How To Attract Quality Leads With Marketing Automation [Infographic]

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How To Attract Quality Leads With Marketing Automation [Infographic]

The caveman that first discovered fire had a distinct survival advantage over those without. The first stock trader with a Blackberry had an advantage communicating more efficiently than his rival firms. And now, 63 percent of companies outgrowing their competition are using software-driven content strategies to attract quality leads with marketing automation.

Now is the time to incorporate technology into your business’s marketing plan. Technology can manage repetitive tasks, improve the customer experience and help you make better decisions based on more complete data.

An automation process can be activated in any number of ways:

• When a user searches for specific keywords in Google’s search engine.
• When a lead submits their email to download a piece of content, or subscribes to the company blog.
• It can be triggered on e-commerce sites when a purchase takes place, or when it doesn’t, because the user abandons their shopping cart.

With over 200 software solutions and an exponentially growing number of tactics, it is important to have a deep understanding of your audience and business goals to recognize what platforms and content are most likely to provide the best return.

According to Annuitas, organizations that nurture prospects with marketing automation experience a 451 percent increase in qualified leads. Couple that with the fact 47 percent of all purchases come from nurtured leads, and the importance of an automated marketing campaign becomes clear.

These customers remain customers for longer, building sustainable revenue long after the initial investment. It’s easier and more affordable than ever for brands to build positive interactions.

An effective automation strategy will:

• Accelerate high-value lead generation
• Increase productivity of the sales and marketing departments
• Reduce cost per acquisition and shorten the sales cycle
• Centrally manage brand communications
• Strengthen customer loyalty and brand equity

Below are the six steps to implementing a successful marketing automation strategy, and five opportunities to attract quality leads.

Implementing A Successful Marketing Automation Strategy

Studies show 70 percent of your leads are not “ready to buy.” They are researching, comparing, and budgeting. A plan needs to be implemented for reaching your leads who may be in various places of the buying process.

1. Research – Keywords, buyer personas and existing sales data all need to be researched in order to create a more informed understanding of your business’s location in the marketplace.
2. Planning – Once the research and data are in place, a plan can be developed to advance new leads through the buying process.
3. Content Creation – Landing pages, PPC ads, email campaigns and more…a fine-tuned marketing campaign runs on fine-tuned content.
4. Launch – Business and product launches require announcements, press releases and promotion.
5. Management – The roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in a marketing campaign need to be clearly delineated. Benchmarking and lead scoring can help prioritize activity.
6. Optimization – Analytics, A/B testing and content performance can help dictate upcoming decisions.

These six steps to marketing automation can have a tremendous impact on the speed and performance of brand communications, specifically inside the sales and marketing process.

Attracting quality leads is a critical part of the marketing automation process. Below are five proven methods for developing an inflow of high-quality leads.

Five Ways To Attract Quality Leads With Marketing Automation

PPC Advertising

Paid search ads make up the top and bottom listings in the search results. These coveted positions are acquired by bidding on keywords relevant to your products and services in an online auction.

These campaigns need to be maintained regularly and optimized often to improve KPIs such as cost-per-click and cost-per-acquisition. Ad copy, landing pages, time-sensitive promotions, they all have a significant impact on ROI.

Content Marketing

The internet changed the way brand communications and collateral is presented and amplified. It created a plethora of new ways to build positive interactions with your audience.

Content marketing offers the best long-term solution for establishing a trusted brand and improving lead generation. Furthermore, great content marketing can outlast the test of time in organic search results.

Content marketing offers brands the chance to create assets that generate their own value with your audience. A well-orchestrated content marketing strategy can move your customers through the buying process and generate positive buzz about your brand.

CRM Software

Once the experience and content to convert leads to customers has been created, CRM software, such as Salesforce or HubSpot, can have a transformative impact on every lead and customer interaction. CRM integration with a blog, email, and other marketing efforts can create a powerful combination.

Email Marketing

An email list is a powerful resource when it comes to creating value in customer interactions. There are accessible tools that can help you generate new leads through email acquisition. Consistently sending emails that provide customer value can strengthen the relationship. This is a great medium for providing a 3-6 month content strategy, versus one-off interactions.

Social Media

Social media offers businesses the opportunity to communicate more casually and personably. Scheduling software can help streamline and automate a social media plan. Each channel maintains a unique function. For example, Facebook establishes a stronger connection with friends and family, while Twitter can strengthen global recognition. Instagram brings a strong visual presentation to a younger audience.

Conclusion

Technology is a tool that can be used to increase productivity and profitability. If you’re not careful, it can also be misused, wasting your marketing budget. Once automated, these technologies are always on or scheduled at the optimal time, determined by conversion rates and other important data.

To generate a reliable lead generation process it may require more than just the right software. It requires the right insight and expertise, as well as a willingness to experiment, A/B test, and find the right automation sweet spot.

Working with the right marketing company can help you establish objectives that make sense for your business. If you have any questions on how to implement marketing automation for your business, contact us today.

How to Attract Quality Leads Marketing Automation Infographic

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About the author

Jason McSweeney is a marketing specialist and brand identity designer chosen as one of '13 Rookies On The Rise' by Advantages Magazine in 2011. His writing has been recognized by national publications such as VIBE Magazine and the Advertising Specialist Institute, in addition to WCKG Radio, Counselor Magazine, and Weekdone. View his Work or connect with Jason on LinkedIn.