If you’re new to marketing automation or considering implementing it for your business, here are some tips to keep you on the right track.
These tips are based upon experience with multiple businesses. Some have failed miserably with automation while others have achieved incredible success. Which would you rather have?
Where to Begin with Marketing Automation
For starters, work on building out your follow up sequences with emails and steps before you begin stockpiling leads. This keeps the leads from your promotions from slipping through the cracks or going stale.
Build a sequence with no fewer than 10 steps because it takes an average of 11.1 exposures to a new prospect to get them to buy today. Your promotions obviously count for exposures although they won’t be included within your automation application.
Ideally, you’d offer a monthly newsletter that goes out to everybody (clients and prospects) with specific follow up based upon behavior and interests. The newsletter gives you 12 exposure opportunities, and most won’t cry spam at the top of their lungs or opt-out immediately over a newsletter.
Don’t make the common mistake of generating leads first only to wonder what the hell to do with them to get them to buy when the first swipe doesn’t cut the cake. This is the most costly mistake when someone starts to leverage marketing automation … they put the buggy ahead of the horse then wonder why automation “doesn’t work.”
20 Questions to Answer to Help You Build a Solid Follow-up Campaign
Most business leaders and marketers jump into an automation program without giving much thought to what your prospects are going through as they consider their products and services. Rise above your uninformed competition by completing the quick questionnaire below.
The questionnaire is designed to help you flesh out solid follow-up content while building better relationships with your ideal target audience.
- Who is your ideal prospect? Which 20% of your clients generate 80% of your profits? Focus on profits versus revenue … sales for sales sake doesn’t do you much good.
- Where are your ideal prospects located?
- How old are they?
- How much money do they make?
- Do they have kids? Do the kids live at home or not?
- What keeps them awake at night? (whether it relates to your products/services or not)
- Who are they mad at right now?
- Whom do they pay attention to/follow right now? Why?
- What interests or hobbies are they into? How can you relate that to your offers?
- What’s the typical buying process someone goes through when they buy stuff like yours? Who is involved in making the final decision?
- How long of a sales cycle is it?
- What 10 questions do they frequently ask?
- What 10 questions should they be asking?
- Why should they listen to you instead of your competitors?
- What 5 things should they look for in a product/service like yours that you excel where your competitors don’t/can’t?
- What myths or misinformation exists within the marketplace?
- What’s the reality your prospects should know about before buying?
- If your pricing is higher/lower than a competitor, why?
- Are there any data or trends that make your products/services more important today?
- Of your sales reps, who is the top performer? What does he/she do to close more business the others don’t? What can you do to replicate that more?
When you take the time to complete the exercise above, you’ll likely reach your growth goals faster. You’ll also end up building enough relevant follow-up content to outlast your competitors.
Easy Content Production
The answers to the exercise can also become sources for blog posts, slides, videos, Q&A sessions, info-graphics, articles, documents, white papers, reports, webinar topics, infomercials, print ads, advertorials, etc.
Take action now then share your results below.
