10 FAQ About Sales and Marketing Automation Answered
#1 What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing Automation is a powerful marketing and sales tool that automates many otherwise manually performed tasks such as sending out email campaigns, following up, lead generation, and lead nurturing campaigns. Marketing automation helps you move prospects through the sales funnel with minimal time and resources spent, at a maximum efficiency rate.
#2 What Does it Entail?
Most sales and marketing automation apps offer a number of different features but the core tools are CRM, email marketing, lead generation, tracking and nurturing, and reporting. We have just launched a new automation module – Simple Sales and Marketing Automation. It is a game changer, it’s designed to give you huge power for just 20% of the complexity and cost of other systems.
#3 Is It Expensive?
Depending on your choice of vendors. Just as with every other product or service out there, prices vary considerably. Some apps start at $1000 a month per user, here are our prices for comparison. In terms of running costs, InTouch’s Simple Sales and Marketing Automation proves to be quite wallet-friendly since you don’t need a team to manage the system, or sell a kidney to afford it!
#4 Does Marketing Automation Really Work?
The short answer is YES. It really does work and here is the proof. Businesses that use marketing automation to nurture prospects experience a 451% increase in qualified leads (The Annuitas Group). Monthly Google searches for the term “marketing automation” have grown by 22% in the past year, from 3600 in February 2013 to 4400 in January 2014 (Google Keyword Planner). 78% of high-performing businesses say that marketing automation software is responsible for improving revenue contribution. (Position2).
#5 Do I Need a Marketing Expert in Order to Use Sales and Marketing Automation?
Different software options require different levels of understanding and knowledge about marketing. Apps such as InTouch are specifically designed to address the requirements of small business, meaning the interface is user-friendly, there is no complicated jargon or terminology, the app is straightforward and very easy to use. In addition there is our excellent customer care team, an amazing resource centre and how-to materials you can make use of.
#6 Marketing Automation, Isn’t That Just a Fancy Way to Say an Email Autoresponder?
Autoresponders are only a function of marketing automation. Automation activities include but are not limited to email, sms, social updates, setting up automatic tasks, lead capturing and nurturing, and reporting.
#7 What is Lead Capturing?
It is the process of capturing information about people who visit your website or who could be interested in your product. Online it is considered ‘opting in’ or signing up using a webform.
#8 What is Lead Nurturing?
It is the process of pointing prospects in the right direction and developing a relationship with them, answering their questions and helping them with the buying process. Nobody comes to your website ready to buy, more often than not, potential customers will need to be provided with further information before the actual sale.
#9 What Does the Future Hold for Sales and Marketing Automation?
Sales and marketing automation will only grow in the months and years to come. The adoption of marketing automation technology is expected to increase by 50% by 2015 (WheelhouseAdvisors, 2014)
#10 Where Can I Learn More?
Find more about sales and marketing automation on our blog .
