campaigns. It also allows you to build a profile of the different personas in your target audience, so you can target your prospects on a more personal level.
And that’s important.
Successful marketing requires tapping in to the needs, fears, desires, and ambitions of your target audience. The more you know about them, the better. So when you nurture a relationship based on what you know about your prospects, you stand a far better chance of turning them into paying customers. The upshot is a more personalised relationship with your audience, a better opportunity to drive revenue and more time to spend on the non-marketing aspects of your business.
But does marketing automation get results?
Yup.
According to our research, 74 percent of marketers who use data-driven marketing say they have benefited from a competitive advantage. Meanwhile 55 percent of businesses using marketing automation have reported increased revenues. Dive into more numbers with our infographic below or by downloading a free copy of our ‘Marketing automation on a shoestring’ whitepaper.