In a guest post at the Modern B2B Marketing blog, Joby Blume shares his lessons learned about implementing marketing automation in a B2B setting.

First and foremost, he says, it's important to have a well-defined marketing process in place before adding any tech. "If you don't have a marketing process, marketing automation won't get you one," Blume notes.

Here are three key steps to take to prepare your operations for the increase in velocity that automation brings:

Ensure a healthy flow of leads. Tally the amount of leads currently entering the funnel, and put a plan in place to keep them coming. Use tactics like content marketing, social media, trade shows, and promotions to get more notice—and keep things buzzing.

Create high-value content. Give prospects something they want so they'll continue to give you their attention. "A blog post isn't going to cut-it—however well-written," Blume says. "But a selection of blog posts, compiled into a 'Best Practice Guide' or 'Whitepaper' ... just might." Determine who your best content creators are—and keep them busy.

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