Tag Archive for: Marketing Automation

Why Done Digital Chose Clixio Over Mailchimp & ActiveCampaign

Clixio CRM - Best Mailchimp alternative AustraliaDone Digital

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, businesses often find themselves at crossroads when selecting the right tools to communicate with their clients. As a leading digital marketing agency based in Australia, Done Digital prided itself on recommending the best tools in the industry to its clients, with Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign being our top picks for quite some time.

However, with the dynamic shifts in the industry and the rising costs associated with these platforms, it’s become evident that the expenses were becoming a roadblock for many small business owners. It’s tough to justify the soaring prices, especially when you’re just kick-starting your venture.

That’s where Clixio enters the scene. Let us share why we believe this is the fresh wind of change our clients needed:

1. Unified Communications Hub

While Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign have made commendable strides in integrating diverse features, Clixio takes the baton with its unified inbox approach. It amalgamates website chats, emails, Facebook Messenger, Instagram and even Google Business messages, offering businesses a panoramic view of client interactions.

2. Economical Yet Comprehensive

Both Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign can punch a hole in your pocket as your list expands or as you embrace additional features. Clixio, on the other hand, champions affordability. It scales harmoniously with your business, ensuring you get more bang for your buck – all for one low monthly fee – regardless of the number of subscribers, users or emails you send. This alone was a clear winner for us. But wait, there’s more!

3. An Arsenal of Tools

While ActiveCampaign primarily serves as an email marketing and CRM platform and Mailchimp has broadened its horizons over time, Clixio presents itself as a Swiss army knife from the outset. From chat widgets to appointment scheduling, it’s crafted to replace multiple tools, streamlining your operations.

4. Tailored for the Non-Tech Savvy

As platforms evolve, there’s an unintended consequence – they often become more intricate. Clixio, however, wears the crown for simplicity. It’s designed for everyone, ensuring even those tentative about tech feel empowered.

5. More Than Just a Tool

Clixio’s ethos extends beyond functionalities. With its enriching blog and mission to demystify marketing, it stands tall as a trusted ally, not merely another CRM.

To say it simply, the digital realm is dynamic, and at Done Digital, we’re committed to evolving with it. Our partnership with Clixio is a testament to our dedication to offering our clients the most suitable option for their business. We believe Clixio provides the solid foundation that businesses, especially small and emerging ones, truly deserve. With Clixio, it’s not just about marketing; it’s about building lasting relationships and scaling businesses with confidence – without breaking the bank.

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The Power of Email: Nurturing Leads and Amplifying Sales

The Power of Email: Nurturing Leads and Amplifying Sales - Done Digital Marketing - Brisbane AustraliaDone Digital

In the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, the power of email endures. Even amidst the significant rise in social media prevalence, the effectiveness of email marketing remains unrivalled, consistently delivering a staggering return on investment (ROI). As reported by the Data & Marketing Association, every $1 spent on email marketing astonishingly generates $42 in ROI. This robust testament to the power of email offers small business owners in Australia an unmatched avenue to connect with their customers, nurture leads, and amplify sales. Let’s delve into mastering this time-tested strategy.

Building a Quality Email List from Scratch

Every successful email marketing campaign begins with building a high-quality email list. Gathering a list of valid and engaged email addresses organically is the cornerstone of your email marketing campaign. While it’s tempting to purchase an existing list, these are often riddled with outdated information and uninterested parties, leading to high spam rates and low engagement.

Instead, focus on building a list from the ground up, by offering your potential subscribers something of value in return for their email address. It could be a discount code for their next purchase, a free eBook, or access to exclusive content. This way, your email list comprises individuals who are genuinely interested in your brand and what you have to offer.

The Power of Email: Nurturing Leads and Amplifying Sales - Done Digital Marketing - Brisbane Australia

Here’s an interesting bite-sized fact: The first email marketing campaign was sent in 1978, promoting Digital Equipment Corporation’s products to 400 potential clients. This resulted in $13 million in sales – a testament to the power of email right from the start!

Segmenting Your Email List for Tailored Content

It’s critical to recognise that your customer base comprises individuals with unique preferences and buying behaviours. Segmenting your email list enables you to group subscribers based on these variables, and tailor your emails accordingly.

Segmentation can be done in various ways. You could group subscribers based on their purchasing history, geographic location, interests, or engagement with past emails. By creating emails that cater to the specific needs and interests of each segment, you can significantly improve engagement rates and conversions.

Crafting Engaging Content that Resonates

The average person receives numerous promotional emails daily. To cut through the noise, you need to create content that resonates with your audience. Your subject line is the first impression subscribers have of your email – make it catchy, concise and compelling.

The body of your email should provide value and encourage action. Craft your email content to provide helpful, relevant information that meets your audience’s needs or solves their problems. Don’t forget to include a clear call-to-action, guiding your readers on the steps they should take next.

Leveraging Email Automation Tools for Efficiency

As your email list grows, manually managing your email campaigns can quickly become an overwhelming task. This is where email automation tools can be an absolute lifesaver. These tools enable you to create automated email sequences, schedule emails for optimal times, and even segment your list automatically.

Email automation tools also provide invaluable analytics, enabling you to track open rates, click-through rates, conversions, and more. Understanding these metrics is essential to refining your email marketing strategy and improving your overall campaign performance.

Tracking and Analysing Metrics for Continuous Improvement

Metrics are to email marketing what a compass is to a sailor – they guide your course, helping you navigate your strategy and make informed decisions. Key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates provide insight into your email campaign’s performance. These numbers enable you to gauge the effectiveness of your subject lines, the relevance of your content, and the clarity of your calls to action.

Analysing these metrics regularly allows you to continually refine your approach, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions that enhance your email marketing strategy.

Mastering email marketing is a journey, one that involves more than just sending out mass emails. It’s about understanding your audience, delivering tailored and valuable content, and leveraging data for continuous improvement. It’s a form of dialogue – an ongoing conversation between your brand and your audience.

Ready to take your email marketing to the next level? Visit our blog page to find more tips about email marketing or read our blog about building a strong relationship with your email marketing list.

Feeling inspired to revolutionise your email marketing strategy? Book a Free Strategy Call with us. Let’s explore how we can together harness the power of email marketing for your business.

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Marketing Automation Demystified: Your Blueprint to Success

Marketing Automation Demystified: Your Blueprint to Success - Done Digital BrisbaneDone Digital

Marketing automation, an essential tool for modern businesses, might just be the game-changer your small business needs. As a small business owner, you’re likely juggling various tasks – from inventory and staff management to customer service, all while striving for growth. Amidst this bustle, marketing efforts can unintentionally take a back seat. But imagine if there was a way to make these efforts more streamlined, time-efficient, and effective. This is where marketing automation steps in. Now, you might be wondering, what exactly is it? Let’s demystify this tool and simplify your journey to success.

What is Marketing Automation?

Marketing automation is about using software to automate marketing tasks that would usually take up a lot of your time. We’re talking about things like email campaigns, social media posts, and even lead generation. By automating these tasks, you can focus more on strategy and less on the day-to-day details.

Is Marketing Automation Suitable for Small Businesses?

Absolutely! Many small business owners in Australia are already using marketing automation to great success. With fewer staff members than big companies, it’s even more vital for small businesses to find efficient ways to get the job done. And don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be overly complicated or pricey.

Benefits of Marketing Automation

Marketing automation offers a range of benefits, including:
Saving Time: By automating routine tasks, you free up your time to focus on other crucial areas of your business.
Increasing Efficiency: Automation allows you to create a streamlined marketing campaign that works even when you’re sleeping.
Improving Customer Engagement: Automated follow-ups ensure that you’re constantly engaging with your customers, enhancing your relationship with them.

How to Get Started

Starting with marketing automation is simpler than you might think. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you out:

Identify Your Needs: What tasks are consuming most of your time? What customer engagement opportunities are you missing out on? By answering these questions, you can decide what tasks to automate first.

Choose Your Software: There are numerous marketing automation tools available, so pick the one that fits your needs and budget. Remember, the best tool is the one that you’ll actually use! One that stands out in terms of price and value is Clixio.io.

Test, Tweak, Repeat: Once you’ve set up your automation, monitor its performance. The key to successful automation is regular tweaking and optimising.

Marketing Automation Demystified: Your Blueprint to Success - Done Digital Marketing - Brisbane Australia

Marketing automation tip: Maintain a personal touch. Not all customer interactions should be automated. Identify key touchpoints for valuable human interactions, balancing efficiency with connection.

Remember, Automation Doesn’t Replace Humans

Finally, it’s important to remember that automation is a tool, not a substitute for genuine human interaction. Automated emails can’t replace the warmth of a personalised message, and automated social media posts can’t replicate the authenticity of real-time engagement. Use automation to streamline your processes, but don’t forget the importance of personal touch.

Examples of Marketing Automation

Here are a few practical ways you can apply marketing automation to your business:

Email Marketing Automation: Send automated emails based on certain triggers. For instance, you can set up a welcome series for new subscribers, or a follow-up email after a customer makes a purchase.

Social Media Automation: Schedule your social media posts in advance and have them automatically published at optimal times for your audience.

Lead Scoring: This refers to the process of assigning points to each lead based on their behaviour or interaction with your brand. This can help you identify and focus on the leads that are most likely to convert into customers.

7. Tips for Effective Marketing Automation

If you’re just getting started with marketing automation, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Start Small and Scale Up: Don’t try to automate all your marketing efforts at once. Start with one or two tasks, evaluate the results, and then gradually incorporate more automation into your strategy.

Segment Your Audience: Marketing automation is most effective when messages are tailored to specific segments of your audience. Segment your audience based on factors like their interests, past purchases, or how they interact with your brand.

Monitor and Optimise: Keep a close eye on your automated campaigns. Are they bringing the results you hoped for? Use analytics to understand what’s working and what isn’t, then make adjustments as needed.

8. The Role of Content in Marketing Automation

Remember, successful marketing automation relies heavily on quality content. Whether it’s the emails you send, the social media posts you publish, or the ads you run, your content needs to be valuable, engaging, and relevant to your audience.

Invest in creating high-quality content that resonates with your target customers. This might involve writing informative blog posts, creating engaging videos, designing eye-catching infographics, or developing insightful e-books. The better your content, the more effective your marketing automation efforts will be.

Put Your Marketing on Autopilot with Done Digital

Marketing automation, once demystified, is not some jargon-mstfilled monster but a powerful tool in your arsenal. It’s here to streamline your processes, improve customer engagement, provide valuable insights into your customers’ behaviour, save your small business time, and improve efficiency. So, why not take the plunge? Remember to start small, continue tweaking, and never underestimate the power of good content. Your journey to success might be simpler than you think, and with marketing automation, it could well be a well-automated one too!

If you’re ready to put your marketing on autopilot and elevate your business to new heights, book a Free Strategy Session with our expert team. You can find more information on our Digital Marketing page.

Let us help you on your journey to marketing success and a thriving business!

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Mastering Marketing Automation: The Key to Saving Time and Boosting Results

Mastering Marketing Automation: The Key to Saving Time and Boosting Results - Done Digital Marketing, BrisbaneDone Digital

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, marketing automation has emerged as a game-changer for small businesses. As a small business owner in Australia, you understand the importance of maximising your resources and achieving efficient results. By harnessing the power of automation, you can streamline your marketing efforts, save valuable time, and drive better results. In this blog, we will explore in-depth how mastering marketing automation can benefit Australian small business owners, providing practical insights, tips, and real-life examples to help you succeed in the competitive market.

Streamline Your Marketing Efforts

Discover how marketing automation can help you streamline repetitive tasks, such as email marketing, social media scheduling, and lead nurturing. By automating these processes, you can free up time to focus on other crucial aspects of your business, such as developing new products or services, improving customer experience, or expanding your reach. With marketing automation tools at your disposal, you can ensure consistent and targeted communication with your audience, delivering the right message at the right time.

Nurture and Convert Leads

Learn how marketing automation can revolutionise your lead generation and nurturing strategies. From capturing leads through web forms to automating personalised email sequences based on customer behaviour, you can nurture your prospects through every stage of the customer journey. By implementing automated lead scoring and segmentation, you can identify high-value prospects and deliver tailored content that resonates with their needs and interests, ultimately driving conversions and boosting your sales.

Enhance Customer Relationship Management

Explore how marketing automation can strengthen your customer relationships and drive customer loyalty. By implementing automated workflows, you can deliver timely and relevant messages to your customers, providing them with personalised experiences that make them feel valued. Automated follow-ups, feedback requests, and cross-selling campaigns can help you build long-term relationships, increase customer satisfaction, and maximise customer lifetime value. With marketing automation, you can create a seamless customer journey and ensure that each interaction leaves a positive impression.

Mastering Marketing Automation: The Key to Saving Time and Boosting Results - Done Digital Marketing, Brisbane

Tip: Responding to customer feedback is vital for your business. It shows that you value your customers’ opinions, fosters customer loyalty, and provides an opportunity to address concerns and improve your products or services. Make your customers feel heard and valued by actively engaging with their feedback.

 

Measure and Optimise Your Campaigns

By tracking key metrics, such as email open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your campaigns. With detailed analytics and reporting provided by marketing automation platforms, you can identify areas for improvement, fine-tune your marketing strategies, and make data-backed decisions to drive better results. By constantly measuring and optimising your campaigns, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are aligned with your business goals and deliver maximum return on investment.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Gain inspiration from real-life examples of Australian small businesses that have mastered marketing automation. Learn how they have achieved significant time savings, increased productivity, and improved return on investment through effective automation strategies. From e-commerce businesses leveraging personalised product recommendations to service providers streamlining their appointment scheduling process, these success stories will provide you with practical ideas and inspiration to implement in your own business. You’ll see firsthand how marketing automation can transform your business operations and drive sustainable growth.

 

Mastering marketing automation is the key to saving time, boosting results, and staying competitive for small business owners in Australia. By leveraging automation tools and techniques, you can optimise your marketing efforts, nurture leads, enhance customer relationships, and achieve measurable success. Embrace the power of marketing automation to streamline your business operations, drive growth, and unlock the full potential of your small business in the Australian market.

Book a FREE strategy call with us today and unlock the secrets to success. Let’s discuss your goals, challenges, and how our expertise can help you achieve extraordinary results. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Schedule your call now!

Don’t forget to also check out our other insightful blogs to further enhance your business strategies and stay ahead of the competition.

 

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Unlocking the 5 Benefits of Marketing Automation for Small Businesses

Unlocking the 5 Benefits of Marketing Automation for Small Businesses

Marketing is an essential component of any business, especially for small businesses. It’s vital to reach out to potential customers, build brand awareness, and maintain customer relationships. However, marketing can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Small businesses often have limited resources and must optimise their marketing efforts to get the most out of them. This is where marketing automation comes in! Marketing automation for small businesses helps automate repetitive marketing tasks, save time, and improve efficiency.

Marketing automation is a process of using software tools to automate repetitive marketing tasks and workflows, such as sending emails, managing social media posts, lead generation, lead scoring, and customer segmentation. It’s a way to streamline and simplify marketing efforts while ensuring that the right message is delivered to the right person at the right time. Here are the five benefits of marketing automation:

Increased Productivity and Efficiency

Marketing automation tools can help small businesses save time by automating repetitive tasks such as email marketing, social media posting, and lead nurturing. These tools enable businesses to focus on other essential aspects of their business, such as product development, customer service, and sales.

With marketing automation, businesses can set up email campaigns, social media posts, and other marketing activities in advance. This means that they can schedule these tasks to run automatically, even when they’re not in the office. This increases efficiency and productivity, allowing small businesses to achieve more in less time.

In addition to saving time, marketing automation can also improve the effectiveness of small business marketing efforts. By collecting data on customer behaviour, preferences, and interests, these tools can help businesses tailor their marketing campaigns to better meet their customers’ needs. This means that businesses can deliver the right message to the right customer at the right time, increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.

Unlocking the 5 Benefits of Marketing Automation for Small Businesses

Improved Customer Engagement

Marketing automation tools can help small businesses engage with their customers more effectively. These tools allow businesses to segment their audience based on demographics, behaviour, and other factors. This helps businesses to create targeted campaigns that resonate with their audience, improving engagement rates.

Marketing automation tools can also help businesses nurture leads and build relationships with their customers. By sending personalised emails and messages, businesses can keep their customers engaged and informed about their products and services.

Furthermore, marketing automation tools can help small businesses stay top-of-mind with their customers by sending relevant and timely content. This content can be based on the customer’s interests, past interactions, and preferences. By consistently delivering valuable content, businesses can establish themselves as a trusted source of information, which can lead to increased brand loyalty and customer retention.

In addition, marketing automation tools can provide valuable insights into customer behaviour and engagement. By tracking metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, businesses can gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t in their marketing efforts. This information can then be used to make data-driven decisions and improve future marketing campaigns.

Better Lead Management

Marketing automation tools can help small businesses manage their leads more effectively. These tools allow businesses to track leads through the sales funnel, from initial contact to final sale. By monitoring customer behaviour and engagement, businesses can identify the most promising leads and prioritise their efforts accordingly.

Marketing automation tools can also help businesses qualify leads by scoring them based on their behaviour and engagement. This enables businesses to focus on the most qualified leads, increasing their chances of conversion.

Moreover, marketing automation tools can provide valuable insights into customer behaviour and preferences. By analysing data from various sources such as social media, website analytics, and email campaigns, businesses can gain a better understanding of their customers’ needs and interests. This information can then be used to create targeted campaigns that are more likely to resonate with their audience.

Increased Revenue

Marketing automation can help small businesses increase their revenue by improving their marketing efforts. By automating marketing tasks, businesses can save time and money, allowing them to focus on other revenue-generating activities.

Marketing automation can also help businesses identify new opportunities for revenue growth. By analysing customer behaviour and engagement, businesses can identify new products or services that their customers might be interested in.

Furthermore, marketing automation can also help small businesses improve their customer retention rates. By sending personalised messages and offers to their customers, businesses can create a sense of loyalty and foster long-term relationships. This can lead to repeat business, positive reviews, and referrals, all of which can contribute to a business’s revenue growth.

Enhanced Analytics and Reporting

Marketing automation tools provide small businesses with advanced analytics and reporting capabilities. These tools enable businesses to track the performance of their marketing campaigns and identify areas for improvement. By analysing data such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, businesses can optimise their campaigns for better results.

Marketing automation also provides businesses with real-time data, allowing them to make informed decisions about their marketing strategies. This helps businesses stay ahead of the competition and achieve their marketing goals.

Additionally, marketing automation tools can help small businesses with forecasting and predicting future trends. By analysing past data and trends, these tools can provide valuable insights into the future performance of marketing campaigns. This allows businesses to make informed decisions about their marketing budgets, resources, and strategies.

Conclusion

Marketing automation is a powerful tool for small businesses. By automating repetitive marketing tasks, businesses can save time, improve efficiency, and focus on other essential aspects of their business. Marketing automation also helps businesses engage with their customers more effectively, manage their leads better, increase revenue, and enhance their analytics and reporting capabilities. With the right marketing automation tools, small businesses can unlock the full potential of their marketing efforts and achieve their business goals.

Looking to take your digital marketing to the next level? Contact Done Digital today to see how our team of experts can help your business grow and thrive online. Don’t wait, schedule a consultation now and let’s start achieving your digital marketing goals together!

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Why Email Marketing in 2024 is More Important for Business Growth Than Ever

Email Marketing Tips for Small Business - Done Digital Brisbane Web DesignDone Digital

Recently, I had a conversation with the owner of an eyelash extensions salon in Sydney who asked me for the best ways to market her business. But when I mentioned email marketing as a strategy, she looked at me stunned. “Aren’t emails dead?”, she asked.

The answer is, far from it! To this day, email marketing remains one of the most effective (and profitable) ways to reach your target audience. In fact, it’s never been more important for small business owners to focus on building their email marketing list than in 2024. Here are 5 reasons why.

1. You Own The Data And Stay in Control

Many business owners are under the impression that a Facebook or Instagram page is enough nowadays as a marketing strategy. And while I agree that they provide a fantastic opportunity to grow your audience, no business should solely rely on social media.

Facebook has already made drastic changes to the way your content is distributed. Have you noticed that your reach has decreased significantly over the last few years? Even if your page has thousands of foCustomerllowers, that doesn’t mean you can reach them. Only about 5-10% will actually see your posts.

The reason is that Facebook and Instagram are in the business of advertising. So, if you operate a business page, of course they want you to pay for your content to reach more people. That means it’s really out of your control.

As a business owner, you always want to minimise risks and putting too much power in the hand of social media companies is a risky move. Your email list, however, is completely owned by you, not Meta.

2. Email Marketing Delivers Personalised Experiences

One of the biggest benefits of email marketing is that it allows you to create personalised customer journeys. When you send an email to your list, you’re not just reaching out to everyone on that list – you’re targeting each contact personally. This means that you can connect with your customers on a more personal level, creating a stronger connection and building trust.

Think about it this way: If a business sends you an email and all they say is, “Hey, thanks for subscribing!” – chances are that you find it rather impersonal. But if they send you an email that’s personalised and tailored specifically to your interests, then you’re much more likely to read and respond.

Especially in small businesses, this can have a huge effect on how their business is perceived. Making use of email automation is very much like cloning yourself multiple times. You can send all your leads and customers the right message at the right time. And in marketing, timing is everything.

3. Email Marketing Allows You to Build Long-Term Relationships with Customers

Another great benefit of email marketing is that it can be used to establish long-term relationships with your customers. This builds trust and keeps your customers coming back – which is essential for small businesses on a budget.

Email is the ideal medium to onboard new customers using a series of short messages to introduce them to your services, your team and all the other benefits your business provides. It’s also a great way to introduce existing customers to products and services they haven’t tried before. This will also increase your chances of building repeat business, improving retention – like we did for this Brisbane Dance Studio – and increasing your overall sales.

4. Email Marketing Can Be Used To Drive Traffic To Your Website (Or Wherever You Want It)

One of the best ways to drive traffic to your website is through email marketing. Having people join your mailing list, means you can reach out to them again and again at virtually no cost. This means that you can send them new content and updates regularly, driving traffic back to your website, to specific offers, to your other social media channels and more.

Moreover, it allows you to invite customers to leave a review for your business on Google and Facebook, which is a fantastic way to enhance your reputation online and improve your Google rankings.

With all these benefits, email marketing should no longer be an option, but an absolute must-have for any small business owner who is serious about growing their business.

5. Your Email Marketing Strategy Can Be Fully Automated

To me, the real benefit of implementing an email marketing strategy is that it can be completely automated using tools like Clixio, ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp. That means it’s not another thing you, as the business owner, have to manage or worry about. It’s something you can set and forget.

Marketing automation is often overlooked and undervalued.

As a marketing consultant, I help business owners all over Australia implement effective, fully automated marketing strategies that free up their time, budget and headspace.

If you would like to have a chat about your business and how we can use email marketing and other automation tools to help you scale, click here to book a free strategy call with me today.

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4 Smart (Not So Obvious) Ways To Grow Your Business

In essence, there are only three ways to increase your sales:

  1. Increase the number of customers
  2. Increase your customers’ purchase frequency, and
  3. Increase your average transaction value

However, there are a number of not so obvious ways to grow your business and increase profitability. Here are four ideas to help you scale without putting the focus on sales. Ready? Then let’s dive in!

1. Automate processes to increase efficiency and reduce cost

Today, there are thousands of tools out there to help you automate repetitive business processes. Simply automating a few things can help you significantly reduce wages and free up valuable time. When looking for ways to grow our business, we often overlook areas that don’t directly contribute to your profit. Here are a few things you can automate quickly and easily that could put money back in your pocket.

  • Social Media Posts
  • Invoicing
  • Email Marketing
  • Online Advertising
  • Lead Generation
  • Sales Processes & Follow Up
  • Internal Task Management
  • Review Management

Tools like Zapier and Make can help you connect various services and software platforms to make processes even more efficient. 

Some examples:

  • When you have a new lead -> automatically add a contact to a list in your email marketing software -> then send a follow-up sequence until they take the desired action
  • After a customer makes a purchase for the second time -> send them an invitation to write a Google review
  • When a purchase is made on your website -> automatically raise an invoice in Xero to match with the imported trasnaction

These are just some basic examples, but the possibilities are endless, and so is the time you will safe by automating these tasks!

2. Launch a re-targeting ad campaign

Many business owners already use ads to attract new customers and generate new business. However, if you only run direct ads, you are missing out on a huge chunk of potential customers by ignoring this simple strategy. Re-targeting ads are a powerful tool that allows you to show specific ads to people who have already interacted with your content in the past, adding continuity to your customer experience and significantly increasing the chances of turning them into customers.

Se if you can offer them something of value in relation to certain pages or blog posts they have visited on your website. 

Example: A yoga studio might show a re-targeting ad for a free yoga pass to people in their area who have read blog posts on the benefits of yoga on their website. When people see the ad, they can enter their email address to claim the free yoga pass and automatically be subscribed to an evergreen campaign. (See next point)

3. Stop focusing on once-off promos and develop an “evergreen” marketing strategy instead

The majority of business owners think of marketing and promotions in terms of once-off activities. It might look something like this:

  • January -> Promotion #1
  • February -> Promotion #2
  • March -> Promotion #3

While this might work well, it also requires you to constantly come up with new promotions, which can be exhausting and feel like you’re never quite catching up.

Instead, focus on implementing an evergreen marketing strategy that sends new leads or customers a series of pre-designed offers from the moment they join your list. Then keep adding new offers to that sequence. Over time, this strategy allows you to develop a marketing machine that continuously produces sales without ever having to worry about what your next promotion is going to be. You just need to make sure that offers in that sequence are timeless and not seasonal.

All you need is a good email automation tool, like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign, and there are many more options available. 

4. Make Partnerships evergreen, too

Partnerships and joint ventures with other businesses that complement yours is a powerful strategy. You might have already partnered with another business in the past to run a one-off campaign promoting your products or services. Maybe you’ve asked the other business to hand out vouchers to all their customers.

See if you can turn this strategy into an evergreen campaign, too, like in the previous example. Look for businesses that already have an evergreen funnel and see if they are happy to plug your offer right into it, while you can do the same for them. 

Example: One of my clients owns a massage clinic, while another owned a yoga studio. I got both of them to add an email to their existing evergreen sequences promoting the other business. Now, everyone who receives a massage at the massage clinic also receives a complimentary gift card for a yoga class, while everyone who joins the yoga studio receives a voucher for a massage a a few weeks later.

It’s a win-win and once implemented, this strategy will continue to work for years to come.

There you have it. Four (not so obvious) ways to grow your business. All four strategies are what I call “set and forget” strategies that you only have to set up once and will benefit from forever.

Have you automated any processes in your business? What marketing strategies have worked well for you? Let me know in the comments below!

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3 Tips On How To Make Email Automation A More Human Experience

3 Tips On How To Make Email Automation A More Human ExperienceDone Digital

The words ‘personal’ and ‘automation’, like day and night, couldn’t be any more contrary. So, when suggesting to clients that we should use email automation to communicate with their customers, they often get a little confused. Every day our inboxes are flooded with promotional offers and impersonal emails from big corporations. Part of my job is to make customer experiences more personal and human, and email automation software, like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign and Ontraport are the perfect tools to do just that.

Here are 3 things you can do today to make emailing your customers more personal and gain valuable insights, all while freeing up more of your busy time.

1. Send a ‘personal’ follow-up email

Your customers might opt-in for your newsletter, download a lead magnet, or purchase a product or service. They then usually receive an automated confirmation e-mail to thank them for taking action. One powerful way to make email automation more personal and human is to send them a ‘personal’ follow-up email shortly after the initial confirmation email. The amount of people who reply to this email is phenomenal and many will even thank you for the warm and personal welcome. I usually send this about an hour after the confirmation email.

Real World Example:



“Hi, [Customer First Name],

 my name is David, digital marketing consultant here at Done Digital. 



I noticed that you just downloaded our free e-book and thought I quickly reach out to say hi and introduce myself. If you have any questions regarding the ebook, or in general, I’m always just an email away. :)



Would you be open to sharing some of the challenges you currently face in your business when it comes to marketing, [Customer First Name]? Have you got any specific goals that you looking to achieve in the coming months?



I look forward to hearing from you,



Kind regards,


David”



Tip: Keep the email in plain text (no branding or template) so it actually looks like you just sent it. Insert your email signature at the bottom of the email, just the way you normally would. You might want to restrict send times for this email to business hours, so customers don’t receive a personal email from you at 3am – unless that’s part of the image that you are trying to convey.

 




2. Collect customer data & actually use it

Many businesses collect customer data but never actually make good use of it. Over time, you might collect a number of details about your leads or customers, such as their name, gender, location, birthday, interests, and what products they purchased. This is all data you can use to make your customer experience more personal.

 As a service-based business, you might have a range of services that you offer. Send customers a different series of emails, depending on the service they signed up for. As a gym or yoga studio, you might have a 30-day introductory offer. Design an email sequence that helps people get the most out of their first month with you. Make them feel welcome, educate and inspire them. They are much more likely to stay if you nurture them and deliver a personal experience. Make sure to ask questions to find out where your customers might need some help or what they particularly like about your service. Asking for feedback will not only create rapport with your customers but help you improve your business significantly along the way.

Real World Example:



“Hi [Customer First Name],



it’s already been a week since you signed up for our 30-day intro offer. How are you going so far?

 Have you already had some minor (or major) successes that you are happy to share with me? Or is there anything that you might need help with? Maybe motivation, a nutrition plan, or advice with certain exercises? 

You can always contact me or have a chat with one of our personal trainers. We want to make sure  you get the most out of your 30 days.



Also, how is the time table working out for you? We are always trying to improve and increase the number of classes we offer. Are there certain times during the week that would suit you better?



Look forward to hearing from you, [Customer First Name].



Warm Regards,


[Gym Owner Name]”

 




3. Ask good questions in your email automation sequences

Asking good questions in your emails will give customers the opportunity to respond, thus deepening relationships and building rapport. Most businesses make the mistake to only talk about themselves and their product features. Asking good questions shows that you care about your customers and puts the focus on them. It’s only when we ask questions that we can learn about our customers and use this information to develop better products and services.

Here are some questions that you might want to start asking in your email automation sequences:

•    “What are some of the challenges you are currently facing and how could we be of help?”
    •    “Is there anything about our product/service you think we can improve?”
    •    “What do you like the most about our product/service?”
    •    “Who would you recommend our product/service to?”


Tip: Restrict each email to a maximum of one or two questions. Asking too many questions at once will put off customers, rather than encourage them to reply to your message.

After all, knowing what truly matters to our customers helps us to contribute in more meaningful ways and make the world a little better. One email at a time.

What’s your experience with email automation (good or bad)? Have you sent emails to your customers that performed really well? What are your thoughts about email automation? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

If you are ready to transform your marketing and take your business to the next level, check out my 90-Day Marketing Transformation. I might be the guy who can help you.

 

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3 Things You Can Do Now To Get Your Marketing Right (And Your Time Back)

Unless you are drowning in new customers, getting your marketing right should always be a priority. As business owners, we face many challenges and have to be able to react and adapt to the constantly changing market, customer behaviour and other aspects of our particular industries.

Certain things, however, remain the same, like the importance of great customer service and building trust with your customers. In fact, they are becoming increasingly important in order to maintain a viable business. What has changed completely though is how we deliver customer experiences. Using clever software, it has become easier than ever before to design and deploy personalised customer experiences that build trust through consistent touchpoints. Moreover, it is now possible to automate your entire marketing strategy, from first contact with your brand to after-sale care. Thus, we have now reached a stage where we are able to develop digital marketing ecosystems that can deliver results 24/7.

A digital marketing ecosystem can help your business move from a reactive way of marketing (only marketing when business is down) to a proactive approach that is more predictable and fully automated. A well-designed marketing strategy produces a steady stream of qualified leads, builds trust through nurturing, helps to make sales and even provides guidance to your customers after they have made a purchase. By automating this entire cycle, we can move our focus towards delivering amazing customer experiences, identify exactly which strategies work and which don’t, and dedicate more of our time to producing amazing products and services.

Here are 3 things you can do now to take your marketing and business to the next level

The result of implementing these strategies is a healthier business, happier customers and more time for business owners to focus on what truly matters to them.

1. Map out your customer experience

What happens after a customer opts in for an offer? Design a series of emails that will guide your customer. Communicate the benefits of what you do in a non-salesy way. Try to connect on a deeper level, tell stories your customers relate to and encourage them to join the conversation. E-mail is a two-way medium. Recognise the fact that it’s not about your brand or product. It’s about your customers. Consider the emotional journey they go through, from not knowing you to increased brand awareness, over considering to buy to actually making the purchase. Help them with their decisions during each of these stages by delivering relevant content.

2. Automate, automate, automate

Use software, such as Ontraport, Infusionsoft or Mailchimp, to automate the delivery of your content. This set-and-forget approach will save you many hours of manual communication each week while creating consistency in the way you communicate with your customers. This, and the fact that you deliver relevant content at each stage of their emotional journey, results in increased trust levels and sales.

3. Consider ditching print advertising

The amount of money I see still being invested in print ads that don’t work is staggering. Moving your advertising budget to online ads (if done right) can result in higher returns and allows you to test and measure results faster and more efficiently. You can launch your ads the day you decide on a campaign and start seeing results in a matter of hours, not weeks. Print advertising certainly still has its place and might work well for certain industries. Just make sure that everything you spend money on can be measured and brings tangible results. If you don’t know your return on investment, it’s probably not a great strategy. Being able to measure the right metrics is key of a good marketing strategy.

Need help with your marketing? Let’s work together!

I help business owners develop and implement the right strategy for their business. In 3 months I will help you automate your marketing activities, including lead generation, social media content, email marketing and so much more – so you can focus on running your business.

Click here to learn more and book a free strategy call today.

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