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5 Sure-Fire Signs Your Business Is Ready For Marketing Automation

Here are five sure-fire signs that it’s time to consider marketing automation for your business.

Photo: Michele Bryant; Credit: 
© Emi Fujii Photography
Photo: Michele Cantelo.; Credit: 
© Emi Fujii Photography

As a young, fabulous, and self-employed individual, you likely know exactly what to do to help your clients move forward and reach their goals.

Yet, as a business owner, it can be really tough to confidently decide which action you should be taking to do the same — especially when it comes to deciding if it’s time for you to tweak your internal systems and leverage marketing automation to grow your business.

Often times, it can sneak up on you just when you’re starting to feel as though you are on top of everything in your business.

It might start as a surge in incoming leads and new clients booked, and then before you know it you’re working more (and doing better) than ever, yet find yourself hitting a growth plateau.

It doesn’t take long before you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, and wondering how in the world you’ll ever be able to move to the next level.

For many entrepreneurs, the answer to that question is marketing automation.

 

So, what’s the deal with marketing automation?

You’ve probably heard about marketing automation from that friend who has been running a business a tad bit longer than you (and her bottom-line is a bit more established than yours). Or maybe you read about it online in an entrepreneurship blog.

Until recently, you likely brushed off the idea of setting up marketing automation because you knew it wasn’t the right time for your business (which was a smart decision at the time!) 

However, if you’re stuck — busy working with your dream client, finally making some money — and can’t seem to find a way to move your business to the next level, it is time to take a closer look.

Here are five sure-fire signs that it’s time to consider marketing automation for your business.

 

1. You’ve hit a growth plateau

When you start your business, a little bit of inspired action goes a long way. Every new product or offer is a milestone. Every new launch or event is an opportunity for quantum leaps! But then, as you slowly take on new clients and start selling with ease, each action can start to have less and less impact.

And now, it feels nearly impossible to renew that initial growth you were experiencing. Now that business is finally booming, you don’t have the time or energy to think about, or create, the next big thing!

This is exactly the type of dilemma that can be solved through marketing automation. With the help of automation, the “big things” you need to kick-start growth are simplified. By automating the little details (i.e., follow-up emails, product delivery, controlled access based on purchase, and even encouraging participation and engagement) high-level information and passive income products become not only doable, but exciting possibilities.

 

2. You have a lot of leads, but no time to follow-up

Admit it. You feel a little guilty every time you look at your list of leads and prospects, don’t you?

They remind you that you’re too busy to follow-up with every new contact that comes your way, even though you’d absolutely love to.

You also know there are people on your lead list who need what you offer, but following up personally seems to always be pushed back to tomorrow (a day that never comes).

 

Photo: © berc, YFS Magazine
Photo: © berc, YFS Magazine

This common struggle led to the creation of email marketing and, down the line, marketing automation. 

Staying fresh in the minds of your prospects, without bothering them or spending hours drafting emails, is a difficult balance to find. However, it is made much easier with the help of automated email funnels that share your message and build your brand identity with each new lead.

 

3. Your content is underutilized

If you’re like me, it’s not always simple to create and produce outstanding content for your tribe. Even when inspiration strikes, it’s still time-consuming to create it – never mind the time it takes to make sure it gets in the hands of everyone who needs it!

Knowing that your content is sitting around, not being used for the awesome value it provides, makes you feel frustrated and guilty. Your content impact and income potential is being wasted.

 

Photo: © loftflow, YFS Magazine
Photo: © loftflow, YFS Magazine

However, by creating an automated funnel with all of your content strategically mixed in, you can ensure that your content gets to all the right people at the right time, establishing you as an expert and increasing the likelihood of a sale.

 

4. You offer premium-priced products and services

Your products and services are valuable to your clients and they’re priced to show it! There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but it does make the selling process a bit trickier.

When you ask a higher price, you have to really show up and provide value. Yet, with everything going on, it’s not always possible for you to fully show up — and that’s a real problem.

 

 

You should never have to choose between keeping your business running and providing value. 

Through savvy marketing automation, you can create a system that makes sure that every lead is nurtured in the perfect sequence, for as long as they need (but without your direct attention) to become a paying, VIP customer.

 

5. You’re ready to get strategic

Once you’ve mastered the basics, your marketing and messaging is spot on, and you’ve established a loyal customer base, it’s common to start looking at ways to make an even greater positive impact.

With the big picture defined you feel readier than ever to dive in and get to know your audience better. However, you can’t do that without feedback and insight into how things are currently going. For example:

  • Which of your sales emails leads to the most clicks?
  • How many of those clicks actually turn into conversions?
  • Which products or services are most popular?
  • Which of your advertising outlets has the lowest cost per lead and cost per customer?

Can you answer those questions and others like it confidently? If not, don’t worry. Marketing automation apps and tools have you covered here. You can gather demographic and behavioral information about your leads. Everything from which site pages yield the most visits to which emails are opened the most.

Collecting, analyzing, and using this type of data is the stuff behind business miracles.

 

It’s nice to say you care about your tribe, but even better to show it through your actions. A savvy marketing automation strategy takes action on your behalf and helps you show up stronger than ever before.

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Michele Cantelo is a Business Growth Specialist for coaches and consultants. She helps skyrocket her client’s impact and income through savvy strategy and marketing automation magic. When she’s not in the office, she’s likely cuddling with her two pitbull pups or drinking a jalepeno margarita on Venice Beach.

 

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