{"id":9099,"date":"2024-05-14T10:23:36","date_gmt":"2024-05-14T09:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leadforensics.com\/?p=9099"},"modified":"2026-05-13T12:21:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T11:21:28","slug":"marketing-automation-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it-to-drive-b2b-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leadforensics.com\/blog\/marketing\/marketing-automation-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it-to-drive-b2b-sales\/","title":{"rendered":"Marketing Automation: What it is and How to Use it to Drive B2B Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"

The most successful online retailers know how to keep us coming back for more and filling up our online baskets with items we never knew we wanted. They have become masters at using marketing automation and their digital strategies continue to grow in sophistication.<\/p>\n

Amazon continues to be a leading light in this field, showing how marketing automation can help turn a company into a slick selling machine.<\/p>\n

But B2C firms aren\u2019t the only ones who can use such tools and tactics to maximize their exposure and opportunities to land a sale. They can work just as effectively for B2B businesses.<\/p>\n

Here, we\u2019re going to take a closer look at how \u2013 from what marketing automation is, to how it can be used by B2B sales<\/a> and B2B marketing<\/a> teams to gain the greatest benefit.<\/p>\n

What is marketing automation?<\/h2>\n

According to Emailmonday<\/a>, on average 49% of companies are currently using marketing automation, with more than half of B2B companies (55%) adopting the technology.<\/p>\n

It basically does as its name would suggest \u2013 it offers a way to automate key marketing tasks so they happen automatically, depending on certain conditions being met.<\/p>\n

For example, you may automate a workflow that will kick in when someone converts on an offer on your website. A drip-feed email campaign may begin, with a series of emails going out at set intervals, until some other action or trigger happens that moves the person out of that particular workflow (we\u2019ll go into more detail about this and ways to use marketing automation, later in the blog).<\/p>\n

It can also provide data that can help marketers measure the effectiveness of their different activities and more easily demonstrate the return on investment.<\/p>\n

The importance of personalization<\/h2>\n

The technology itself continues to evolve at a rapid pace, offering increasingly sophisticated tools for marketers. One of the secrets of success is having the ability to combine personalization with marketing automation.<\/p>\n

This is important for any type of marketing you undertake, but especially for those following an account based marketing (ABM)<\/a> strategy.<\/p>\n

Taking our previous example of a nurturing email campaign, the results being achieved are unlikely to be as good, if recipients feel they are just part of a mass mailout.<\/p>\n

They need to feel special and understood and like the email has been written just for them (of course, they will probably know otherwise, but that doesn\u2019t matter). Whatever they are sent needs to be both of interest to them and sent at the right time \u2013 so it\u2019s information they want and value.<\/p>\n

That means, to take full advantage of marketing automation software and all it offers, it\u2019s best to choose a system that can be fully integrated with an existing CRM. The system also needs to be regularly tested, assessed, evaluated and refined, to ensure it is operating at its optimum effectiveness.<\/p>\n

The key benefits of marketing automation<\/h2>\n

A lot has been written about the benefits of marketing automation, including its potential to substantially increase the number of leads being generated, as well as the conversions achieved.<\/p>\n

Increases revenue<\/h3>\n

According to Position\u00b2, marketing automation is identified by 78% of high-performing marketers as a key contributor to improved revenue. It is estimated to help B2B marketers increase their sales pipeline contribution by an average of 10%.<\/p>\n

Aids lead generation<\/h3>\n

Among B2B marketers, one of the top benefits cited about marketing automation is that it can help teams generate both more and better quality leads.<\/p>\n

Saves time by streamlining the process<\/h3>\n

With routine marketing tasks being handled automatically, marketing teams are able to concentrate on the bigger picture, without having to worry about actioning the raw mechanics of their activity.<\/p>\n

Ensures nothing is missed<\/h3>\n

If processes are automatic, then the chance of human error creeping in is reduced, along with the potential for opportunities to be accidentally missed.<\/p>\n

Keeps momentum going<\/h3>\n

Timing is crucial when it comes to B2B marketing and if you don\u2019t keep the momentum going in your relationship with a prospect, then an opportunity could easily be lost. A prospect may forget about you, look elsewhere, or a competitor may sneak in at the optimum moment, undoing all your hard work.<\/p>\n

If someone shows an interest in you and your product, such as by visiting your website and spending time reading certain key pages, then marketing automation can ensure a nurturing email campaign is carried out. The behavior of the contact can then be monitored and new workflows launched, based on the signals they go on to exhibit. This will all help you become a comprehensive lead-generating and nurturing machine.<\/p>\n

Aids cross-team collaboration<\/h3>\n

Some of the most successful companies around today are entirely customer-centric and they have recognized the benefit of having their sales and marketing teams working in full alignment. Automation can help here too, by supporting the sales team to choose which leads to follow up on, based on data gathered within the marketing automation system. The result is that sales can concentrate on only the hottest most qualified leads. While for marketers it offers control over the lead generation and management process.<\/p>\n

Supports measurement and analysis<\/h3>\n

Being able to measure and prove a positive ROI is important for any marketing team. Marketing automation software can help you to monitor responses and tie them back to certain marketing campaigns, as well as monitor overall expenditure.<\/p>\n

How can B2B marketers use marketing automation?<\/h2>\n

Marketing automation technology is a great way to engage with customers and engage with potential prospects at different stages of the buyer journey.<\/p>\n

Typical uses include:<\/p>\n