Marketing Automation Will Streamline Your Efforts, Help You Reach Your Target Audience, And Convert Them Into Loyal Customers
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation companies make it possible to automate repetitive tasks such as emails, social media, and other digital and website functions, so you have more time to concentrate on other areas of your business.
If you have found that much of your time is spent keeping up with the demands of digital marketing, it could be time to look towards a company that offers these types of services.
It’s important to understand that marketing automation is a tool, but it only works when it is backed by a great marketing strategy.
It’s best to think of automation as an assembly line – as long as you provide the raw materials, it will make things happen as many times as you tell it to. Without the raw materials, though, it won’t produce anything useful – and if you don’t focus on selling the things you’ve made, then it doesn’t matter how many you have.
Automation is part of the system, so once you have a comprehensive strategy in place, it will help you put the pieces together and maximize your efforts.
The following are three trusted automation companies that can help you take your efforts to the next level:
Popular Marketing Automation Companies
1) Hubspot
Easily one of the most recognizable names, Hubspot’s software is quite capable for
what it’s designed to do – offer a wide variety of tools in one centrally accessible location. Features here include things like behavioral reporting, multiple-channel lead nurturing, and information on how individual assets are reporting.
Hubspot requires a substantial investment of time and funds and are willing to dedicate the time to get your program up and running. They offer great customer service, and many plans include weekly and bi-weekly check-ins with a Hubspot consultant to review your program and troubleshoot.
(If you’re not sure you are ready to invest in marketing automation just yet, it is worth your time to look at Hubspot’s marketing blog – it is fantastic).
2) Marketo
Marketo is another major name in the industry, and focuses on being useful for small and medium-sized businesses. Features include things like bulk social media posting, event management, and real-time sales alerts.
Costs range from around $895 a month to $3,195 a month, and most users consider it to be a fairly good value for the price. (They wouldn’t still be users otherwise!)
Of particular note is its predictive analytics, which helps you make better marketing decisions by showing the most likely results of your efforts.
3) SharpSpring
The last of the three automation companies we really like, SharpSpring is intended more for marketing agencies than individual companies – and it’s far more affordable than most of its peers.
Highlights of its features include split testing and easy mobile apps, and we found that the support staff was friendly and helpful.
Before making an investment in an marketing automation system, take the time to examine the capabilities of the popular platforms, there is bound to be one out there that will be the most helpful for your needs.
For more help with marketing, check out our guide to creating a strategic marketing plan. In many cases, knowing what you want to do will tell you which automation platform will help the most.
You may also want to see our tips for creating a small business marketing budget – even the most affordable automation systems are probably going to cost you a few hundred a month, so you’ll need to figure out the best way to fit that into your budget until the return on your investment pays off the price.
Thanks for stopping by,
Laura
Breezy Hill Marketing is a full-service Vermont marketing company providing services throughout the United States. We provide high quality customer experience and creative solutions in Digital Marketing, Inbound Marketing, and Vermont Web Design.
