How do you use a marketing automation CRM to increase business? Our guide outlines the steps to take for more sales and more customers.
In order to inspire customers, your presentation has to be right to the outside world. The website, the social media presence, the availability of customer service via various media. But the information controlled from your own company to the customers must also be adapted. You do not want to put up with wasted advertising or potential customers because they have received too little information about your products and services. Marketing automation with a CRM (customer relationship management) helps here.
What is marketing automation?
Marketing automation enables you to completely control your marketing activities and to avoid wastage. You are in control thanks to the software offered by different providers. For example, you can collect new customer data, manage existing customer data and analyze the market and your activities with just one software.
Because what the customer and you really need is: Find the right information at the right time to the right recipient in the right place.
How to implement marketing automation
What is the basic requirement in marketing?
As an introduction it can be said that in marketing you first have to define your goals. Your goal together with sales will be primarily to generate sales. To achieve this, you take various measures within your campaigns. Then you measure the respective successes.
Examples:
- When sending out emails, see if there have been any reactions. If necessary, follow up again.
- Or they write content and product descriptions and want to know whether anyone has read them at all. You are evaluating the website.
- You would like to collect new contacts (lead generation) and find out whether the company’s efforts and resources have paid off.
How to use a marketing automation CRM
Send the customer what information they want to receive. When you use a marketing automation CRM, you not only have the opportunity to control your measures in a targeted manner, but also to draw evaluations and measure successes. With this software, you let the customer determine which offers are sent to what extent.
What does a marketing automation CRM do?
Combined with data analysis, the system provides an overview of customer behavior. A connected database (CRM system) helps to record customers with corresponding requests. That means:
The customer receives an offer email from you, finds it interesting and asks for further information and / or visits your homepage. The system for marketing automation notices on the basis of the email sent and the subsequent behavior that this was a positive engagement by the customer and notes it accordingly within the customer base (CRM).
By assigning keywords (tags) for marketing in advance, the system knows which offers have been sent. Thus, the customer is noted with interest in this product. All further measures are now programming.
You know the customer has expressed interest. What do you do?
Tell the system what to do next. For example, the sequence can be as follows:
The customer has expressed interest: He receives another e-mail with further information or a direct mail about his interest
The customer showed no interest: If necessary, send him an e-mail again to find out whether he is actually not interested. If he reacts to this email, step one comes into play.
The customer still shows no interest: Let the system indicate that the customer is paying no attention to the offer and cross it off for more similar information. If necessary, offer him further information from another product range of your company. Here, too, start again with the first step.
How to use a marketing automation CRM to get new customers
Marketing automation can also be used to generate leads. Do you offer further information on your homepage? Do this for free and without obligation. But ask the prospect to leave their contact details.
This can be done via a “call to action”. You write a valuable blog post in which you describe your product, and at the end you offer a download (e.g. a checklist, a program …) so that your customer can find the right product. By entering his data, you have a potential new customer in the system, which is already stored on the day of the respective download.
And this is where the system begins to find further possible offers for your potential customers. The customer receives further news from your company through a newsletter that is sent independently from the system (the timing of which is determined by you). And the connected CRM system is already collecting suitable new information about the customer.
Every beginning is difficult
In order to set up the system with your customers and new customers, you need sensitivity. To know which products are of interest, creating a customer journey is extremely useful. The coordination and frequency of sending and, if necessary, the implementation of newsletters is also at your discretion. The systems are flexible and therefore adaptable.
The right information at the right time
The aim is to use automation to reduce costs on the one hand and to pick up customers where they need help on the other. Send the right information at the right time to the right recipient in the right place. To expand on this quote, let’s go into the individual points
The right information
What are your customers interested in? If your products or services require explanation, you need to clarify beforehand. Get unanswered questions out of the way as quickly as possible, otherwise the customer will jump out of you. Offers that the customer does not understand will not be accepted. The same applies to products and services that seem uninteresting to him and that promise him no added value, either professionally or privately. The needs or the needs of the potential customer must be clearly stated for you in advance. In return, the customer must also have an initial incentive to consume.
At the right time
When is the right time? The time is not when the customer is already looking for the product. Here the market is already flooded with offers. For you, the point in time begins when the product is placed on the market. Do marketing to explain your products and make them tangible. Highlight the unique value (USP) of your company. Always have the question in the back of your mind: “Why should the customer buy from me, not from the competition?”
Match the timing by watching the market . Analyze the behavior of customers AND the competition . When is the right time for you to place the product? Is your target group currently ready to spend?
Take a new game console as an example.
Why will Sony or Microsoft launch their new products on the market shortly before Christmas?
- Willingness to buy is increased
- Incentives are created through offers
- The market competes at a high level through multiple offers from competitors
Here, consumers are willing to invest in new technical devices in order to make others (or themselves) happy. Many consumers receive Christmas bonuses and are happy to spend it around this time. The market is also already speculating with new technological innovations that will be presented around Christmas. It has established itself over the years, so that forums and blogs are already hotly debated in summer and the anticipation increases. This consumer curiosity is perfect for the strategic marketing of companies and can be used accordingly for marketing.
To the right recipient
Do you know your target group? Have you already analyzed them ? Make the preferences of your target group the focus of your marketing. Personalize your measures, convey a sense of understanding towards your target group. The recipient feels that he has been picked up by an offer tailored to him. With a precise knowledge of your target group you increase your visibility enormously.
Marketing Automation helps you to constantly analyze the target group. You can observe every change in the market and adapt your campaign accordingly. This ensures that you always have the right recipients for your products. Because every product from your range has a different target group. The characteristics of your target group can also change quickly.
- Is your product a permanent consumer good? (Drinks, food, consumer goods)
- Is the product an innovation? Are there ‘early adopters’ within your target group ? Which address must be chosen? (Smartphone, technology in general)
- Is the purchase of your product linked to long-term considerations? (Car dealer)
At the right place
Where is your target group traveling? Place your products and your company where you think they are. Is your target group internet savvy? Then you should always keep your website up-to-date and think about Google AdWords and banner ads. An internet-savvy target group also includes a presence on the social web. The recipients must feel that you can be reached. A well-maintained presence increases trust and is therefore reflected in your company figures.
You can also take a seat next to the competition. Even if your competition has already placed itself, check whether you want to take this place too. Through a targeted product analysis, you know the points that distinguish you from the competition. You have to act accordingly. Have confidence in your brand yourself and believe that your product outshines that of the competition.
