Businesses are turning to automation tools in droves to help drive greater efficiencies and effectiveness in their marketing efforts. As the automation market is expected to reach $5.5 billion in the next 3 years, marketers are discovering that effective automation tools do more than just track names and numbers: they’re actually important contributors to revenue as well.
The downside of all this growth, if there is one, lies in the fact that there are now so many available services — almost too many. The blessing of many competing options can start to look like a curse to those who don’t choose well: in 2015, about 70 percent of marketers reported being unhappy or only marginally happy with their systems. Poor compatibility is largely at fault. Marketers often discover that their tool’s interface is too complex to work with, or offers weak insight into the correlation between sales and marketing.
The minority of marketers who are happy with their automation are lucky–in the sense that luck is a “dividend of sweat,” as McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc put it. Fortunately, a thorough examination of the options and asking the right questions can avoid wasting money or, worse, months spent using the wrong tool.
#1: What customers do you have that are related to my business?
Knowing if the vendor works with similar businesses will tell you three things. First, that their automation tool can satisfy the unique needs of a business like yours. Second, that the vendor has enough experience to troubleshoot any vertical-specific issues you will encounter. And third, that the company can provide relevant advice should you need help steering campaigns in the right direction.
#2: What can I automate?
Not all automation tools are created equal. Marketers need to drill down into the specifics of what the tool can actually achieve. Good tools will automate the most time-consuming tasks, such as monitoring social media mentions or sending behavior-triggered messages at different points in the customer journey. They can also make intelligent decisions, such as segmenting customers according to behavior, or automatically matching new leads with the best-fit campaigns.
#3: Which channels does your platform work with?
Most marketers already have a host of disparate marketing channels. A tool that doesn’t have the capability to integrate all your previous channels or at least offer a way to connect through basic channels such as email, push, Facebook and others should lower your interest level.
#4: Does your system integrate with my CRM solution?
Customer relationship management solutions already handle sales data, so using a marketing automation tool that can’t pull your CRM’s information on converted leads is working half blind. Ask who is responsible for integration, and if it’s you, clarify what you’ll have to do, the difficulties that have occurred for others working through the same process, and how much support the vendor can provide during the integration.
#5: How flexible is the reporting?
Reporting is a basic function of most tools, but marketers also need to check if reports can gather specific data that’s relevant to them, and whether reports update in real time. Ask the vendor for a sample report, and cross-check whether it can use your highest prioritized KPIs. Businesses with multiple teams should also make sure reports are easily accessible and shareable across different roles.
#6: How much support am I going to get?
Good support is critical for both setup and day-to-day use of a complex tool like marketing automation. Confirm the available platforms for support, like email or phone, and which hours of the day they can be reached. Vendors should also specify how much training marketers will receive for different phases of using the tool: namely set-up, maintenance, and updates. Lastly, inquire about support beyond technical troubleshooting. The best marketing automation vendors have consultants who help develop data-driven strategies that suit your business, whether you’re in commerce, software development, or tech.
Finally, keep in mind that certain qualities of an automation provider won’t be addressed with questions and checklists. Your personal network can be invaluable here: ask what your peers have tested, and which providers didn’t live up to their claims. In combination, the right questions and word-of-mouth recommendations can help narrow down a seemingly endless list of choices.