You know that it’s hard to have a business these days without implementing some sort of e-commerce component. But you may not know the best way to ensure that it is successful.
That’s where marketing automation comes in.
In this e-commerce marketing automation guide, we’ll explain the ins and outs of e-commerce marketing and let you know how you can do it well while getting the most bang for your buck.
What Is E-Commerce Marketing Automation?
E-commerce marketing automation is any software or strategy that stimulates an online company’s efficiency by streamlining daily advertising and contact tasks.
With marketing automation, components like …
- Email campaigns
- Remarketing ads; and
- Lead management
… are set up to be completed automatically to give owners time to focus on other areas of running their businesses.
In today’s highly competitive e-commerce market, marketing automation is a crucial tool to help online businesses reach their growth and revenue goals.
What Is an Example of Marketing Automation?
One of the best marketing automation tools for e-commerce is email marketing. The primary reason this is such a popular strategy is that it is generally free or low-cost.
But we’re not referring to sending a bi-weekly email such as a newsletter. Each email campaign can be highly targeted with the help of data you’ve collected along the way.
The opt-in stage allows you to capture information about your customers. For example, when a potential customer visits your website, you might have a pop-up where they can input their email address and other vital information for 10% off their first purchase.
Marketers can create messages they’d like to use when specific events occur and use an automation platform to ensure that the messages are sent at the right time.
Some examples of these milestones are:
- Someone making a purchase
- Someone abandoning their cart (selecting items for purchase but then not following through with the sale)
- Birthdays or anniversaries
They can also use customer data to create automations for:
- Repeat customer or win-back campaigns
- Rewarding loyal customers with special offers or discounts
- Educational emails
- And more
Marketing automation through email and other strategies helps you target the right people and manage marketing without a lot of daily effort.
Why Is Marketing Automation Important for E-Commerce Businesses?
A proper automation campaign will send dozens or even hundreds of tailored and customized emails to target customers every day. This is not only impractical to do manually, it’s downright impossible.
Many smaller businesses don’t bother tackling this job because it feels daunting and complex — even though it can be an essential component to the growth of their businesses.
That’s where Pretty-Impressive comes in. We’ll set up e-commerce marketing automation for you while you focus on the day-to-day operations of your business. You may be surprised at how much and how quickly your up-front investment in this strategy can lead to increased profits.
Inspire and Engage
At Pretty-Impressive, each client is unique. Which is why we create strategies tailored to the needs of each company. Reach out and we’ll help you get your brand exactly where it needs to be — ahead of the rest.
PPC Marketing Automation vs. Email Marketing Automation for E-Commerce
PPC marketing is an essential component of any online retail business. These paid ads are focused on bringing people to your business. But the nature of this model means that if someone visits your e-commerce site but doesn’t buy anything, it costs you money — and that can add up with each potential customer who chooses not to follow through.
Having a strategy such as email marketing automation in place is the key to monetizing the people who have expressed interest in your site but didn’t make a purchase on their first visit.
Sure, you could choose to remarket and retarget your paid ads, but it’s going to cost you a lot more. Pretty-Impressive can help set everything up for you will make the process easier and lead to more leads and profits down the road.
4 Benefits of Using Email Marketing Automation for Your E-Commerce Business
Remember “set it and forget it”? We’re not saying your e-commerce marketing is comparable to rotisserie chickens, but the most important benefit of email automation is that once it’s set up, you don’t have to do a lot.
And when your current and potential customers are segmented into groups, they can be easily targeted without a ton of oversight. Keep reading to find out some of the enhancements that can occur as a result.
1. Increase Customer Engagement Without Adding to Your Workload
Marketing automation allows you to create a relationship with numerous customers without much effort on your part — especially if you let the pros help you set up your campaigns and targets.
You can send personalized messages to tons of participants with about the same amount of effort it takes to compose a single email.
2. Upsell or Cross-Sell Your Customers
How your customers use your site can tell you a lot about what they want and need. You can set actions such as previous purchases or multiple site visits to trigger an upsell or cross-sellcampaign. What does this mean?
Upselling is giving customers an option to buy an item that’s slightly better or pricier than the one they’re considering. For instance, if a customer has been looking at sweaters, sending an email showing them the same style but in cashmere would be an upsell.
Cross-selling is offering customers additional items that will complement what they have been shopping for. If a customer has been on your site looking at laptops, you may automate emails to suggest accessories like a mouse or keyboard that could also be purchased.
3. Test Price Increases to Boost Your Average Order Value
Upselling and cross-selling are parts of just one strategy in boosting your average order value, or AOV. Another is increasing the prices of the items you’re selling.
Sometimes small businesses set their prices lower than what customers are willing to pay. They may do this to give themselves a boost in getting started or make sure they can draw people in.
But increasing prices can be a huge boon to your average order, and you can use automation to test the best way to do it.
With A/B testing, you can raise the price on a few items and compare orders over time. Automation allows you to
- Identify key demographics
- Segment your audience; and
- Test price changes within the groups
This data will allow you to adjust your prices accordingly and boost your average order value.
4. Remove Customers From Targeted PPC Campaigns
Once a customer has visited your site and you have their information, you don’t want them to continue to be targeted by your PPC ads. With paid advertising, you will be shelling out money each time a person searches and clicks on the ad.
Automation allows you to input their email and some of the targeting elements and remove them from your PPC campaign so your information doesn’t show up if they search again and you don’t continue to pay for that lead after their initial visit.
Inspire and Engage
At Pretty-Impressive, each client is unique. Which is why we create strategies tailored to the needs of each company. Reach out and we’ll help you get your brand exactly where it needs to be — ahead of the rest.
What Are the Best Marketing Automation Tools for E-Commerce?
Some of the best marketing platforms for e-commerce are:
- Klaviyo
- Mailchimp; and
- ActiveCampaign
However, it’s important to note that many small businesses don’t need all the elements these tools provide. Sometimes it’s better and more cost-effective to work with a digital marketing consultant such as Pretty-Impressive.
Need Assistance With E-Commerce Automation Services? Pretty-Impressive Is Here to Help Your Business Succeed
E-commerce marketing automation is one of the keys to a successful online business in the modern age. But doing it right and cost-effectively can be tricky.
That’s why you should let Pretty-Impressive help you each step of the way. We offer tailored marketing consulting services and strategies that generate more money in your pocket and give you the time you need to run your business effectively.
We want to help you grow your business in the digital age, and one of the best ways to do that is through e-commerce marketing automation. Contact us today to schedule a free strategy session to learn where we can take your business together.
