It can be extremely daunting to try and pitch investing in a new system to your boss, especially when it involves marketing. Businesses spend thousands of dollars on marketing annually, so it is not something to take lightly. Maybe you have tried to broach the subject of Marketing Automation before, only to be shot down for reasons like “Integrating a new system is going to take so much time” or “our current marketing strategy works just fine.” Getting your boss to see the value in marketing automation may seem hopeless, but we have you covered. Our 5 step guide covers all of the make or break aspects of marketing automation and help you convince your boss to switch up their digital strategy in an ever-evolving marketing landscape.
Step 1: Spend Some Time in Your Boss’s Shoes
In order to successfully outline the benefits of marketing automation, you must picture your boss as a client. First and foremost you must have an understanding of marketing automation. If you can’t explain it, then this pitch will be over before it even begins. After you are familiar with the processes, take a little time to put yourself in the shoes of your boss and think of answers to the questions that they might ask. Review some of the needs that the company might have. Create a presentation that addresses these needs, and the big concerns that your boss may have and how marketing automation solves them. This will help you to be prepared when your boss starts asking the hard questions.
Step 2: Highlight the Need for Change
Most bosses are aware that the way in which customers make purchases and conduct business has drastically shifted – If not then you have a more serious issue at hand. This means that the way we market, specifically in the digital manner, has to change as well. If your boss does not have a digital marketing strategy then marketing automation is a must. It will help eliminate all of the time and money spent on catching up and allow you to pass go and collect 200$. This course of action would be the easy sell. The harder sell would be if there is already a digital strategy in place. In that case, the component of marketing automation that would be most appealing would be the one platform-multiple tools aspect. Currently, most companies have a system that sends email updates, a system that does all of the analytic tracking, and a CRM/ sales system. Marketing Automation eliminates the need for 3 separate systems, combining all 3 tools into one platform. The ease of access is worth the switch alone.
Step 3: Devise a Clear and Communicative Strategy
Digital marketing is on the forefront of your boss’s mind, otherwise this conversation might not be happening. A strategy that is clear, and communicates all of the benefits of marketing automation is your best bet to a successful conversion. The digital strategy in place may already be doing some elements of automation such as pushing out content or sending targeted emails, but the focus needs to be on the benefit and ease associated with doing all of these things within one platform. Here are some of the highlights of marketing automation:
- It allows for leads to be segmented based off of behavior
- Warmer, more sales-ready leads
- The ability to track website visits in real time
- Significantly lower cost per lead
- Higher response rates to campaigns/offers
Step 4: Offer Up Evidence
Facts and statistics are going to resonate with your boss, so here are some about marketing automation:
- Nearly 70% of businesses already use a marketing automation platform, or are currently implementing one.
- 77% of CMOs at top performing companies indicate the reason they implemented marketing automation is to drive up revenue.
- The primary benefit of marketing automation according to B2B marketers is the ability to generate more, better-quality leads.
- 63% of companies that are outgrowing their competitors use marketing automation.
Step 5: ROI, ROI, ROI
To drive the point home, end your presentation covering the relationship that marketing automation has with ROI. Even if you take nothing else away from this article but the benefit of marketing automation on ROI, you still have a good chance of convincing your boss to make the switch. All you have to do is use these 4 talking points:
- Scalability: Use one system to manage, measure, customize and optimize the customer experience throughout the marketing funnel, saving you time and resources by linking all of your data together.
- Personalization: Use the interactions your prospect has with your website to collect detailed information, then send them highly targeted and personalized content at the right time to increase conversions.
- Marketing & Sales Alignment: View every interaction a prospect has had, from initial site visits to content that is viewed, to increase personalization and improve communication.
- Analytics & Reporting: Track all of your marketing initiatives to measure their success. Learn what’s working and what’s not to improve future campaigns.
And there you have it! If you have successfully convinced your boss to make the switch, then click the banner below to schedule your 30 minute consultation with us today.
References:
- “22 Essential Facts About Marketing Automation.” Aberdeen Essentials, 3 Feb. 2016, www.aberdeenessentials.com/cmo-essentials/22-essential-facts-about-the-state-of-marketing-automation/ . Accessed 12 Sept. 2017.
- “25 Marketing Automation Stats You Need to Know.” SessionCam, 23 Aug. 2017, https://sessioncam.com/25-marketing-automation-stats-for-2016/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2017.
- “Marketing Automation Trends.” LinkedIn, 30 Sept. 2013, https://www.slideshare.net/hschulze/marketing-automation-trends-2014. Accessed 12 Sept. 2017.
