You have probably heard people talk about Marketing Automation.  But do you know what it is?

What is Marketing Automation?

Marketing automation is the software and technology designed for companies and organizations to effectively market on multiple channels and automate certain tasks.

What tools do you need to set up marketing automation for your company?

The main tools needed for marketing automation are a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, analytics software/platform, autoresponder/email marketing/automation tool, and a Content Management System (CMS).

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A good CRM tool is the first step in creating your marketing automation.  You will want to combine all of your contacts in your CRM.  Your list is only as good as the segmentation you use.

Some examples of CRMs:

• Salesforce
• SugarCRM
• VTiger
• InfusionSoft
• Active Campaign

Analytics

Analytics are essential for getting the full use out of your marketing operation.  You will want to load your analytics code to your website.  The more data points you can create, the better.  Keep an eye out for an upcoming blog on up analytics code.

A few examples of analytics platforms:

• Google Analytics
• Kissmetrics

Triggered Autoresponder

There are many different types of autoresponders and automation programs.  The more sophisticated the technology, the more expensive (and the more complicated).  For large enterprises, Marketo and Pardot are the large players.  For mid-size companies, ActiveCampaign and InfusionSoft are used.  And for smaller companies, Aweber, MailChimp, and ConstantContact are often used.  Aweber recently added more triggers and more functionality.

Some of the most popular automation tools and autoresponders are:

• Marketo
• Pardot
• ActiveCampaign
• InfusionSoft
• Aweber
• MailChimp
• ConstantContact

Content Management System

You need to have a good content management system for marketing automation.  Your marketing should be full of great content and should be bringing people back to your site.

The most common Content Management Systems are:

• WordPress
• Wix
• Weebly
• Magento