Marketing Automation Implementation Strategies to Get It Right

Marketing automation is the unsung hero of the business world. It enables your marketing teams to do more of what they’re best at rather than get bogged down by the nitty gritty details of day-to-day operations. Studies show that marketing automation adoption leads to a direct increase in sales. Experts note up to 14.5% increases in sales productivity in companies embracing marketing automation. But sometimes getting these systems off the ground is easier said than done. An overwhelming 60% of marketing automation implementation strategies fail and leave businesses in the dust. Here are some tips to ensure your company beats those odds.

Involve all Key Personnel in the Blueprinting Process

One of the first things that kills a marketing automation implementation strategy is lack of governance and vision from the get-go.  Successful implementation strategies consider all vital personnel close to the project before kicking things off. The list will vary depending on your businesses” unique circumstances, but key personnel most commonly includes:

• Marketing Team Members
• C-Level Executives
• Solution expert
• Vendor representative
• Product/Service Expert
• Analytics Expert

[Read more: 3 BIG Ways Marketing Automation Empowers Sales Teams] 

Identify Your Ideal Buyers

Who are you selling to? A very simple, obvious question, but often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of rolling out a new solution. During the planning process, take some time and create buyer personas or Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP): fictionalized people that represent ideal customers for your product/service. Consider using data from previous sales to help you create this ICP. Details like age, income, demographics, pain points, and interests all can impact the ICP.

[Read more: 10 Reasons Why Companies Adopt Marketing Automation Platforms] 

Be Prepared to Move in Phases

Marketing automation isn’t something that you just flip on one day and let it run on its own. It requires regular upkeep and attention to make sure it’s still providing the most value. With the introduction of new tools, it may become necessary to gradually modify existing procedures or replace them entirely, when needed – with care and intentionality. At every stage of this process, it is critical to monitor the performance of the adjustments and to examine carefully any potential consequences for the surrounding flows.

[Learn more: Email Marketing vs. Marketing Automation] 

Set, Test, and Refine Your Workflows

Automation workflows are a set of automated actions which are triggered by specific events or conditions, such as a website visit, email click, or form submission. These workflows play a vital role in lead nurturing, email marketing, and customer onboarding. These workflows are the beating heart of marketing automation; these workflows are the deciding factors that “set-off” the automated processes and, as such, are very important to ensure they’re correctly implemented. To achieve optimal results with your automation workflows, it’s important to test and refine them regularly. Analytics and data can be utilized to measure the performance of these workflows and make necessary adjustments. Be sure to keep an eye on the results to ensure continued success.

A successful marketing automation implementation can yield massive returns for your company over time and give your marketing and sales teams a new lease on their jobs. But a journey cannot be successful if you don’t prepare for it properly at the outset. A strong blueprint established by technology experts can massively decrease the potential for pitfalls during your implementation process. Contact us today to learn how you can employ BrainSell’s marketing automation gurus to help your business grow!