Every day, startups are emerging with innovative solutions to help businesses succeed using marketing automation software. Thanks to those unique new tools, even the smallest business has the opportunity to compete head-on against enterprise giants.
However, despite the great promise of marketing automation, some marketers still see it as too complex or challenging to use. This article will bust some of the most common marketing automation myths.
Myth 1: Automated marketing is easier than manual processing
Marketing automation software makes repetitive tasks more manageable, but it's not a complete replacement for manual processes. That's why creating high-quality automation is the biggest challenge for 36% of marketers.
For example, automation might help streamline your email marketing efforts by enabling you to quickly scale up when needed, and then just as quickly scale down when there is less demand from your customers. However, even though that can save time in the short-term, scaling up or down can be costly and wasteful because it means you need to pay for added capacity (or waste valuable resources if the market changes and demands decrease).
Myth 2: Automated marketing is used only for email
Marketing automation is a lot more than just email marketing.
A big part of marketing automation involves using data to deliver personalized experiences for your customers on your website. Some types allow companies to combine customers' browsing behavior with their purchase history, so the company can send them tailored information or offers they're most likely to click on when they land on your site.
As another example, webinars can be automated using automated webinar platforms that enable you to create an entire webinar funnel. You can even schedule attendee engagements and email follow-up sequences.
Myth 3: Marketing automation is for big businesses only
Many people still think that marketing automation is for only big businesses, or brands with a considerable budget. It's true that there are aspects of marketing automation best suited for more prominent companies, such as seamless integration with your website, high-speed A/B testing, and sophisticated tracking tools. However, there are also many benefits that smaller businesses can take advantage of.
Using software to automate marketing efforts allows small businesses to compete with more prominent brands and go head-to-head against them. Moreover, automating your processes can usually be achieved at a relatively low cost.
Myth 4: Marketing automation is useful only for B2C
Another common myth is that marketing automation is useful only for businesses that deal with consumers, or B2C. In reality, there are a lot of benefits for B2B companies as well.
A robust automated marketing system in place mitigates some B2B issues by ensuring you always have pre-qualified leads coming through the system. It also means you can focus your time on making more high-quality sales calls and lead-nurturing.
Myth 5: Automated marketing comes off as robotic and impersonal
For the most part, machines are good at following a specific set of rules without much variation or room for error. But humans are different because they have unique personalities, values, goals, and needs.
Marketing automation can be personal if it's done right. One of the most significant benefits of using software is that it takes out a lot of the guesswork involved in selling your products or services.
When you give your machine-learning software access to not only your company's data but also all sorts of third-party information (such as social media feeds) about what makes your customers tick, you're able to find out what they're interested in, whom they trust, and what makes them stay loyal to your brand.
Myth 6: Automated marketing always boosts your marketing efforts
Software can help you generate better results than what you'd get if you did everything by hand, but it's still up to you to decide which tools and techniques are worth your time.
If you want your brand identity (and your message) to be taken seriously by your customers, you need to make sure you never come off as overly promotional or aggressive.
Don't let automation run the whole show. It won't express the human side of who you are and what makes your business unique.
Myth 7: Once a sale is closed, the automated marketing process is over
Automated marketing should never be limited to just driving sales or leads. Even after you close the deal, you still need your customers for repeat business, so it makes sense to continue keeping in touch with them through automation.
Myth 8: Marketing automation will replace the role of marketers
Some marketers still think marketing automation will replace the marketer's role entirely. Software can take over some of the more mundane parts of marketing, such as list-building and lead-nurturing. Still, it's harder for a software to be creative and culturally relevant.
Marketing automation helps marketers become more efficient and productive, but it's not a cure-all. You need a skilled marketer to make sure the machine is doing everything properly. And regardless of who handles your marketing or how it happens, what matters most is making sure you're reaching your audience with relevant content.
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Marketing automation is just another tool in your arsenal to help your business attract more customers. As long as you keep track of how you're using that tool, you should find ways to streamline the process in ways you never thought possible.
For all its complexities, marketing automation can make running a business more accessible than ever before. There are plenty of misconceptions about what AI software and automation can do, but once you learn exactly what those tools are capable of, you'll see how simple it is to create the kind of online presence that gives your business staying power over time.
More Resources on Marketing Automation
Marketing Automation 101: Start Learning With Content, Experts, and Training
Seven Marketing Automation Campaigns That Should Get You Promoted
