For many e-commerce business owners, ensuring a seamless and personalised online shopping experience for their customers can be a tall order. Decision-makers of these entities, therefore, should opt for a customised selection of marketing automation tools for e-commerce to simplify their e-commerce operating processes.
The convenience brought about by e-commerce establishments such as boundless, contactless, and personalised online shopping experience is undeniable. However, manually collecting data, tracking sales conversion, and matching the right customers to a segmented marketing campaign can be a laborious and time-consuming process if done manually.
Utilising the right marketing automation tools can help reduce many tasks associated with manual inputting. This may include updating the lifecycle stages of a marketing campaign, managing interactions with customers, as well as enhancing follow-up processes to improve the customer buying and after-sales journey.
With a CRM marketing automation tool, e-commerce businesses can significantly decrease human errors, reduce labour and operating costs, save time, boost sales conversions, and improve the user shopping experience. That said, what factors should an establishment consider before deciding on the right marketing automation tools for e-commerce? Let’s delve into 5 important aspects.
1. More integration capabilities
When utilised to its full potential, a great marketing automation tool should combine data from multiple sources. It’s important to note that marketing automation tools should not work in isolation.
Assessing the integration landscape of each marketing automation tool is pivotal for e-commerce businesses to reap the convenience brought about by marketing automation.
Linking data pertaining to customers to match particular marketing services or campaigns is important to convert leads into sales. This can be done by blending native customer relationship management (CRM) with marketing automation.
Choosing the right marketing automation tools can make it easier for e-commerce businesses to manage and leverage social media engagement, website traffic, and contact details. This way, data collection is less time-consuming and more accurate, and data loss is less likely to occur.
2. Easy user interface
When assessing the right marketing automation tools for e-commerce businesses, consider how user-friendly the tool interfaces are. Their providers may claim that these tools have a user-friendly interface, though this may not always be the case.
Many CRM marketing automation providers offer a demo to prospective clients. It’s wise, therefore, for e-commerce business owners to request a demo before making a purchase.
A good CRM marketing automation tool should fulfil various criteria in meeting acceptable user interface standards. Among them is the ease of navigation. This can be performed by sending out a test email or looking at particular statistics to get a rough idea of how hard it would be to manoeuvre supposedly easy tasks.
Is there helpful information provided when hovering over a title? Is team support easily available? These are important questions to ponder before purchasing the right marketing automation tools. To avoid loss of productivity, check if the tools provided make it easy to perform basic tasks or if one is required to go through several hoops to reach an end process.
3. Necessary features available
Marketing automation tools often come with many features. However, an e-commerce business may not require every feature available. Hence, scaling it down to what is needed can help reduce overheads and decrease redundancy in employee productivity. This will be dependent on the size of the e-commerce business.
Marketing automation tools are divided into 3 categories: channel-specific, middle or bottom-funnel, and full funnel.
Channel-specific tools automate tasks such as writing and sending emails. The second category is more effective in distributing marketing messages for lead generation. The third category is instrumental in content development, SEO tactics, and assisting in other client involvement which will pave the way to sales conversion.
Depending on the business’s goals and operational needs, they can pick the category which suits their needs best.
4. Cost-effective facilities
Implementing the right marketing automation tools for e-commerce purposes may require sizable capital expenditure. However, this is a one-off payment and the long-term benefits far outweigh its upfront expenses.
Costs may vary depending on the number of users or how many tools are required for one’s e-commerce business pursuits.
Monthly usage fees are higher if more users have access to the marketing automation tools. There will also be set-up and onboarding costs, as well as on-site team training fees. Contacting the sales team which offers this service will give an e-commerce business valuable insights into the overall costs.
The costs incurred will depend on the features required and the business’s goals.
5. Good client reviews
While choosing the right marketing tools for e-commerce purposes depends on a company’s personal goals and needs, it’s worth investing in a service that has been backed by a high rate of customer approval and satisfaction.
Check how others have rated particular marketing automation tools. Look for video testimonials or case studies provided by existing customers.
Check which comments align with your business goals the most and based on these reviews, make a decision.
Marketing automation tools for e-commerce business—it’s time to invest!
Findings show that 76% of marketers experience a positive ROI within a year of implementing marketing automation. To empower customer relationships and convert lead generation into sales, automation can help cut down overhead costs and time, whilst boosting the workforce productivity of an e-commerce business.
With Keap’s CRM marketing automation tools, e-commerce businesses can now automate email, manage social media platforms, integrate CRM with marketing automation tools, and obtain real-time analytics about customer buying behaviours and expectations.
Schedule a consultation with one of our experts today to manage the lifecycle of your e-commerce business.