What is marketing automation and why is it important in e-commerce?
Marketing automation is the automation of marketing activities through dedicated software. The software can identify and monitor user actions and then optimize a range of marketing and sales processes. With marketing automation tools we can:
increase basket value (by presenting dynamic product recommendations or using cross-sell / up-sell mechanisms),
reactivate dormant customers (sending information about new collections or promotions based on transactional data),
recover abandoned carts (sending a reminder to complete the order).
When is it worth considering marketing automation? Check whether your online store has:
the resources needed to execute the plan,
a defined customer acquisition strategy,
sufficient user volume visiting your site,
a list of needs and goals to be reached with the tool.
When choosing marketing automation software you should account for stages such as:
defining brand touchpoints across the customer journey that you can use to reach the customer more effectively,
defining the goals that should be achieved with the marketing automation software — outcomes should be measurable (e.g. average basket value growth) and profitable (try to estimate implementation cost vs potential ROI),
defining what data from IT systems can and should be synced with the tool: most marketing automation systems can aggregate data stored in CRM or ERP. It's worth understanding how synchronization will run, to fully tap the tool's potential.
Another key step is testing the system. Investing resources (people and money) in a complicated, clunky tool may produce the opposite of the intended effect: instead of automating sales and marketing processes, you complicate them. Before the final pick, validate tool usability, the quality of available training materials, and the level of customer support.
When is it worth considering marketing automation? Check whether your online store has:
When choosing marketing automation software you should account for stages such as:
Another key step is testing the system. Investing resources (people and money) in a complicated, clunky tool may produce the opposite of the intended effect: instead of automating sales and marketing processes, you complicate them. Before the final pick, validate tool usability, the quality of available training materials, and the level of customer support.