More than 84 percent of young adults have deliberately left a “favorite” website because their advertising was intrusive; if you rely exclusively on outbound tactics, you might drive awathe very audience you’re trying to attract.
Today’s networking consumers are active, comparing and consulting their social networks online when they make consumption decision. They control where and when they want to buy something.
Consumers are becoming less interested in being disturbed by sellers via telemarketing and email when all possible information is available online. They want to solve a problem or need at the moment it occurs. Not before and not after. Not when your sellers want to sell. It needs companies to adapt to.
This applies to both B2C and B2B. Eight out of ten businesses within B2B are initiated by the buyer finding their supplier online. 56% start their buying process without you even know it. The new market logic demands a shift of linear strategies built on controlled communication channels to shared great experiences and trusted recommendations.
How do you conquer that position for your business?
Let’s begin with your marketing strategy model, before we go into Marketing Automation focusing on how to administrative tasks of marketing to be able to nuture stronger customer relationships and deliver a personalized customer experience at scale.
The Market Automation Concept is based on the Inbound Marketing Principles to attract and pull sales instead of the push marketing and business models. Check it out if you are not familiar with it, before you read more in this article about Why Marketing Automation Matters for Business.
Tip! Remember you can’t change old marketing- and business models automatically by purchasing a Marketing Automation software. The organization need to collaborate in new ways, get a business transformation mindset and learn fast in a growth hacking culture.
Start with the Culture and Strategy
Take a look at two different market and sales strategies based on different approaches and expectations of sales people and marketers. It often causes conflicts internally:
Push-thinking –The Traditional Marketing Mix, also known as the 4 Ps. A promotion campaign and discount fixes the sale.
Focus: Cold Sales to “convert” multiple transactions.
Pull-thinking – Build Relationships with helpful content for a need or problem. People googels for solutions, read recommendations after that she is buyer ready. Permission marketing and sales.
Focus: Buying happens when consumers and networks wish, not when the seller wants to sell. Therefore, relationship strategies are required.
Learn more about the difference between the outbound and inbound marketing- and business model in the post What is the difference between outbound and inbound marketing?
What is Market automation?
Marketing automation simplify the administrative tasks of marketing, while giving you the tools you need to develop stronger customer relationships and deliver a personalized customer experience at scale.
Marketing automation is a software platform that helps you to automate your marketing and sales engagement to generate more leads, close more deals, and better measure marketing success.
When you use a marketing automation solution to drive your marketing efforts, the system tracks and stores engagements data on each lead and customer in your marketing database. This includes every interaction they have had with your company and help you to understand interest and engagement level after who each contact is, where their interests lie, and how to best nurture them through to conversion. Starting with for example downloading white paper and continues with content in the area of interest.
How does the new Marketing Logic Affect Marketing and Sales Strategies?
In inbound sales business base their sales process by monitor buyer actions, they align sales and marketing and creating a seamless experience for buyers.
The challenge for the organization is to adapt the approach and organization from a push thinking to a pull strategy. In order to match the new customer power, a smooth interaction is required internally between marketers and sellers. Strategic initiatives need to focus on the relationship first and the transaction since. Not the other way around.
Compare the two sales strategies based on different approaches and expectations of sales people and marketers. It often causes conflicts internally:
> Push – Traditional Campaign Push. A campaign fixes the sale. Focus: Find the need to “convert” multiple transactions.
> Pull – Relationship When Customer Will Pull. Needs develop over time on consumer terms. Focus: Buying happens when consumers and networks wish, not when the seller wants to sell. Therefore, relationship strategies are required.
How To Get Started With Marketing Automation
Start small and define your success metrics early. Your key performance indicators (KPIs) could be open rate, conversion and sales. That will help you to navigate the plethora of options.
Generate high quantity content whitepapers, case studies and industry reports , manage and track your marketing. Most companies simply post innocuous content and are surprised when their efforts yield zero sales. Test different format and optimize your content for conversions. Look for software that amplifies engagement with contact cadence schedules, testimonial request forms, etc.
The increasing need for marketing automation grows every day as technology, communication platforms, and customers’ desire for personalized experiences all become priorities that marketing leaders must address. With all of these opportunities available, automation has become the only way to address all concerns in a timely manner to best benefit the customer.