Marketers are busy people.  It seems you can never get everything done on your to-do list.  There is a solution and that solution is marketing automation.  Marketing automation is software that helps you execute your tasks in a faster and more efficient way.  In addition, marketing automation allows you to personalize your marketing efforts in order to generate better quality leads.  But once you have the software how do you use it to best serve your needs and to deliver the results you're looking for?  We found this article at Hubspot "What Is Marketing Automation-A Beginner's Guide".  Written by Alyssa Rimmer, the article explains in greater detail what marketing automation is and how to effectively use it.

The marketing automation craze has finally hit the association market! Whether you're getting calls from vendors that you've never heard of, or hearing about great metrics that other associations are getting, everyone seems to want to talk about marketing automation! Since we are the only digital agency in the association space that provides implementation, integration and strategic consulting services around marketing automation (and because we offer more than 1 platform, we aren't biased towards only pushing one software product), we thought we should step up to the plate and offer to everyone the basics of marketing automation in a free workshop.

Marketing Automation allows you to segment your audience by using the data you already have about them.  You can then personalize their experience with your organization.  The infographic below shows a basic outline of how marketing automation can personalize the sales cycle.  Marketing and sales teams can then target leads faster and more effectively.

It seems everyone is talking about marketing automation these days.  More and more organizations are implementing and using it in their marketing strategies.  When it comes to choosing a marketing automation system, there are many options available.  It can be confusing trying to figure out which platform will best serve your organization's needs.  If you are thinking about making the move to marketing automation, sit down with us for an hour as we discuss what marketing automation can do for you and what you need to consider before choosing a platform.  Our webinar "What To Consider In A Marketing Automation Platform" is free and always available On-Demand at HighRoad U.

I have heard many times this year from either clients or prospects that they are looking for a CRM and so a Marketing Automation platform isn’t really needed. So I went searching for reasons why this isn’t true and why it is better if they are together.

Many associations today are beginning to make the move to marketing automation.  We thought it might be helpful to review exactly what marketing automation is, what it's not, and whether your association is ready for it.  Our ASAE Lunch Learning Webinar "Are You Ready For Marketing Automation?" provides an overview of what marketing automation is and showcases associations who have already successfully implemented it to market their certification, education, event, and content programs.