Marketing Automation

What is Marketing Automation?

Here is how WeidertGroup.com defines marketing automation:

“Marketing automation is the use of software and web-based services to execute, manage, and automate marketing tasks and processes.

It replaces manual and repetitive marketing processes [emails, social media, specific website actions] with purpose-built software and applications geared toward performance. “

“Marketing automation is the use of software and web-based services to execute, manage, and automate marketing tasks and processes.”

For dealers, marketing automation offers a unique opportunity to create multiple engagements with consumers automatically, and there are many types of campaigns to develop these touch points.

Campaignmonitor.com gives nine familiar examples:

• Welcome Emails
• Reminder Emails
• Birthdays & Anniversaries
• VIP
• Re-Engagement
• Surveys & Feedback Emails
• Review & Testimonial Emails
• Product Updates & Launches
• Newsletters

Imagine sending each of those manually to everyone in your database? Marketing automation is the final piece of the campaign puzzle.

Marketing automation can tie multiple campaigns together across various channels, delivering an individualized experience for all those above communications and more in whatever channel a consumer is most likely to respond.

But what is the best channel approach? Let’s explore this concept further by defining omnichannel vs. multi-channel.

Artificial Intelligence

What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Machine Learning? We will be discussing these terms regularly throughout future chapters and want to be certain you understand what they actually mean.

Builtin.com defines both terms:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI is an interdisciplinary science with multiple approaches, but advancements in machine learning and deep learning create a paradigm shift in virtually every sector of the tech industry.

Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that gives systems the ability to learn and optimize processes without being consistently programmed. Simply put, machine learning uses data, statistics, and trial and error to “learn” a specific task without ever having to be specifically coded for the task.

While this may sound incredibly complicated from a dealer perspective, the implementation of a marketing solution driven by machine learning can take care of these tasks in an automated fashion with little to no manual intervention required from the staff at the store.

In practice at a dealership, the program tracks consumer behavior online, merging that data with any offline sources (like CRM or DMS data), and then analyzes this aggregated data set to predict what consumers may be shopping for, and what information they might like to receive.

The best salespeople in the world are those that know every one of their customers – their likes and dislikes, preferences and changing tastes.

“The best salespeople in the world are those that know every one of their customers – their likes and dislikes, preferences and changing tastes.”

The capacity of the human brain, however, limits us from achieving this type of sales nirvana, and frequent turnover at dealerships often results in the further loss of salespeople along with their customer relationships and knowledge.

In this environment, AI-driven tools assist the sales team by tracking the behavior of each customer, learning and memorizing their preferences, and predicting their future needs.

Simply put, a successful Marketing Automation tool should be able to:

• Track consumer behavior
• Connect to a variety of data sources: CRM, DMS, click data, etc.
• Leverage this data to drive insights individually but on a mass scale, and
• Engage consumers via an omnichannel approach wherever they are in their lifecycle

Conclusion

Investing in an AI-driven marketing automation platform goes beyond merely future-proofing the dealership’s marketing infrastructure. The consumer’s car buying experience is enhanced and simplified by the added personalization and efficiency brought to it.

Consumers are better equipped with relevant information at every stage of their individual lifecycle, and the dealership staff has a better understanding of their own customers. If done right, blending technology and in-store professionals creates an amazing customer experience delivered with a human touch.

Dealerships are in a unique industry that requires you to shift your marketing practices depending on the vast needs of each consumer. Finding the right AI-driven marketing automation partner is how you can tie all this together in a manageable way.

Additionally, AI-driven marketing, or ‘lifecycle marketing’, combined with digital retailing have a clear impact on sales – utilizing both increases that impact, especially for prospects, especially when what’s offered is actively shared, and especially when consumers engage.

Take the time to find the right vendors to help your company with your marketing goals and aim to create an omnichannel experience for your consumers at every point in their lifecycle.