8 Things to Consider before Purchasing a Marketing Automation Tool

It’s utterly frustrating to buy something and realize that there were more things you wish you knew before making the purchase. Maybe you wish you knew that you will change jobs before renting an apartment close to your old workplace.

Unfortunately, this can also happen when you decide to purchase a marketing automation tool. You buy what you believe is the perfect software only to realize that it doesn’t help you meet your goals or that your team isn’t ready for it.

There’s no doubt that marketing automation can help you handle all the marketing efforts that comes with running a small business. According to a study cited by Kissmetrics.com, companies that automate lead management see a +10% increase in revenues in 6-9 months.

However, choosing the wrong system can seriously hurt your business. To make this decision easier, you can find below 8 things you need to consider before purchasing a marketing automation tool.

• Define Your Goals

Rumor has it marketing automation can help you capture more leads, improve lead-to-sale conversions and improve the overall experience of your customers. While this is true, purchasing marketing automation software without considering your overall goals and objectives can do you more harm than good.

Many small business owners define their goals in a vague way. They say they want to see an increase in leads or social media engagement, but that’s not enough. You need to be precise about your objectives and set measurable goals. How many new leads do you want to generate and by how much do you want to increase engagement?

Once these goals are established, you can begin to look for a marketing automation tool that will help you achieve them.

• Examine the Lead Generation Process

Numerous companies say they don’t get the expected results from their automated marketing tools. However, many of them don’t use this technology at its full capacity.

Before purchasing marketing automation programs, marketers and business owners need to analyze their lead generation process. Once you’ve identified every step of the process, it will be much easier to automate your marketing and send the right messages to the right people at the right time.

• Evaluate Your Content Strategy

Imagine that your business’s primary goal is to get more leads, and you have a secondary goal of turning an existing lead database into new opportunities. Clearly, marketing automation will make the process smoother.

But, before making a decision, you need to evaluate your content strategy. Sending a quarterly newsletter (which, by the way, you shouldn’t) isn’t the same with sending daily emails. Needless to say, it is crucial to create relevant content if you want to spark dialog along each stage of the buying cycle.

• Is Your Staff Ready for Automation?

Your marketing automation system is worth as much as your team can use it. Your staff’s knowledge and willingness to learn will have an impact on the success of automation. According to a study 44% of companies said that not having the right people was certainly a drawback.

While marketing automation is not rocket science, there still are things your staff will need to learn. Before purchasing a marketing automation tool, make sure your team is ready for it. Are they willing to learn? Will you invest in educating them? These are important questions you need to ask yourself.

• Can It Support Business Anywhere?

Many business owners are always on the go. They have to meet with investors and shareholders or attend conferences and business events. But, just because you aren’t at your office, it doesn’t mean that the marketing machine should stop. You need tools that can be accessed anywhere.

If you or your marketing team travels a lot, consider investing in a mobile-friendly marketing automation tool. This way you will be able to keep track of your efforts on the go.

• Can You Integrate It with Other Existing Systems

How will your marketing automation program integrate with other software you already implemented or plan to implement? Will it be compatible with your existing system or will you need to make adjustments or invest in additional resources?

A tool that isn’t compatible with your existing systems can be a hassle. So, before making a decision, you need to carefully evaluate the interoperability of marketing automation tools.

• Cost

When you run a small business, money can be a problem. Although social media and search engine optimization can be great low-cost ways to promote your business, it will still cost you money to market online. Having a budget and using it strategically is not only smart, but also imperative for the success of your business.

Before you purchase a marketing automation tool, make sure you take return of investment into consideration as well. An expensive marketing automation tool may seem like a good idea, but if it’s not going to help you achieve your goals and will impact your budget in a negative way, maybe it’s better to opt for a less costly one and vice versa. Cost-effectiveness is the key takeaway here.

• Try it first

It goes without saying to you should try a tool before buying it. Most marketing automation softwares offer free trials and it’s a good idea to take advantage of this opportunity.

After carefully evaluating your online marketing needs, create a list of automation tools that fit your requirements. One by one, test them to see how they work, how they integrate with your existing systems or if they are user-friendly.

There are a lot of things to consider if you are thinking about purchasing or switching your marketing automation tool. However, if you do your research, set specific goals, audit your content and have a team that sees automation as an essential aspect of their job, you will be able to select the tool that fits your business best.

Do you struggle to find the best marketing automation tool for your business? What other things do you take into account when purchasing automation software? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.