Marketing automation: productivity boost or hip gimmick?
As a marketer, you are under constant pressure. You have to respond to your target audience faster and faster, while your campaigns have to be spot-on. Automation seems to be the solution, but is it? In this blog, Sebastiaan de Ruiter explains when marketing automation really adds value - and when it becomes an expensive gimmick.
From assembly line to LinkedIn: the evolution of automation
Automation is not new. Ever since the 1940s, when a Ford engineer introduced the term for mechanization on car production lines, we have seen what a productivity boost it provides. What applied to the industrial sector then, we now see in marketing. The efficiency gains are enormous. But just as then, it still applies: you have to apply it thoughtfully. Deploying automation because 'everyone is doing it' does not get you much. It only becomes valuable if you know exactly where and why you want to use it.
The reality of modern marketing
The pressure on marketers is increasing. You can no longer take months over a new ad campaign - it has to hit immediately. Take LinkedIn, for example: if you make a post, you can't let it float for three years. The attention span is short. Worse, LinkedIn throws your post at the bottom of the pile if no one clicks on it or responds.
If you're lucky, the leads are pouring in. But they don't convert on their own; you have to give them the attention they deserve. You have to nurture them, analyze them. What can I best do with this lead? Does this person fit with what we have to offer? How valuable is this contact to us? Only by asking these questions and properly analyzing the answers will you know which leads are really worth investing in.
That brings me to data analysis, another aspect that is now an integral part of the modern marketer's job description. If you don't understand the data behind your campaigns, you quickly lose your grip on your results.
In short, you have an enormous amount to do within marketing, and marketing automation can help you tremendously with that. But only if you use it strategically.
Why strategy remains more important than tools
Marketingautomation makes your work more efficient and improves your results. It helps you respond faster to opportunities and provides better insight into what works. But beware: one of the biggest pitfalls is relying so much on automation that you stop thinking about the strategy behind it. The question you need to constantly ask yourself is: Is there still good thinking behind it? Is it the tool that determines how I communicate with my target audience? Do I have a well-thought-out vision where technology supports me? Because if everything is running smoothly on the front end, you might be tempted to forget about strategy. But that strategy is precisely where the DNA of your organization resides. Just look at iconic brands like Nike and Apple. Their success didn't come about thanks to the deployment of some fancy little tool. It is the result of a consistent brand strategy, of a long-term vision that goes far beyond mere automation.
The downside of too much automation
Too much automation quickly becomes impersonal. Take AI. We are already seeing a counter-movement of companies profiling themselves precisely with authenticity and truly personal communication. After all, who is still waiting for all those blog posts that are constructed exactly the same way? A catchphrase, some bullet points, an excess of emojis and an overenthusiastic call-to-action.
It's reminiscent of those supposedly personalized emails: "Dear Sebastian, have you thought about retirement yet?" The only personal thing is your first name - the rest is mass-generated content. One wonders: was there really a retirement advisor behind this who looked at my specific situation? So this trend is not new, but it is becoming more visible.
Is marketing automation worth investing in?
The big question to ask yourself: does marketing automation make sense for your organization and does it justify the cost? You shouldn't want to be in the front row for a dime. When it comes to Digital Asset Management, we also often hear organizations say, We think we should do something with this. But if they then choose to share their files via Dropbox, OneDrive or WeTransfer, are they taking it seriously enough? Marketing automation is not a magic solution. It only works if you as an organization are willing to really invest in it - not just in money, but in time and attention.
When is automation really valuable?
How valuable automation is varies by organization. We at Comrads are always happy to think about that. Take a Brand Portal, for example. That's really not the holy grail of brand management for every company. If you're a small organization with a stable brand identity and a compact marketing team, a well-designed DAM system is all you need. That already provides tremendous value. But if you look at an organization like Atos, you see a very different story. With their many external partners and agencies that need to be constantly updated on the latest brand updates, plus their role as a partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they have much more complex needs. For them, a comprehensive Brand Portal is indispensable. The difference is in the complexity of your organization and the challenges you face.
Finding the balance in your organization
To make marketing automation a success, you need to take some crucial steps:
Set aside adequate time and budget for implementation and training
Make sure your teams understand why and how they use the tools
Guard against losing your personality in automated processes
Start small and build out where it adds value
Keep looking critically at what automation gives you
Make conscious choices in automation
In the end, it's all about getting the balance right. Automation can help you tremendously, but only if you use it strategically. Think about what you want to achieve. Determine where automation really adds value. And remember: sometimes the human touch is still the most effective.
Want to learn more about effective marketing automation?
Want to discover how to use automation smartly for your marketing? Download our white paper "The Benefits of Digital Asset Management" and discover how to save time, improve collaborations and work more efficiently.
Wondering how Comrads can support you? Contact us today for a no-obligation demo. Discover how our solutions can manage your digital assets more efficiently and effectively. Together we will find the perfect match for your needs.