Ecommerce Marketing Automation for Smart Marketers

Ecommerce marketing can be extremely tedious, not to mention time-consuming. And this is where ecommerce marketing automation comes into the game. When it comes to marketing for your ecommerce brand, automation can help you get an edge over your competitors and a lot done in a lesser amount of time with a better overall revenue.

Some of the primary benefits of using ecommerce automation software are:

• Allows you to offer better customer service
• Gain better customer insights
• Nurture leads like a boss
• Monitor multiple channels simultaneously
• Saves resources, costs & increases ROI
• Helps you retain existing customers

If you are ready for the right ecommerce marketing automation software for your business, we recommend taking the following steps:

Step 1: Determine your needs

Before diving into your search, take some time to determine your marketing automation needs, particularly in the following areas:

Marketing channels – Identify the channels on which you market your business. Are you just looking to automate your emails or do you need a solution that works on other platforms (e.g., Google Ads, social media, etc.)? Naturally, you’ll want your solution to support the sales and marketing channels that you’re on.

Metrics/Analytics – Determine your marketing KPIs and see to it that the software you choose can measure and report those results.

Integrations – Take note of the sales and marketing platforms that you’re currently using. Ideally, your marketing software integrates with the systems and solutions you have in place.

Now that you have an idea of what you need, you can proceed with the research stage of the process. Aside from Googling marketing automation software, we recommend tapping into the following resources:

Your network – Talk to other merchants running similar businesses and ask them about their marketing automation. Why did they choose a particular provider? How is their experience so far? Get these questions answered, and if possible, try to see their software in action.

Your current tech stack – As we mentioned earlier, you need your software to “play nice” with the platforms you’re already using. So, check the marketing and sales solutions you have in place and look into their integrations with other marketing automation software.

Software review websites – There are a number of websites that review and compare software for businesses. Read the reviews on these sites to gain more insights into the solutions you’re examining. Consider the following:

• Capterra
• G2 Crowd
• PCMag
• Software Advice

At this point, you should already have a short list of software that you’re considering. The next step is taking the systems for a spin. Book a demo with the providers that you’re checking out or, if possible, take a free trial of the software so you can see things first-hand. Have a checklist of features and requirements and make sure that the solution meets most, if not all, of your needs.

Taking the steps above should give you enough information to make an informed decision. One thing to remember is to not rush the process. Take your time with each step, and be thorough. Marketing automation can be a profitable investment over the long-term, so be sure to cover your bases.

How much should you budget for marketing automation? Like with most questions, it depends.

Costs will vary, based on the number of leads in your database, the campaigns you need to run, and the level of sophistication you require. If you’re a small business that just needs automated email campaigns, then solutions such as EngageBay can get you started for as low as $8 a month. But as you grow your business (and leads, team members, and campaigns in the process), that figure will surely rise, depending on your needs.

However, remember that EngageBay is one of the most affordable solutions out there, even as you scale up.