Marketing Automation Benefits and Challenges - All You Need to Know
Thanks to marketing automation software capabilities, prospects and customers are presented with a consistent and integrated experience based on the omnichannel approach. However, marketing automation benefits come at a price of certain challenges connected with the first steps in using MA. Here’s a short list of each—check it out to avoid unpleasant surprises and focus on the good sides of the change.
Marketing automation benefits
Increase in conversions and campaign effectiveness
As the main reasons for using marketing automation, marketers name an increase in the number of leads (29%) and revenue (31%). When implemented and utilized properly, marketing automation software gives them exactly what they want. Compared to using only email marketing programs, marketers that use Marketing Automation tools generate twice the number of leads and do it twice as fast.
Quick and easy performance analysis
One of the main benefits of Marketing Automation is saving time through eliminating or automating repetitive tasks. This leaves more time and focus to analyze and optimize campaigns while saving a significant amount of time. Even with many communication channels, it’s possible to spot the weakest links, replace them with improved targeting solutions and compare results.
Close tracking of conducted activities
Customer data analysis is not only about tracking real-time results and optimizing campaigns as quickly as possible. Collecting and merging information from many sources enables you to track activities closely. Thanks to a detailed observation of customer behavior, you may notice subtle patterns and correlations that will help you approach communication in the most customer-centric way. With further advancements like artificial intelligence, customer behavior can become even more predictable.
Closer cooperation between marketing and sales
The times when marketing, sales and customer service teams worked in silos are officially over. The concept of customer happiness forces teams to collaborate closer and create end-to-end scenarios of customer communication. Marketing automation enables teams to share customer data and be aware of updates at the same time, which helps them improve individual work and flow between teams.
Increase in the number and quality of leads
Marketing automation tools let companies reach prospects at the optimal time with just the right content, personalized as much as possible. They are a perfect solution for lead nurturing, which is primarily based on sending messages to potential customers in different intervals. Such campaigns enhance their awareness of your brand and guide them towards making a purchase.
Customers appreciate personalized communication and come to trust the brand more, making them more likely to buy.
Marketing automation challenges
The benefits of marketing automation sound exciting, but it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. There are certain challenges you will come across, depending on your business and team characteristics.
Difficulty with initial integration process
Implementing MA tools often demands an additional investment of time with the IT department or the software provider’s technical staff. In the implementation stage, various problems can appear that delay the process and complicate effective pursuit of marketing plans. Even though such a state is temporary, you should prepare yourself for an initial struggle and having to dig deep into technical issues.
Waiting time for results
In order to learn from the prospect or client, it will take some time before the system starts bringing actionable results. Implementation, integration, data collection and analysis won’t happen overnight. Many users aren’t prepared to wait for this necessary step to be completed. However, the reward for patience comes in the form of valuable customer information and accurate recommendations.
Time-consuming and difficult employee onboarding
Companies expect MA systems to be intuitive and simple to use, which is a fact that service providers are aware of. When it comes to the learning curve, steep beginnings can discourage team members from exploring the system and looking for the most efficient ways to use it. The more complicated the system, the greater the fear that implementing it will be difficult, time-consuming and require the assistance of specialists.
Integrating current systems and programming
Another important matter is the need to integrate MA systems with current programming and tools. Many marketing tools come with the necessary plugins that make integration easier. If customers use custom-programmed software or some other solution, the entire process may be significantly longer
Marketing automation benefits are worth it!
Marketing Automation has moved beyond being a trend and is now an established part of the marketing field. Like all other marketing tools, MA systems have their drawbacks but the fact that so many businesses are turning to them shows their huge potential.