Marketing automation is an easy solution that can be used by numerous companies to do more with minimal manual effort. That includes various things: email marketing, social media, app notifications, to complex multi-channel campaigns.
Automation processes of the following platforms enable marketers to run all aspects of their marketing strategies with ease, even from a single, easy to use platform.
The automation process allows marketers to use solutions that are triggered by a predetermined set of rules which can fire off certain actions to specific audiences. This also allows for a detailed segmentation, which means that the right message can hit the right audience at the right time for a maximum positive effect.
By automating their workflows and daily processes, marketers can inevitably free up lots of time for themselves. This allows them to focus their precious time and energy on creating their next high-impact content and formulating their best marketing strategies.
Marketers can also gain the ability to gather and use immense amounts of data that is uncovered during marketing automation processes. Later on, they can use this data to test and refine marketing tactics, often referred to as “optimization.”
What Can be Expected from an Automation Solution
In order to ensure such a successful automation process, marketers need to make sure they are prepared with the correct sets of tools at their disposal. It is important to note that not all marketing automation solutions are the same.
Marketers have to be able to track analytics, collect data, and then take action against any problem or a setback that their marketing solution puts forward.
Beginners should also try and look for tools and solutions that can allow their organization to grow along with the platform. While it is mandatory to start small with marketing automation, it is also crucial for marketers to look for a platform that has the potential to grow and evolve over time. With that in mind, here is the step by step guide on starting a mobile marketing automation system.
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Step 1: Targeting Different Segments
Your consumer base is most probably big. You need a proper mapped-out marketing channel to succeed. Also, you must segment your users into different categories before automating your mobile strategy, as well as a compelling campaign plotting before you can succeed with an SMS rollout. Feel free to segment your users by the following criteria:
- Location-based information: addresses, weather, and info regarding nearby events
- Demographics: information such as age, gender, and marital status
- Active times of the day: information regarding the working hours and weekend behaviour
Once your consumer base is divided similarly, you can begin targeting them with specialized messages that are tailored for each type of segment.
Step 2: Customer Engagement
Once you’ve managed to create a consumer segment plan, it’s time to impact your consumers with engagement. In this case, if your brand owns an app, it can play a huge role in making that consumer engagement ever more interesting. It can also create more solid relationships with them. Still, if your brand is lacking app support, then rest assured that SMS output is still very effective.
Mobile engagement is crucial to your marketing strategy. Throughout the day, most of your consumers will be spending their time-consuming media on their smartphones.
Thus, when planning your advertisement campaigns, be sure to get your consumers’ attention by sending them personalized messages during the right time of the day. Or direct your users to your app platform via automation. Once you manage to do that, automate them further by:
- Prompting users to take some sort of an action
- Give them incentives to revisit your app in the future
- Implement an instant reward system for activity completion
Some of the methods mentioned above can also be used without the accompaniment of a mobile app. Consumers can be prompted to visit a website or a social media page, for that matter.
Step 3: Establishing a Direct Connection
Succeeding in customer engagement can benefit consumer connection too. If the steps above are properly accomplished, through SMS programs or other means, consumers can be directed to your webmail platform. Moreover, those programs can institute a series of prompts capable of acquiring direct communication channels.
While your SMS platform can still be viewed as a direct connection with a consumer, it’s still an automated one. Your end goal should reside on making consumers want to connect even further. According to a study, benefits and location-based services are handy in the current situation, as in a couple of years, 94% of CMOs plan to execute mobile app strategies. Your brand’s benefits must stem from your SMS campaign, as there is a huge disconnect between the providers and cross-channel consumers.
Step 4: Automation Towards Social Media
Social media is one of the major contributing factors to managing a successful mobile marketing automation system. Social media platforms have vast amounts of users who share a lot of content and can even create and build in-depth relationships. Social media can also serve as a great tool to reach a great number of Millennials.
Statistically speaking, 50% of Millennials are utilizing their smartphones to research services, products, and brand information. They are an important demographic to target in order to ensure your success, and they are thriving on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
You should try and direct your consumers from your automated SMS campaigns to your social media platforms whenever possible. Social media websites can serve as a fantastic tool to link users to other types of marketing mediums. Not even mentioning the potential social media platforms provide for direct communication with your brand.
Step 5: Studying the Data
Once your platform is automated, you can have the chance to discover your consumers’ preferences with data-gathering analysis. If you find out their preferences, there won’t be any need to automate on smaller levels.
Small consumer segments are vital to your strategy, as they constitute a considerable portion of return brand visitors. These small segments form the loyal community of your brand. As time goes by, the markets may change, but your loyal followers will stay with you.
By checking out your consumers’ preferences and your performance indicators, you can personalize all your marketing efforts and provide value to your consumers, which will definitely be appreciated and make your consumers connect with your brand.