What is Marketing Automation? – UbiQuity NZ

Marketing automation helps streamline marketing tasks, boost efficiency, and improve customer engagement. However, choosing the right marketing automation platform can feel overwhelming. Whether you're new to automation or optimizing your current system, this guide will help you evaluate and select the best solution for your business.

Choose the Right Marketing Automation Platform

When selecting a marketing automation platform, you’ll typically encounter two main types:

1. Best-in-Class Marketing Automation

These platforms specialise in specific marketing tasks, such as email automation or lead scoring. While you may need to integrate multiple tools, you only pay for the features you use.

2. All-in-One Marketing Automation

These platforms offer a full suite of features in one system, simplifying management with a single login and support. While they may not excel in every area, they provide a unified, easy-to-use solution.

Identify Your Organisation’s Marketing Automation Needs

When choosing a marketing automation platform, consider the following:

  • Core Marketing Objectives: What do you want to achieve with automation?

  • Marketing Channels: Which channels (email, social media, etc.) do you use most?

  • Automation Opportunities: Which tasks can you automate to improve efficiency?

  • System Integration: How will the platform integrate with your existing tools?

Top Tip: Avoid jumping on the latest trends. Ensure the solution aligns with your marketing strategy and budget.

Set Clear Marketing Automation Goals

Your platform choice should align with your specific goals, whether you aim to increase ROI, improve customer experience, or enhance operational efficiency. Keep these objectives front and center during your selection process.

Choose the Right Marketing Automation Support

Some common issues that businesses face when adopting marketing automation is resource constraints—whether human, financial, or technical. When evaluating platforms, look for:

  • Support and Training: Does the platform offer adequate support? Is training included, or is it an extra cost?

  • Ease of Use: How user-friendly is the platform for your team?

These factors will impact your decision and should be factored into your budget.

Identify Barriers to Marketing Automation

Identifying potential roadblocks within your organisation can help guide your platform selection. Common barriers include:

  • Lack of human resources

  • Budget limitations

  • Lack of in-house expertise

  • Integration difficulties with legacy systems

  • Insufficient local support or training

  • Unintuitive systems

Addressing these concerns early on will help narrow down your options.

Evaluate Platform Functionality

After narrowing your options, dive deeper into platform features.

Why is Ease of Use So Important?

Our clients often tell us that ease of use is the most crucial factor in selecting a marketing automation platform. Here’s why:

  1. Better Adoption: The easier the software, the more likely your team will use it effectively.

  2. Advanced Features: A user-friendly interface encourages exploration of advanced features.

  3. Cost Savings: A platform that’s easy to use reduces support costs and helps your team troubleshoot independently.

  4. Versatility: Choose a platform suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

Confirm Additional Services with Your Platform

When evaluating marketing automation platforms, consider the services that come with them, such as:

  • Technical support and platform assistance

  • Local training opportunities

  • Strategic advice and campaign execution

  • Ongoing support for growth

Security Considerations

Data security should be a top priority. When selecting a platform, check for:

Data Protection: How does the platform safeguard sensitive customer and business data?

Company Security: What security measures ensure your organisation's information is protected?

Budgeting and ROI

As with any business investment, understanding the total cost of ownership is key. Consider these elements when budgeting for a marketing automation platform:

  • Platform Costs: Software subscription fees

  • Integration Costs: Integrating with existing systems

  • Training & Support: Ongoing fees

  • Infrastructure Expenses: Hardware, security, and upgrades

  • Staffing: Additional costs for resources or overtime

Understanding these factors will help you assess ROI and make an informed decision.

Conclusion

Choosing the right marketing automation platform is challenging, but with careful planning and consideration of your unique needs, objectives, and budget, you’ll be well on your way to selecting a solution that drives your business forward.