Our last article introduced the fact that organizations must avoid thinking about their marketing actions, including emails, as the only way to implement automation. On the contrary, multichannel marketing is becoming more and more important. It is no longer just a theory to which one is exposed, but rather a vision that must be implemented in a clear way.
To achieve this, one must understand the actions that can be taken at the marketing level. In our first article, we covered notifications, SMS, Dashboards creation and up/cross selling. For this article, 4 other categories will be covered.
1. SEM
Technology and automation play an important role in SEM. Indeed, the number of networks requiring rigorous management continues to grow and their functionalities become more and more complex. That’s why, without automation, SEM marketers will have a hard time focusing on in-depth analysis to make relevant adjustments on an ongoing basis.
The most well-known platform, and the most widespread at SEM level is AdWords. It also offers good automation methods. The best level of control, but also customization, comes from AdWords scripts. You can use them to automate common procedures (such as changing bids) or to interact with external data.
As a second option, there is always the IF functions, which able you to automatically customize the content of the ads. IF functions allow you to insert a specific message in a text ad if a condition is met, as well as default text if it is not.
In the Google example below, an IF function was used to customize the ad for the device. If users are on a mobile, they will see the free shipping message, while desktop users will see the default text “buy now”.
Some companies have strongly pushed the use of these automation and customization options. Although it takes time, bids and posted content can manage themselves, if implemented effectively!
2. Geotargeting
Maintaining user engagement is one of the most important and challenging ways to ensure the commercial success of any application. For businesses that depend on customer location, geographic targeting can be a great asset. This is done with highly relevant messages, which are mostly mobile notifications, sent when a person is near a point of sale. Although geolocation is based on the consent of the user to give his position, once done, it is a great way to engage him.
To achieve this, you need a technology that can manage specific locations in order to know if a person is entering, leaving, or staying in a geographic barrier. According to this information, a notification on the device of the user is sent. For optimal use of this solution, it can even be connected to a relation-based marketing tool, which can provide very relevant information on the customer account. For example, a mobile notification could be triggered based on past purchases, or by promoting an item on the wish list that is in stock at the nearest store.
3. Segmentation
Automated segmentation of contact lists is the best way to send targeted and relevant content that will create a real sense of personalization. In fact, automated segmentation is the starting point for companies looking to integrate this method of work. To achieve this, there are three avenues to pursue.
First, one-off segmentation refers to lists that fill in names only once. For example, if you set up static segmentation to find all the leads that are “CMO” in “Financial Services”, your marketing automation system will find it easy to complete this simple request. However, once the static list is generated, people will never be added to it again. Generally, this is the only type of lists that people know before using marketing automation. This type is normally used for single campaigns, that is, campaigns that are not run regularly.
Then, the semi-dynamic segmentation allows to add more people to a list, but does not allow to subtract from it. For example, if you set up a semi-dynamic “CMO” segmentation in “Financial Services”, your marketing automation system will find all people who meet this criteria. The tool will also be able to add new people every day to meet the same criteria. However, since this type of automation does not allow for subtraction, if someone changes their title of CMO to CEO in the DB, it will not be deleted automatically. Thus, removing the contact would require another semi-dynamic segmentation that would roll at the same time as the other.
Finally, dynamic segmentation means that a person can be added and deleted from a list based on the same data point change. For example, a fully dynamic list of prospects who visited your website during the past 30 days is a list that will grow and shrink each day, depending on visits to your website. At this level of segmentation, it should be noted that it requires the use of marketing automation rules or Drip logic (“If X occurs, execute Y”, “if X does not occur, perform Z” ). You must also add another layer of complexity by selecting the contacts to be processed. It is also possible to push the Drip logic on the contents to which the contacts will be exposed.
4. Incomplete purchases, and inactive contacts
Finally, the last wealth of information that cannot be processed manually (given the magnitude of the task) is incomplete purchases. In order to be relevant and effective at this level, it is essential to automate contacts in relation to this. It is possible to develop certain automation based on, for example, a user who seems to have encountered a problem in his registration or purchase process. It could also be a chatbot, an automated chat according to programmed scripts, which appears in an application or on a website to help the same visitor.
The most obvious ones to automate are surely the re-engagement emails. These can be effective if a person has been inactive for some time. Here, content can vary greatly, including promoting new products, discounts, additions, etc.
To wrap up
With these two articles on multichannel, you now have 8 marketing channels that can be both automated in themselves, but also between them. In fact, the real challenge of automation is not the task in itself, but breaking silos to achieve interconnectivity. It is only then that the data can flow between them, and thus be used to their full potential. However, before reaching this stage, you must first plan the channels to automate and customize. I hope that these 8 options will give you some ideas on which to simmer for the next few months!
