Hubspot defines Marketing Automation as, “the software that exists with the goal of automating marketing actions.” The technology helps set-up simple steps and procedures within various marketing channels like email, chat, social media, landing pages, etc. and can prevent leads from slipping through the cracks. But marketing automation is only one part of a larger inbound strategy.
Marketing automation helps to streamline the process and allow your business to become the expert in your space: getting the right message to the right person at the right time. An inbound approach is all about building trust.
What does a Marketing Automation Specialist do, typically?
- Understand your needs/problems that automation will help you solve
- Build your marketing automation blueprint
- What you’ve been doing so far
- What has already been produced
- Where you’ve been successful
- Where you can see some “quick wins”
- Build the marketing automation engine
- Determine how the process is going to run
- Create new content to drive people down the buyer’s journey
- A/B test to optimize
- Report and revamp
- Repeat
Two Common Marketing Automation Misconceptions
False: A great Marketing Automation tool solves all of your time management problems – fast!
Truth: Implementing Marketing Automation is no easy task – it takes a lot of time, work, and specialized skills to see the maximum benefit from any platform or tool.
False: The goal of Marketing Automation is to get as much content and information out to your customers as possible – whether they want it or not.
Truth: Marketing Automation should not be used to cast a “wide net.” The goal is to utilize your understanding of your audience to cast a narrow net at the right time. This represents a shift from a traditional marketing approach to an inbound marketing approach.
Important metrics for a Marketing Automation Specialist
- Engagement metrics
- Site traffic
- Open and click-through rates
- Unsubscribes
- Reconversions
- Performance metrics
- Marketing qualified leads
- Sales qualified leads
- Return On Investment (ROI) Metrics
- Customer acquisition cost
- Conversion rate
- Generated revenue
- Lifetime value of the customer