Do you think marketing automation is primarily used for lead generation?  If so you are certainly not alone, many marketers do.  The truth is marketing automation can do much more.  You can and should leverage this technology for brand marketing and customer marketing as well.  Marketing automation can be used at every stage of the customer lifecycle.  By using the power of data driven strategies derived from a marketing automation platform you can drive leads, build your brand, and deliver an outstanding customer experience.  We have found an article at Act-On, written by Cindy Collins-Taylor, that explains what benefits marketing automation has to offer, not only for lead generation strategies, but also for branding and customer marketing strategies.  This article will help you understand what marketing automation can do and how to get the most out of your marketing automation palform.

Marketing automation is technology that allows you to automate and measure your marketing activities and strategies.  It enables you to attract more leads, nurture those leads, and convert them more quickly into customers.  The infographic below illustrates 9 benefits of marketing automation that will save you time and money.

Today more and more organizations are implementing marketing automation in order to accomplish a number of marketing tasks in a more efficient and effective way.  The infographic below explains what marketing automation is, what it does, and how it works to increase success with your marketing campaigns.

Today most associations are undergoing (or on the brink of) a digital transformation. Adopting a marketing automation system is typically the first step towards their digital revival. This investment has the ability to amp up an establishment by increasing retention and conversion rates. However, to see results the user must understand not only what their Marketing Automation platform has to offer but how to properly use it! Many individuals jump into marketing automation and begin using feature functions without understanding the technology. This leads to ineffective digital marketing, frustration, and discouragement. Here are two tips to avoid frustration and get the most out of your MA platform.

In the digital landscape today, the shift from outbound to inbound marketing has proved incredibly successful for associations nationwide that have adopted this engaging and thoughtful methodology of marketing automation. Inbound marketing is a strategy focused on attracting consumers through online content, SEO, thoughtful interactions, landing pages, social media, and more. It uses forms of pull marketing and functions as entirely permission based, allowing users to come to a specific product or service – whereas outbound is focused on pushing and fighting for users' attention. By generating relevant content to specific personas at a specific time, inbound marketing has revenue generating capabilities, builds greater trust among consumers, all while providing content catered to their specific needs and wants.

Many associations have yet to make the move to marketing automation.  If your organization still has not implemented a marketing automation solution you're missing out on the great benefits it has to offer.  Marketing automation allows you to do more with less.  It enables you to nurture your leads and move them toward membership 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Marketing automation achieves this in a more effecient and effective way than any marketing team could achieve on their own.  In addition, the data you obtain allows you to better understand which of your marketing campaigns are working and which aren't.  We found an article at Hubspot, written by Taylor Brennan, that explains in greater detail the benefits marketing automation has to offer associations and why you need it.