3 ways I use marketing automation to sell better

I have next step email drafts setup for all my prospects. We use HubSpot to do our marketing automation, so as soon as my client opened my post-sale email with the new proposal attached; I was notified. I triggered the email that has been lying in wait. End result: he opened it instantly and we’ve set up a follow-up meeting for next week.

Selling has changed in the digital age, but very few sales people/organisations have taken full advantage of these advances. I thought I’d share a few ways I use automation on a daily basis to close more deals in my pipeline.

So firstly, what is marketing automation?

HubSpot, my chosen marketing automation software provider (there are lots, good and bad), defines it like this:

Marketing automation is software and tactics that allow companies to buy and sell like Amazon -- that is, to nurture prospects with highly personalized, useful content that helps convert prospects to customers and turn customers into delighted customers. This type of marketing automation typically generates significant new revenue for companies and provides an excellent return on the investment required.

So how do I use marketing automation to sell better?

Follow my steps below and learn how!

1. I can send automated sequences to my leads that haven't yet converted via HubSpot

Similar to my example outlined above, but this method touches prospects that seem to have forgotten about us. Periodically, I will make some queries on our contact database in HubSpot. For example, if I’m looking for more web design work, I’ll make a search for contacts that have downloaded information related to website design in the last six months, and haven’t come back to our site in that last two months.

I’ll then go ahead and enrol these contacts in a prebuilt email sequence that our team has created to entice contacts down the conversion funnel. The email sequence normally consists of two to three emails and a content offer. If the contacts are now ready to take action they indicate it by interacting and downloading our content. We can see this interaction and can make an educated guess on whether to call them or not.

2. We can dynamically change the content and images on our website for the user

If a website user has left an enquiry on our site, the next time they come to the site we use the data they left behind to augment the site’s content and images. If they are from the technology industry, we show the tech related content. If they have downloaded a particular eBook, we don’t show it to them again, and target said audience member with content further down the buyer’s journey.

Next time they download content, we also use progressive profiling so we never ask them for the same information twice. If a user leaves their name and email address with us on one of our website forms, they never have to fill it out a form again. However, we will ask you what industry you work in and maybe what your biggest business problem is. Progressive profiling allows us to build up a very accurate picture of our website users, and subsequently, serves them relevant content that make them more likely to buy from MO.

3. I can use HubSpot marketing automation for recruitment

In my role as MD of MO, I not only sell to prospects and clients; I’m also always selling MO to prospective employees. We are always trying to attract the best talent, and believe it or not it is sometimes harder to land a great employee than a new customer.

HubSpot marketing automation allows us to send tempting email sequences to prospective employees. It then monitors which potential candidates open our emails, and who visits our website and which pages they landed on.

Based on these interactions. HubSpot scores their level of interest. If they don’t open the initial email, another email is sent with a harder sell. A series of three emails in the sequence gets a response out of 70 - 80% of the recipients. Show me another email campaign that can do that!

If you’re in sales or responsible for the bottom line of a business I can highly recommend reading up on marketing automation. It can take some time to get setup and running – but the results are definitely worth it.

Like what you read and want to fast track your marketing automation process to success? Get in touch with us, or book a consultation with MO Agency!