Benefits of marketing automation

The majority of company respondents (83%) are very or quite clear on the benefits of automation. Agencies were slightly less sure, with 34% declaring themselves ‘not at all clear’. 

Q: How clear are you on the benefits of marketing automation? (company respondents) 

The benefits cited include: 

  • More relevant communication (83%). 
  • Increased customer engagement (76%).
  • More timely communication (73%).
  • Increased cross and up-sell opportunities (65%).
  • Increased revenue (57%)
  • Saving time (56%). 

Automated email triggers

Companies do not seem to be using a range of automated triggers. 

Though 59% are using ‘subscription or sign up to website’ and 46% are using an automated response to website visit/sign-up as an opportunity to send automated emails, only between 19% and 27% of companies are using the remaining actions or behaviours as triggers for sending automated emails. 

In comparison, agency clients are typically more likely to use almost all of the suggested triggers. 

SixC Ltd MD Andrew Campbell puts it nicely: 

This is the ‘must do’ action for all email marketers. Triggering emails based on customer actions is the equivalent of the email marketing’s back yard – and there is treasure to be found here! Marketers must ensure that they don’t overlook this as they pursue the undoubted rewards to be gained from greater integration with the web, social and mobile channels.

Barriers to implementation of email automation 

One of the major benefit of email automation is the time it can save but, for 45% of companies, finding time to make it happen is one of the three main barriers impeding their marketing automation.

More than a third of companies also cited a lack of resources (37%) and integrating data (35%) as issues preventing their automation efforts from succeeding. 

Q: What are the main challenges you have faced in trying to implement marketing automation? (company respondents)