Manual data entry is undoubtedly one of the most time-consuming and least effective activities within business contexts. Not only is it a waste of time and resources, but it actually reduces productivity.
Fortunately, thanks to technology, there are innovative solutions capable of automating even complex tasks, allowing operators to focus solely on achieving objectives.
What is marketing automation and the role of software-managed workflows
Marketing Automation through workflows (or workflows) can be defined as a process based on rules and mechanisms, implemented with the aid of specific software, to govern a series of activities performed in an automated manner, limiting human intervention as much as possible .
After having established the strategic objectives, the software prepares the workflows, and consequently, manages a series of specific actions.
How widespread is Marketing Automation
The effectiveness of Marketing Automation strategies is confirmed by the numbers.
- Already in 2019, 75% of marketers used at least one type of marketing automation tool.
- 48% of companies use Marketing Automation, which is one of the most widespread and appreciated methods for personalizing the customer experience.
- 55% of companies with an eCommerce site use software to automate email marketing processes
Marketing automation through workflows: how it works
Let’s get to the practical aspects. First of all, it should be reiterated that Marketing Automation works through dedicated software.
The specific mechanisms, regarding operations, follow instructions on the “if/then” model which allow you to connect – thanks to the intervention of specialists – a specific activity to the occurrence of an action performed by a user.
Let’s examine a practical workflow example.
- An anonymous visitor who has visited your site (or a landing page ) fills out a form and presses “send”
- The software automatically registers you in relation to an ongoing campaign (which we will call “alpha”). From this moment the user transforms into a lead.
- The first email of the “alpha” campaign is sent to the lead, asking, for example, if he is interested in receiving more information through direct contact (phone call, Skype, Meet, etc.).
- The lead clicks on the CTA about scheduling the meeting.
- A thank you email is sent to the lead, confirming the date and time of the dedicated appointment.
- The CRM creates a new task and assigns it to a company salesperson.
From this moment on, the salesperson will act autonomously, leaving the automated workflow.
In summary we can say that multiple departments (and overall the entire company) draws significant benefits from the automation of workflows through Marketing Automation.
First of all the Marketing department, but also Human Resources, Finance, Sales. Technology helps – and will do so in an increasingly timely manner – to work smartly.
According to the statistics collected by Adesta, the advantages obtained through the use of Marketing Automation processes through workflows concern:
- Time savings: 74%
- Greater customer engagement: 68%
- Increase in communication frequency: 58%
- Up-selling opportunities: 58%
