Business-to-business buyers continue to raise their expectations on customer service, accessibility, and support. How does an industrial manufacturer keep up with such high pressures? For some, the answer lies in marketing automation.
Service has become a key differentiator for industrial distributors. Customers have come to expect a high level of service and support, which can sometimes be tough to maintain. Using automated email responses can help your sales team keep up with your [hopefully] steady stream of incoming requests. Choose a marketing automation platform that can be set to deliver an immediate or delayed response, and can be triggered by any number of actions, such as a user submitting a certain form, viewing a specific page, or clicking on a call-to-action. This takes the burden of responding in a timely manner off your sales reps.
There is power in personalization, and email automation doesn’t skimp on delivering customized and targeted messages when done the right way. Most marketing automation software lets you send emails from a specific person within your organization — either based on who you select, or based on the conditions present in the contact — and customize messages with personalization tokens. Use the recipient’s first name in the subject line and in the body of the email to help increase email open rate, which is the first step to conversion. Sorting contacts into lists based on demographics, previous purchases, or site activity also enables you to personalize emails even further. Segmenting gives your sales reps the power to deliver relevant information to the right groups of people at once.
It takes 5 to 15 touchpoints to convert a lead into a customer. That buying cycle is often longer and more complex with industrial products. Let’s estimate that a sale takes 10 touch points, and your sales rep spends 45 minutes for each touch point compiling product information, technical data, and customer testimonials that address the buyer’s concerns as they arise. Not only does this equate to almost a day’s worth of work, but this responsive approach to selling is shown to drive a decrease in purchase ease and an increase in purchase regret. Instead of waiting to see what questions come up and responding with more information, alternatives, and options, shepherd your customers through the buying process with a proactive approach. Draft emails for automation that show off your expertise and provide clear and concise product explanations and recommendations. Having informative emails prepped and queued up for automation can help your team win sales and alleviate the pressure on your sales reps to keep potential buyers engaged over time.
With the right software and approach, marketing and email automation could become an essential tool that helps your team keep up with the demands of B2B buyers. Contact us for recommendations on marketing automation.