12 Marketing Automation Best Practices From 10 Experts

Time is money. And as a marketer, you understand this better than anyone. So, let’s talk about something that saves both time and money: marketing automation. 

Here’s a fascinating fact: businesses that use marketing automation experience a significant rise in qualified leads. Doesn’t that sound great? However, without the proper tactics, you may waste your time.

I’ve gathered thoughts from leading marketing experts such as Griffin LaFleur, Jacob Brain, Papillon Freyee, and Erica Santiago.

In this article, we will look at marketing automation best practices. These practices will have your company hitting targets, generating leads, and boosting revenue—without losing your sanity.

Key Concepts of Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is not a new notion. However, it is growing thanks to the introduction of new technologies and cloud services. It is a process that uses technology to automate repetitive tasks in a marketing campaign.

Marketing automation relies on technology to manage and automate the processes in the customer experience, from recruiting new consumers to closing a deal. It entails leveraging several platforms to automate operations like lead management and personalized contact via email, social media, and websites. This strategy shortens sales cycles, increases revenue, and enhances the return on investment (ROI) for each marketing campaign.

Marketing automation software allows you to streamline and automate marketing operations across several channels. It also saves time while giving a tailored experience to your target audience and increasing client retention. 

Marketing automation best practices offer three main functions:

• Helps you create better offers by learning from past campaigns.
• Manages all customer interactions across channels, tracks their responses, and provides reports.
• Collects customer information from various systems and channels in one place.

The main goal of marketing automation is to support you in managing your customer relationships throughout their lifecycle.

Marketing Automation Best Practices From 10 Experts

I didn’t just pick a bunch of random experts for this guide. Rather, I went all in. I wanted the best—those who truly know their way around marketing automation like the back of their hand. So, I created a meticulous selection process to make sure the insights you’ll find here aren’t just smart—they’re game-changing. And, of course, I had to keep it fun.

Let’s get into the B2B marketing automation best practices.

#1 – Create Customer Journeys Map

Creating a customer journey map is one of the best marketing automation best practices. B2B companies need it to visualize every interaction, from that first click to post-purchase warm fuzzies.

Griffin LaFleur, a MarketingOps and RevOps expert at Swing Education, champions this practice. He’s spent years in the trenches as a B2B sales and marketing consultant. He’ll tell you that aligning your automated workflows with what the customer actually experiences is the key to a smoother journey.

For example, a B2B SaaS company is looking to improve its lead nurturing. By tracking the customer journey, they noticed that most leads stopped engaging after the first demo. However, they often reconnect during webinar follow-ups. With this information, the company implemented automatic, tailored follow-up communications following the demo. This increases engagement, improves the customer experience, and shortens the sales cycle.

Here’s Griffin’s guide to using customer journey maps:

• Identify key stages
• Map the touchpoints and pain points
• Customize automation workflows
• Refine and personalize 

Learn more about Griffin LaFleur’s insights on customer journey mapping here.

Griffin also shows how engaging content is an important practice. However, before we talk about that, let’s look at the next important practice.

#2 – Defining Clear Goals

This practice centers on defining clear goals and objectives for your automation strategy. A marketing automation strategy without clear goals is like a ship without a rudder. You might go somewhere, but good luck knowing where! 

The insights come from the experts at Blue Atlas, a digital marketing company.

Here’s how you implement this b2b marketing automation best practices:

• Determine your goals (for example, higher lead generation and enhanced client retention).
• Set particular KPIs, such as the percentage growth in leads or customer interaction rates.
• Regularly assess performance in relation to your goals to ensure alignment and make required modifications.
• Use the information acquired to improve future campaigns and increase efficiency. 

Click here to learn more about this practice and access additional resources from Blue Atlas.

#3 – Create Engaging Content

This strategy focuses on providing compelling content, which is crucial for effective marketing automation.

For example, a software business can set up automated follow-up emails following a webinar. These emails can contain tailored material depending on the topics that participants are interested in. This technique engages potential clients and guides them through the sales process.

Griffin LaFleur recommends the following steps for successfully implementing this strategy in your business:

• Identify your audience
• Create intriguing content
• Segment your audience
• Track the performance of your content
• Use automation tools

To learn more about this b2b marketing automation best practices and insights from Griffin LaFleur, click here.

#4 – Master Lead Scoring and Grading

Lead scoring is a method for determining which of your potential clients is sending you the “I’m interested” signals. It’s all about awarding points based on how involved they are with your business. The higher the score, the more likely they are to advance to the next level. 

Dhara Thakkar has some valuable insights on this. She’s a seasoned marketer who specializes in organic strategies that boost conversions.

To implement lead scoring, follow Dhara Thakkar’s approach:

• Start by figuring out what makes a lead “hot” or “cold.” Is your lead a serial website stalker? That’s hot. Are they submitting forms like they’re running for “Most Active User”? Also hot. But if they’re lurking around the edges with just a casual glance, yeah, that’s cold.
• For each action, assign a point value. For instance, a lead who requests a demo could get 10 points, while a lead who merely opens an email gets 2 points.
• Use your scores to categorize leads into segments (hot, warm, cold) and tailor follow-up strategies.
• Use marketing automation software to score leads in real time and trigger relevant workflows.
• Don’t get too comfy. Keep an eye on your system and tweak your scoring criteria as market behavior changes.

Learn more about Dhara Thakkar’s marketing automation best practices and insights on lead scoring here.

#5 – Create and Master Multi-Channel Experiences

These days, customers crave smooth experiences—no matter where they interact with a brand. 

For example, a tech company might use email marketing to announce a new product. At the same time, they can also run targeted ads on social media to reinforce that message and attract potential customers.

Carlos Silva, the SEO Content Manager at Chili Piper, knows a thing or two about keeping customers engaged across channels. He’s got some solid tips to make your brand shine everywhere.

According to Carlos, here’s how to create that sweet multi-channel experience:

• Find out where they hang out. Is it email? Social media? SMS? Or maybe they’re just scrolling aimlessly on your website?
• Ensure your message aligns across all platforms to maintain brand integrity. No one wants to hear your email crooning a love song while your ad is belting out a rock anthem.
• Use marketing automation software to schedule and manage campaigns across multiple channels simultaneously.
• Monitor customer interactions to understand preferences and optimize future campaigns.
• Regularly check your results. Are customers engaging, or are they ghosting you? Adjust your strategies based on feedback.

To learn more about creating multi-channel experiences, visit Carlos Silva’s marketing automation best practices at Chili Piper.

#6 – Maintain Your Email Reputation

Understanding email reputation is essential for any organization looking to improve its marketing automation. If you’re a software company experiencing low open rates owing to poor deliverability, it’s time to pay attention. A good email reputation may significantly improve your marketing results.

With my years of expertise, I cannot over-emphasize this practice. 

Follow these actions to maintain a positive email reputation:

• Know who you’re speaking to. Relevance is key.
• Make your emails meaningful. Speak to your audience’s needs and interests; no one likes to read dull emails.
• Provide simple opt-in and opt-out choices to increase subscriber confidence.
• Regularly update your email list to eliminate incorrect addresses. Ensure compliance with opt-in policies.
• Monitor your stats and make adjustments to your approach. If something isn’t functioning, adjust it! 

If you like this automation practice, I think you will also like the next one.

#7 – Know How to Use Hyper-Personalization

This marketing automation technique focuses on making content more tailored. The objective is to increase engagement and conversion rates. For B2B firms, this might be a game changer. Begin by gathering key client insights utilizing data-collecting forms. Then, tools can be used to discover more about consumer habits and preferences. With this information, you may personalize messages to different consumer segments and stages of the buyer’s journey.

Here’s how I (Papillon Freyee) apply hyper-personalization:

• Begin by gathering rich data. And no, I’m not talking about sending out a five-page questionnaire to frighten people.
• Optimize your forms to request the proper insights—the ones that will make your future content seem like it’s speaking personally to each individual. Consider it an introduction to an intimate chat rather than an inquiry.
• Use lead enrichment tools. They will gather the additional information required to fine-tune your audience targeting.
• Tailor your content at each stage of the consumer journey. Nobody likes to see a “buy now” message while they’re still window shopping. Match the appropriate message to the right time like an expert.
• Create processes in your CRM to ensure that your leads receive precisely what they need, when they need it. 

To learn more about other B2B marketing automation best practices, visit my profile on LinkedIn.

#8 – Simplify Lead Scoring and Marketing Analysis

Simplifying lead scoring and marketing analysis is essential for B2B businesses looking to optimize their campaigns quickly. Complicated systems can slow things down and result in missed opportunities.

For example, if your organization records leads based on interaction, duration on the site, email answers, and social media activity, a complicated system may track 20 distinct variables. This demands frequent updates from your marketing staff. Instead, focus just on the top five most significant criteria. This allows your team to readily assess lead quality and alter strategy more quickly.

Erica Santiago, a HubSpot marketing expert, is the mastermind behind this smart technique. She’s a content creator, former journalist, and SEO expert who understands how to make content dominate search engines. Erica understands how to cut through the clutter and streamline lead scoring.

To simplify marketing analysis and lead scoring, use the following strategies:

• First, determine the metrics that are truly important. There’s no need to keep track of every little detail. Concentrate on the most important ones and keep it simple.
• Invest in a CRM that will automatically gather and score leads. Set your criteria and let the algorithm do the tough job. This method reduces manual input and the possibility of human mistakes.
• Set thresholds for when leads should be escalated to sales. Maintain a clear threshold and avoid adding unnecessary levels of complexity.
• Every quarter, perform a thorough review of your lead scoring procedure. Is it still performing the job? If it isn’t functioning, change it.
• Make sure your reporting interface is simple to grasp. A simplified dashboard is a welcome breath of fresh air for your staff. It allows people to make faster judgments, which is what we’re all striving for, right? Nobody wants to spend an hour studying a chart that resembles modern art. 

For best practices for marketing automation, check out Erica Santiago’s contributions on HubSpot’s marketing blog here.

#9 – Master Lead Nurturing

Lead nurturing is about helping potential customers move through your marketing funnel. By moving through your funnel, you can turn those curious visitors into paying clients. It’s like getting someone to love your product before they even know they need it.

This approach is championed by Jacob Brain. He built and sold a top-tier B2B marketing agency by 2023. Now, he’s leveling up with Marketers in Demand, a venture that’s been crushing it on the Inc. 5000 list.

Here’s Jacob’s playbook on how to crush lead nurturing with marketing automation:

• Use automation tools to monitor what leads do. This could be downloading content or visiting key pages.
• Design email campaigns that match each lead’s interests or behaviors. Focus on giving them helpful information and solving their problems.
• Rank your leads based on how engaged they are. Then, set up automated actions like sending custom messages or arranging a sales call when they hit certain scores.
• Don’t stop at emails! Mix it up with social media, SMS, or direct outreach. Create a seamless experience that flows like a perfectly crafted playlist. Your leads will thank you, and who knows? You might just land a few more sales in the process.

To learn more about best practice of marketing automation, check out Jacob Brain’s insights here.

#10 – Master Exit Intent

This best practice of marketing automation is all about predicting when a user is about to leave your website without making a purchase. Using statistics on how people behave, you may reach out to potential clients just before they exit. This can improve conversion rates.

For example, a B2B software company notices that many users abandon its price page without taking action. They may provide a tailored discount immediately before consumers depart by utilizing exit-intent technology. This may encourage consumers to linger around and consider purchasing.

This plan was developed by Stijn van Elsacker, Prime FinTech’s co-founder and operations lead. He succeeded in generating €76.4 million in yearly recurring income with customized growth methods.

This is how you do it:

• Monitor user activity, such as mouse movements, scrolling, and time spent on certain pages.
• Utilize marketing automation technologies to create algorithms that forecast exit intent based on acquired data.
• Design and implement compelling exit-intent pop-ups that offer discounts or relevant material to keep users.
• To determine the most effective tactics, experiment with various pop-up styles and messaging. 

For best practices for marketing automation, visit Prime FinTech.

#11 – Crafting Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines

Subject lines are the front door to your marketing success—if they don’t open, neither does the door. Therefore, you must craft subject lines that grab attention and demand a click.

For example, a B2B software company might hit with: “Get 20% More Leads This Month – Here’s How!” It’s bold, makes a promise, and triggers curiosity. In other words, it practically begs to be opened.

Lawrence Dy, SEO Strategy Manager at Vendasta, is a master of it. With over a decade of digital marketing know-how, Lawrence knows how to make those inboxes work for you.

Here’s how Lawrence would craft good subject lines:

• Use the recipient’s name or company name for immediate recognition.
• Ensure the tone aligns with your client’s voice and industry expectations.
• Use time-sensitive language like “last chance” or “exclusive offer” to inspire action.
• Experiment with different subject lines to see what resonates with your audience.
• Subject lines should be concise, ideally under 50 characters for mobile optimization.

Learn more about this practice from Lawrence Dy here.

#12 – Monitor Performance Metrics

Monitoring performance indicators is essential for marketing automation, particularly in B2B organizations.

For example, a B2B SaaS business used email marketing to nurture leads. They discovered that their call-to-action (CTA) was unclear after measuring how many visitors clicked through the emails and how long they spent on the landing page. Engagement and conversion rates significantly improved after making a little change.

Bruna Miranda, a Content Marketing Specialist, emphasizes the value of measuring important metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This enables businesses to understand how effectively their campaigns and procedures are doing, helping them to make better, data-driven decisions.

Follow the steps below to discover how Miranda would assure good performance metrics.

• Focus on KPIs that are relevant to company objectives, such as conversion rates, ROI, and engagement metrics.
• Use technologies like Google Analytics and HubSpot to monitor performance on a regular basis.
• Experiment with various methods (such as subject lines or landing page designs) and track their effectiveness.
• Use the information to fine-tune and improve your campaigns for better outcomes.
• To optimize ROI, adjust your plan in response to performance patterns. 

For more insights on this practice, check out Bruna Miranda’s guide here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

• Implementing expert-driven automation strategies boosts efficiency and customer engagement.
• Personalization and multi-channel experiences are key to improving lead conversion.
• Automating smarter helps optimize marketing efforts and maximize ROI.

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