This week, we’ll be making a deep dive into entrepreneurism and the things that make startup businesses successful. Throughout this journey, we’ll reference the powerful entrepreneurial tools available to Ariana Society members, though a number of other tools can also fill this need.
One of the most powerful tools small businesses can rely on is a full-featured marketing automation suite. As recently as ten years ago, it was novel to receive an email immediately after interacting with an ad or engaging with a business. People thought a live person was already engaged, and it instilled a sense of confidence.
Today, this immediate response is expected.
Think about the last time you made a purchase or submitted a customer service inquiry. Did you get a confirmation email right away? Maybe a confirmation text? Would you have been worried if you didn’t?
That’s the reality of today’s customer expectations, so a powerful marketing automation suite is absolutely critical for business success.
How it Works
A marketing automation suite depends on actions (known as “triggers”) taken by the recipient, as well as detailed scripting that tells the suite how to respond to each trigger.
If, for example, a lead engages with an ad on Facebook, a series of automations can feed that person’s contact information into the marketing platform and generate an email to the lead (at the same time, it may also email the business owner or insert the lead information into a database to follow up later). The lead may receive an email with a finely crafted sales pitch, a notification that someone will be in touch, details for next steps, or some other set of information.
Many businesses stop there, but the business experts behind Ariana Desk, our marketing automation platform, recommend a full series of emails to nurture the lead, instill confidence, and finally close the sale. We also recommend a combination of email, SMS and live contacts to deliver a more personal touch.
Even More Tools
Marketing automation doesn’t stop with just an email series or some text messages. Indeed, these are only a fraction of the tools available.
Have you ever tried to leave a web page and received a pop-up offering you a discount before you go? Or noticed a banner appear on the page while you’re browsing? Or maybe you clicked an ad and found yourself on a page created specifically focused on selling that product?
Surprise! All of these functions can be handled in a single marketing automation platform. Ariana Desk, for example, gives you everything you need to create and publish a landing page, database the information that leads provide on that page, then follow up with a series of notifications based on that information.
Pretty cool, isn’t it? Well, that’s only the start. These packages can be so powerful that they actually monitor interactions, learn from the recipient’s behavior, and adapt to deliver even more targeted communications.
More and more marketing automation suites are offering these power tools, but Ariana members are already using them every day.
Is it Expensive?
How expensive your marketing automation platform is depends on how much power you need… and maybe who you know. Entry-level tools like MailChimp offer a limited number of contacts and some basic automation for as low as $20 per month. Professional automation suites like SalesForce Marketing Cloud and IBM Marketing Cloud can start around of $20,000 per year, with additional tools available for an extra charge. How expensive your marketing automation platform is depends on how much power you need, how many contacts you have and how well you can negotiate with the vendor.
Our own Ariana Desk tool is bundled with other services; unlimited access for non-members costs $99 per month for unlimited contacts and unlimited emails. Ariana Society members pay just $49 per month for the same package.
About Ariana Society
Ariana Society is a private, VIP membership club for the digital elite. Among numerous other benefits–including group-buying discounts, streaming yoga and workout classes, life coaching and more–Ariana Society members enjoy exclusive pricing on the Entrepreneur Power Bundle that includes unlimited web hosting, discounted domain name registration, our proprietary webinar platform, and unlimited access to the Ariana Desk marketing automation suite. For more information, or to sign up, please visit ArianaSociety.com.
