6 Ways to Do Marketing Automation Right (and Wrong!)

When it comes to marketing automation, not all software and approaches are created equally. However, with so many options out there, how can you be sure you’ve made the right choice? What’s wrong with the software solution your company has used for years, anyway? As businesses change and grow, so should your software. Software that integrates, evolves, and can be customized and regularly updated is vital for any healthy business. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses get stuck with old, ill-fitting software because someone years ago chose it on a whim and it quickly became accepted as the norm in your Yubo business.

 

Whether you have marketing automation software currently or not, it’s important to recognize red flags. Make sure you’re doing marketing automation software right, and know how to spot problems with this list:

 

1.       Choose software specifically for your business. If you have marketing automation currently, do you know who picked it and why? Most businesses don’t—or if they do, the answers for “why” aren’t that compelling. Your business and customers deserve marketing automation that was designed especially for your industry and is customizable for your business. Routine updates are critical. If you don’t have this, you don’t really have a solution.

2.       Consider the cost. This should be a given, but for businesses that already have marketing automation, those costs are already built into the budget. That doesn’t mean it’s financially savvy. Don’t look for just the lowest price, but think about what you’re getting for your money. There might be a more affordable solution offering the same perks, or maybe a higher priced package will actually give you exactly what you’re looking for. Price is just one factor, but a key one.

3.       Get some feedback. Ask both your employees and customers in an anonymous poll what they like and don’t like about your current marketing automation. Anonymity is key here, especially for employees, and the feedback, for better or worse, will be illuminating. Unless you regularly use the software yourself, you’re probably completely unaware of any bugs, quirks and annoyances. Get answers from people who actually use the marketing automation, and that will help drive any changes.

4.       Ask yourself if there have been any major problems. Whether it’s the system going down for a long time or even a security breach related to the software, that isn’t “normal.” Major problems are just that, and aren’t acceptable. You could lose customers, profits and your reputation. When shopping for marketing automation software, keep their security measures in mind, and check out third-party reviews. Software should help your business, not become another risk factor.

5.       Match your marketing goals to the software. Marketing automation is means to speed up your marketing efforts and make them more efficient. Is your marketing strategy driving your marketing automation, or is it the other way around? Similar to matching software to your business, you also need to match it to your marketing goals. Work with your marketing team because they’re the ones with the background, knowledge and vision to help make the most of your marketing efforts. In fact, they should be critical in choosing the software they’ll be managing and using.

6.       Be wary of too many bells and whistles. Having options with marketing automation software is a great thing, but the key word here is “options.” If you have a system that requires you to tack on every feasible accessory, you’ll probably spend more time managing aspects of marketing that don’t really apply to you than getting your system to work for you. Options are great, but they should be additions that you can say yay or nay to at your leisure. For example, if you can find marketing automation software that can integrate with other software solutions that benefit your business, such as an online project management, invoicing, and payment platform like Due, then you definitely don’t need to select one that has an overwhelming amount of options.

Marketing automation is increasingly important for all businesses, especially as the sales funnel continues to expand. Keeping track of customer data is paramount for business, but ensuring you have the right automation for your needs will require a little research.