Marketing Automation vs. Email Marketing

All businesses share one common goal: attract new business to increase sales.  A simple enough goal to work towards, but how will your company stand out from the others?

It all comes down to your marketing techniques and overall lead generation.  For most, email marketing is the go to channel to communicate with customers (both existing and potential) but what about marketing automation? Both tools are based from mass email platforms and they both help with tracking customer interactions; so what’s the difference, and which one can help your business achieve their goals?

The Breakdown:

Marketing Automation is a technology-driven approach to attracting, converting and retaining customers. The primary factor that sets “MA” apart from email marketing is that it focuses on lead nurturing.  Lead nurturing is taking a prospective client and sending them personalized messages at the right times in order to grow the relationship.

Think about a garden.  You prepare the soil, plant the seeds and then water them; but you would never stop there.  A garden requires your constant attention.  You must monitor the conditions: is it getting enough sun? Too much sun? When should you water it? Everyday? Every other day?

Marketing Automation takes the seeds, monitors them continuously and gives them what they need at the right times (water, shade, etc.) and then watches for how the seeds react to further help them.  Whereas email marketing would just water the seeds occasionally and hope that is enough for them to grow.

So Which Tool is Right for Your Business?

We’re not trying to knock email marketing; it is a great tool use.  For businesses that have a large and fairly homogeneous customer base, email marketing could be their “go-to” system if nothing else.  While email marketing can be time consuming, it is generally worth the resource commitment due to the high response rates (open rates and click through rates).

However, for small to mid-sized companies with a diverse portfolio of clients, MA is the way to go.  Marketing Automation systems vary in terms of price and features but can be customized to individual clients and is something that can be easily changed to suit situational needs.

Are you thinking about ditching your email marketing platform for a more robust lead nurturing ecosystem? Take a look at our Marketing Automation page to learn more about the benefits your business can receive by making the switch.