E-commerce Marketing Trend Report 2019 warns webshops: 'The battle for the customer is only getting fiercer'.

In our previous blog, attention was focused on the Ecommerce Marketing Trend Report 2019, which had its scoop at the end of January. According to this report, E-entrepreneurs miss opportunities by making insufficient use of (Email) Marketing Automation. This is in line with the strong trend towards personalization of online contact moments and marketing efforts. The more you know about your target group, the better you can respond to specific wishes. Marketing Automation helps with this. But what exactly is it and how does Marketing Automation work?

First the definition. Marketing Automation, whether or not focused on Emailing, is the application of one or more automated systems with which you identify and segment leads to send the right signals at the right time. Thanks to smart software, you are able to win over your leads in every phase of the customer journey with an appropriate incentive.

Marketing Automation makes the customer journey personal and tailor-made

A customer ends up in the awareness-phase (awareness) via a blog for the first time on your website, then you can tailor it to him with substantive content and specific offers via, for example, Facebook and Google advertising. One comes for the second or third time, in the consideration phase (consider and compare), then you are one step closer to the desired conversion. You tailor your notifications, live chats and emails to the momentum, for example by focusing on reviews, certificates, delivery and payment options, service and special offers.

This automated segmentation and targeting method, for which Marketing Automation is intended, significantly increases your chances of conversion. After all, you respond tailor-made to online behavior. In doing so, you primarily facilitate leads and prospects, in both B2C and B2B. But you can also better manage your existing customers. You stimulate repeat purchases, entice customers with 'exclusive' offers and increase their loyalty, with email marketing being your most effective and cost effective tool. Instead of using generic emails, which often disappear unread in the trash, you use personalized emails that are optimally tailored to the experience of your customer at that specific moment.

Goal and conversion oriented

Marketing Automation is considerably more than programmatic buying, where you automatically purchase advertisements that your target group sees at the right time. With Marketing Automation you fire the right signals at the right time within a mix of contact points: email, the content on your website, text messages and advertising campaigns. And you do that with unambiguous action goals: visit a certain landing page, download a white paper, like or share a message. The essence is that you drive leads and customers to this at the ultimate moment.

With the current fierce international competition on the internet, automating your marketing processes is a must. If you do not do this, you will leave opportunities unused. You learn more about your target audience, increase the quality of your leads and the loyalty of your customers and you can communicate in a more personal way. All this serves one purpose: to maximize the conversion. Who doesn't want that?

Compare and test Marketing Automation software

The question is, of course, how do I get started and can I afford an investment in Marketing Automation software? First consider your contact and communication strategy and determine what could be improved in your situation. Let us advise you well. There are many software packages on the market, from very affordable to very expensive, from 'basic' to very extensive. Our advice: determine for yourself what your goals are, compare the different functions and rates, and just try it out with the software package that seems to match best with your ambitions. If you are going to commit permanently and make choices, it is wise to hire specialized advice.