As a small business owner, you are probably always on the lookout for ways to increase efficiency and productivity while at the same time reducing costs. The good news is that there are many ways to achieve this, one of which is automation.
Automation is the process of using technology to perform tasks that would otherwise be done manually. It can be used for various purposes, such as marketing, customer service, accounting, and more. While it may seem like a big investment at first, automation can actually save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Of course, you cannot automate everything – for instance, a blogger outreach service will always require a human touch. Still, you can use several software tools to automate your marketing efforts and customer relationship management, such as a CRM system.
Read the article below to learn about five types of automation that every small business should implement:
Contributed by Esther Williams, Blue Starling Media
Social Media Automation
If you’re not using social media to promote your business, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Social media is a great way to connect with potential and current customers, build brand awareness, and generate leads. On top of that, it is also free!
The only downside is that it can be time-consuming, especially if you manage multiple business accounts. This is where social media automation comes in. There are many different tools and software platforms out there that can help you automate your social media marketing efforts, such as Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social.
If you are targeting multiple countries, you may also want to consider using a translation service. Indeed, when it comes to translating legal documents, it would be best to work with offline, professional translations in Miami, Boston, or Naples – wherever you are located. However, using online AI-based translators will be enough if you need your Instagram posts or other types of social media content in different languages.
Email Marketing Automation
Email marketing is another excellent way to promote your business and stay in touch with your customers, whether it be by sending out newsletters, announcements, or special offers. And like social media, it can also be time-consuming to do, or even barely possible. Let alone sending every email individually, setting up an email marketing campaign can be challenging itself.
Fortunately, there are numerous apps that allow you to design those emails and schedule them in advance, so you don’t have to think about it every time. The best part is that some of these platforms offer free plans for small businesses. So, if you’re not already using email marketing to reach out to your customers, now is the time to start.
List Segmentation
As your business grows, you may be overwhelmed with the number of leads and customers you have to keep track of. Trying to communicate with all of them in the same way is not only inefficient, but it can also prove to be ineffective.
This is where list segmentation comes in handy. List segmentation is the process of dividing your contacts into groups based on certain criteria, such as location, age, gender, interests, etc. This way, you can send targeted messages that are more likely to resonate with each group.
There are many different ways to segment your list, so it’s essential to take some time to figure out what makes the most sense for your business. Once you have a good understanding of your audience, you can start using list segmentation to improve your marketing efforts.
Automated Reports
Your website, internal database, sales figures, social media metrics – there is a lot of data out there that can be useful for your business. But sifting through all of it and trying to make sense of it can be time-consuming and frustrating.
Having a system in place that can automatically generate reports based on the data you collect is extremely valuable. Not only will it save you a lot of time, but it will also help you make better decisions for your business. Tracking your KPIs on a regular basis is key to ensuring your business is on the right track.
For instance, such reports can inform you about how the number of leads from your social media relates to your website traffic. If you see a decrease in leads, this might be a good time to revisit your social media strategy or website design.
Customer Relationship Management
CRM systems are now a staple in many businesses, small or big. It’s software that helps you keep track of your interactions with current and potential customers, as well as manage your sales and marketing efforts.
A sound CRM system will allow you to automate many tasks, such as email marketing, customer support, and lead management. It will also give you a clear overview of your sales pipeline, so you can see where each lead is in the process.
Implementing a CRM solution on your existing system can be a little tricky – and you may want to have it done for you by a professional – but it’s definitely worth the investment.
The biggest benefit is that it will prepare your business for future growth, as it will have an easier time scaling.