John walks out of the restaurant after having lunch with three of his friends. They’re all marketing managers or directors at companies nearby. He pauses before hopping into his car to head back to the office, thinking about their conversation. It covered a wide range of topics, but it’s funny how often the term “marketing automation” made it into the discussion.
John’s company is smaller than the others, so he’s never considered lobbying his boss to invest in a tool like HubSpot. But the more he thinks about it, the more he thinks that maybe it’s time. His marketing department certainly isn’t knocking it out of the park these days. But what are the specific signs that a company can benefit from making more use of this type of technology, he wonders.
Wonder no more, reader! Here are some telltale signs that your company can benefit from marketing automation.
- You’re not getting the leads you should from your website. While we’re not fans of gating all of your content (check out our post on gating and the sales funnel), as that can easily turn prospects off, you should definitely feel comfortable requesting a website visitor’s contact information in exchange for an in-depth piece with plenty of actionable intel. Prospects interested in this type of content are no longer “window shopping” and are much more likely to provide their information, giving you and your sales team a very warm lead. Marketing automation can simplify all aspects of promoting your content and using it to develop leads.
- You’re struggling to nurture and convert leads. While you can never have too many leads, ironically sometimes it feels that way. You’ve struck a nerve (in a positive way) with one of your campaigns and now you’re having trouble either 1) Deciding how to respond to the inquiries, or 2) Actually coordinating the initial responses and the ongoing interaction necessary to nurture this new relationship to the point that a prospect becomes a customer. The workflows you can easily define in a marketing automation tool make this process dramatically easier.
- Your approach to marketing is best described as “scattered.” Effective marketing, now more than ever, requires the skilled orchestration of a number of components, from website and landing pages to email to blogs and social media, just to name a few. Without a marketing automation tool, getting all these puzzle pieces to fit together is difficult at best. At worst, it leaves your prospects confused about how to interact with you.
- You have no success metrics. In order for your marketing efforts to “succeed,” you have to define what success means. That goes without saying, but it bears repeating. If you feel yourself squirming in the staff meeting when eyes turn to you for your report on marketing progress, it likely means you aren’t really sure what to report or how you’d even gather that data. A marketing automation system like HubSpot puts all the stats meeting attendees would ever want to hear right at your fingertips. And, no, the purpose of stats isn’t simply to appease your boss, but it sure feels good to rattle off the positive numbers you are now generating!
- You’re dealing with too many vendors. If much of your day is consumed with talking to this provider about one aspect of your marketing operations and meeting with that provider about another, it’s time to consider a comprehensive marketing automation system that integrates all of the components you need to work effectively.
Are you starting to see the signs? We’re experts in, and huge advocates of, marketing automation systems—especially HubSpot. We’ve helped many clients in Colorado and around the country implement HubSpot, and have seen it produce truly remarkable results. Wondering what it can do for you? Let’s talk.
