Top 5 Must Haves In Your Marketing Automation Transformation

Top 5 Must Haves In Your Marketing Automation Transformation

There is no perfect marketing automation software that applies to all businesses across the board. Different marketing automation platforms have different elements, so some are better suited for some environments more than others. However before you invest, look out for these five top must-haves.

1.   Multi-channel capability
Leads stream into the sales funnels from varying sources and that is why multi-channel capability is important. Your system must have the ability to coordinate across the various channels and campaigns on many platforms. It should have the ability to handle social media, email, online and offline integration, and direct mail.

2.    Aggregate Information
Other than being able to coordinate data across different platforms, your automation system should also be able to aggregate that data in a way that helps you segment your customers and prospects into targeted groups. Successful marketing automation relies heavily on how data is collected and how it is used. 

3.    Lead scoring and nurturing
Once you get the data on your leads, the next critical question would be what to do with these leads. Do you understand their needs and how can you meet these needs? Your marketing automation tool should help you answer these questions. It should have the ability to perform lead scoring so that you know the sales-ready leads, it should also help with lead nurturing so that you guide your customers through their buying journeys, and it should have segmentation tools that allow you to tailor content to the customer's specific needs at that stage in the buying cycle. 

4.    Content Marketing
Content is a key aspect of implementing a successful marketing automation platform. A good platform must be content hungry. It should allow you to generate and cross-reference the content you create. Go for a system that allows you to monitor and customise information, gather data on an individual's profile and consumption, and one that allows you to generate content across various platforms. 

5.    Analytics
A good marketing automation platform allows you to access all your information in an easily accessible comprehensible format. It should have customisable dashboards and intuitive designs in analytics presentation. At a glance, you should be able to see data at an individual level, data pertaining the campaigns and overall data indicating performance. 

Making sure your marketing automation system has these five elements is one step towards successful implementation. It is, however, important to note that choosing the right automation system does not on its own guarantee success. Paying attention to the People and Process parts of the transformation plays a key role in determining whether your implementation will be successful or not.

Collagis is committed to helping businesses to drive sustainable and effective Marketing Automation transformation. Contact Sheree.morrison@collagis.com.au to set up a time to discuss your business needs.