(For an introduction, please see What is Marketing Automation?)

Marketing automation offers tools that are valuable to B2C companies. The ability to segment leads to a list allows B2C companies to thrive without having a large sales team.

B2C companies typically use the same tactics as B2B companies, but with a stronger emphasis placed on segmentation of leads. B2C companies tend to deal in much smaller revenue transactions and forego a sales team in favor of a web shopping cart. In this case, the benefits of marketing automation are equally powerful, but the emphasis is placed on automatic customer segmentation and targeted communication.

Automatic Customer Segmentation Example

One of SharpSpring’s marketing agency partners recently used marketing automation to segment 100,000 customers for an online college apparel retailer. The Tallahassee based B2C company wanted to capitalize quickly on Florida State’s 2014 BCS Championship victory.

The marketing agency used marketing automation to track users on the site. Then created dynamic lists that segmented these users based on the products the users are interested in. Using these lists, the firm then sent specifically targeted emails to visitors that were interested in specific product categories.

Web visitors that went to pages with baby items, but didn’t buy, received an email focusing on baby items that also included a coupon for select items. Visitors who purchased scarves or cold weather items could be sent an email with information on a matching flannel blanket, while the people who purchased swimwear could be sent a special offer on a cooler and beach umbrella.

Marketing Automation vs. ESP

This level of customer segmentation is simply not possible for a company or agency using an Email Service Provider (ESP) like Constant Contact or Mailchimp. Marketing automation is designed to track user behavior “beyond the click” and provides a rules engine that enables automatic segmentation and communication with leads.

Marketing automation makes customer segmentation easy. Technologies that could only really be afforded by companies like Amazon are now within reach for even the smallest of businesses for just a few hundred dollars per month.

The behavior based segmentation allows for personalized conversations, which will lead to higher revenues and customer satisfaction.

Also, please check out other posts in this series:

What is Marketing Automation?

B2B Marketing Automation

1-to-1 Communication – Not constant contact

Pick a Card: A Magic Trick Demonstrating Behavioral-based Marketing Automation

This post is adapted from an interview with Rick that originally appeared on the crazyegg blog.

AUTHOR
Lindsey Sherman