What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation refers to using software platforms to automate recurring marketing tasks. Typical applications: automated email sequences (nurturing campaigns), lead scoring (automatic lead evaluation), trigger-based actions (e.g., cart abandonment emails), social media scheduling, dynamic website personalization. Popular tools: HubSpot, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Marketo. Benefits: time savings, scalability, consistent communication, better lead nurturing. Important: Automation doesn't replace strategy - automating bad processes just means working badly faster.
Key Points
- Automates recurring tasks
- Lead nurturing via email sequences
- Lead scoring for prioritization
- Trigger-based actions possible
- Saves time and creates consistency
- Strategy first, then automation
Practical Example
“Our marketing automation automatically sends a 5-part email series after whitepaper download.”