08Nov
Email Nurture Guide
Nurture marketing significantly increases the chances that your ideal buyers will consider your products or services when they’re ready to purchase.
19Jul
Lead Generation 101
Lead Generation 101 In today’s world, where people are bombarded with countless messages and offers daily, marketers need to find effective ways to capture attention and generate genuine interest in their products and services. According to the State of the Connected Customer report, customer preferences and expectations are the top influences on digital strategy for Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). The ultimate goal of lead generation is to build interest over time that leads to successful sales. Here’s a comprehensive guide to understanding lead generation, the role of artificial intelligence (AI), and the steps you need to take to effectively find and nurture leads. What is Lead Generation? Lead generation is the process of creating interest in a product or service and converting that interest into a sale. By focusing on the most promising prospects, lead generation enhances the efficiency of the sales cycle, leading to better customer acquisition and higher conversion rates. Leads are typically categorized into three types: The lead generation process starts with creating awareness and interest. This can be achieved by publishing educational blog posts, engaging users on social media, and capturing leads through sign-ups for email newsletters or “gated” content such as webinars, virtual events, live chats, whitepapers, or ebooks. Once you have leads, you can use their contact information to engage them with personalized communication and targeted promotions. Effective Lead Generation Strategies To successfully move prospects from interest to buyers, focus on the following strategies: How Lead Qualification and Nurturing Work To effectively evaluate and nurture leads, consider the following: Methods for Nurturing Leads Once you’ve established your lead scoring and grading, consider these nurturing methods: Current Trends in Lead Generation AI is increasingly influencing lead generation by offering advanced tools and strategies: Measuring Success in Lead Generation To evaluate the effectiveness of your lead generation efforts, track the following key metrics: Best Practices for Lead Generation To optimize lead generation efforts and build strong customer relationships, follow these best practices: Effective lead generation is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful customer relationships. By implementing these strategies and best practices, you can enhance your lead generation efforts and drive better business results. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
12Oct
Salesforce Account Engagement Quickstart
Account Engagement Quickstart by Tectonic’s Salesforce Marketing Consultant, Shannan Hearne Salesforce Account Engagement is the leading B2B marketing automation platform, existing in the cloud and becoming a part of the Salesforce family in 2012 through the acquisition of Exacttarget (formerly known as Pardot). The latter had acquired Salesforce Account Engagement in 2012 and, post-integration with Salesforce, was subsequently renamed Pardot in 2014. Tectonic offers Salesforce Account Engagement Quickstarts for businesses looking to get up and running on the platform quickly. While Salesforce Marketing Cloud excels in managing extensive email lists, Salesforce Account Engagement elevates B2B email marketing to a new echelon. Its primary function revolves around nurturing leads for seamless handoff to the sales department, making it particularly suitable for small to medium-sized businesses grappling with a high volume of leads that demand qualification. Lead, or prospect, tracking through campaigns, sources, utm (UTMs, or Urchin Tracking Modules, are a tracking device to help you get really specific with your traffic source. UTM tracking involves adding unique UTM codes to your URLs to easily identify exactly where your traffic is coming from) parameters and more is an easy to use function in the Account Engagement platform. A Account Engagement quickstart is an affordable, fast to market option, for users looking to get started quickly. A Standalone Product Despite being under the Salesforce umbrella, Salesforce Account Engagement operates as a standalone product, not contingent on having a Salesforce CRM. Integration with Salesforce is facilitated through the Salesforce Account Engagement Salesforce Connector or other CRM solutions like Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Zoho, Hubspot, Pipedrive, Oracle CX, Insightly or Sugar CRM. The list of potential database solutions that can work with Salesforce Account Engagement is massive. The integration process, however, isn’t a simple flip of a switch. It involves mapping Salesforce Account Engagement fields to Salesforce fields, editing page layouts, configuring Salesforce Campaigns, setting up website tracking, implementing lead scoring, and adjusting user settings. Given the intricacies, engaging an experienced implementation specialist is strongly recommended to avoid costly missteps. Account Engagement Quickstart Tectonic offers Salesforce Account Engagement Quickstarts for businesses looking to get up and running on the platform quickly. Once the initial configuration is complete, the marketing department can delve into creating landing pages, establishing drip campaigns, setting up email templates, and configuring marketing automation rules. While free online training resources exist, live training from an experienced implementer, tailored to the organization, proves more effective. Tectonic, with certified Salesforce Account Engagement specialists, offers a Salesforce Account Engagement Quickstart package to get companies operational in Salesforce Account Engagement within two weeks or less, featuring personalized training and transparent pricing, inclusive of follow-up support. Ongoing Support Post-implementation, some organizations opt to outsource their ongoing marketing automation needs, especially if they have limited resources or no dedicated marketing department. A Managed Services solution becomes a valuable asset in such scenarios. Tectonic offers cost-effective ongoing Salesforce Account Engagement management solutions and has in-house talent with decades of marketing experience ensuring the ROI on your Salesforce Account Engagement is high. Should you have any inquiries about commencing your journey with Salesforce Account Engagement, feel free to reach out to Tectonic today. The Account Engagement Quickstart is now known as the Account Engagement Salesforce Implementation Solution. Content updated April 2024. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
09Oct
Small Business Email Marketing
Mastering Small Business Email Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide Content serves is still king in the link between your brand and its audience. Compelling emails not only foster trust but also inspire action among subscribers, prospects, and customers. Email remains the cornerstone of marketing for small businesses. In this insight we explore ways to leverage its full potential. Small businesses often enjoy a closer rapport with their clientele compared to larger enterprises. While this intimacy can cultivate customer loyalty, it also elevates customer expectations. This is precisely where email marketing for small businesses becomes an indispensable tool. According to Gartner research, 64% of consumers and B2B buyers express feeling overwhelmed by brand communications. For small businesses, this presents an opportunity to craft email marketing campaigns that genuinely resonate with customers. Avoid email fatigue. Send quality emails less frequently. Unlock the Power of Small Biz Email Marketing You don’t need a hefty budget or an extensive marketing team to uncover more leads, enhance engagement, and boost revenue. Discover how leveraging the right email technology can yield significant returns for your small business. So, how can you ensure that your email marketing efforts hit the mark for your target audience? Let’s dive into the details. Importance of Email Marketing for Small Businesses Establishing meaningful connections with your audience poses a challenge for any business, particularly those with modest budgets and staff sizes. Email marketing offers unparalleled versatility, amplifying your brand’s voice and delivering tangible results at minimal costs. When these communications are personalized and targeted they become conversations with trusted friends. With email marketing, you can establish direct connections with your customers without straining your budget and resources. Tailoring content ensures that each message resonates with the intended audience, allowing you to track results and refine your approach over time. Automation streamlines processes, freeing up valuable resources that small businesses rely on. Moreover, email marketing isn’t solely about driving sales; it’s about nurturing enduring relationships. For instance, imagine owning a high-end, rare bookstore. Your email newsletter can feature updates on the latest book arrivals and exclusive discounts for loyal customers. Segmenting your audience based on preferences enables you to tailor messages for enhanced relevance. As your subscriber base expands, so does your revenue. Engaged customers become advocates, organically expanding your reach. Through consistent email communication, you’re not merely selling books; you’re fostering a book community loyal to your brand. Key Strategies for Successful Email Marketing You don’t need a full-fledged marketing team or a substantial budget to attract and retain customers. Email marketing for small businesses relies on simple yet effective tactics for success. Build Your Email List:Focus on cultivating a targeted email list to ensure that your messages reach the right audience. Understand your audience’s preferences to foster engagement and loyalty. Develop a Compelling Content Strategy:Craft compelling content that builds trust and encourages action. Tailor your emails to address customer needs and interests, offering valuable resources and exclusive promotions. Maintain Deliverability:Ensure that your emails reach their intended recipients by adhering to deliverability best practices. Maintain a clean subscriber list, avoid spam-triggering content, and utilize authentication protocols. Metrics for Measuring Email Marketing Success Effective email marketing hinges on tracking key metrics to gauge performance accurately. Here are the essential KPIs to monitor: Click-Through Rates (CTR): Measure the effectiveness of your email content by tracking the percentage of recipients who click on your links.Engagement Rates: Assess customer engagement levels to determine the resonance of your content and messaging.Subscription Growth: Monitor the growth of your subscriber base to gauge the effectiveness of your acquisition strategies.Conversions: Track the number of recipients who take desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service. Personalization and Segmentation in Email Marketing Personalization and segmentation play pivotal roles in small business email marketing, enabling tailored communication and enhanced customer engagement. Personalization entails customizing content for individual subscribers to convey value and foster a sense of connection. Segmentation involves categorizing your audience based on various characteristics or preferences to deliver more targeted messaging. For instance, a local pizza shop can leverage data and AI to recommend personalized pie options for customers, fostering a unique pizza eating journey. Email drips automate sequences of emails tailored to each subscriber’s preferences, nurturing relationships and encouraging action. Segmentation allows businesses to categorize customers into groups based on behavior or preferences, enabling targeted promotions and tailored support. Machine learning algorithms enhance segmentation by identifying nuanced segments within the audience, leading to more personalized communication. Harnessing AI for Email Marketing Generative and predictive AI offer significant advantages for small businesses seeking to streamline their marketing efforts and drive growth. Generative AI revolutionizes content creation by producing dynamic and personalized email content at scale. Small business owners can leverage AI to craft compelling copy tailored to individual customer preferences, freeing up time for strategic planning. Predictive AI optimizes email send times by analyzing customer behavior and sending emails when recipients are most likely to engage. This proactive approach enhances email effectiveness and customer satisfaction. Best Practices for Small Business Email Marketing Small business email marketing thrives on fostering meaningful connections with customers. Here are some best practices to enhance engagement and drive results: Know Your Customers: Develop detailed customer personas to understand your audience better and tailor your messaging accordingly.Use Compelling Subject Lines: Craft clear and concise subject lines that convey value and encourage opens.Conduct A/B Testing: Experiment with different elements of your email campaigns to refine your approach and maximize effectiveness.Be Mobile-Friendly: Prioritize mobile-responsive design to ensure that your emails are accessible and compelling on all devices.Build Subscriptions: Incentivize sign-ups and offer exclusive content or discounts to encourage subscription growth. Common Mistakes to Avoid Despite following best practices, small businesses must steer clear of common pitfalls in email marketing: Overwhelming Subscribers: Avoid bombarding subscribers with daily email blasts, which can lead to opt-out rates and subscriber fatigue.Lack of Clarity: Ensure that your messaging is clear and avoids clever wordplay that may confuse recipients.Neglecting Mobile Optimization: Prioritize mobile responsiveness to maximize reach and
20Sep
Salesforce and Email Marketing
Companies today have various channels available to connect with customers, yet a well-crafted, timely email continues to be a powerful tool. Our recent study revealed that 93% of respondents consider email as their primary channel for engaging with companies. In a world where competition for attention and clicks is fierce, it’s imperative to continuously evolve your email marketing strategy. Salesforce and email marketing are Tectonic’s preferred choice. And should be yours, too. Despite this, many companies still rely on outdated, generic tactics that result in disinterested customers reaching for the deadly unsubscribe button. If your metrics are struggling, and desired results are elusive, it might be time to reevaluate your email marketing strategy for areas of improvement. Understanding Email Marketing and its Significance Email marketing is a direct marketing form that uses messages to promote products or services, share thought leadership pieces, or engage with your audience. A well-thought-out email marketing strategy delivers valuable information, empowering customers to make informed purchasing decisions. Clear and concise messages position your company as helpful rather than intrusive or sales-oriented. As the email campaign progresses, an authentic trust connection develops between your brand and customers. Email marketing facilitates conversions and revenue by providing quality information aligned with customer goals. As digital experiences expanded with the rise of social media and mobile apps, email marketers now leverage tools like AI and automation to deliver more effective messages at optimal times. Impact of Marketing Automation and AI on Email Marketing Marketing automation has shifted businesses away from traditional email approaches towards more personalized communication. Enhanced data collection and management enable emails to address the specific wants and needs of individual customers, making personalization a critical tool. AI within marketing automation platforms augments capabilities, offering more targeted and personalized experiences. In email marketing, automation focuses on streamlining workflows, nurturing leads, and optimizing campaign management. AI employs advanced algorithms and machine learning for data analysis, enhancing personalization, optimizing subject lines, generating dynamic content, determining optimal send times, and providing predictive analytics. The combination of marketing automation and AI results in highly targeted and effective email marketing campaigns. Benefits of Automation in Email Marketing Effective email marketing relies on marketing automation platforms, facilitating the scaling of lead management activities, campaign coordination, and lead nurturing and scoring. These platforms make segmentation and personalization feasible on a large scale, delivering highly targeted and relevant messages, resulting in increased engagement and conversions. Personalized messaging, facilitated by AI’s advanced algorithms and machine learning, stands out as one of the most significant benefits of email marketing. Marketers can analyze extensive data, delivering highly tailored and relevant email content to individual recipients, ultimately enhancing conversion and customer satisfaction. With a flexible and customizable email marketing strategy, businesses can achieve various marketing and sales goals, including building customer relationships, boosting brand awareness, generating and nurturing leads, marketing products and services, and promoting content and useful resources. Is Email Marketing Easy? In short, yes, it can be, provided it is set up properly. While optimizing email marketing campaigns may take time, starting with a personalized strategy and utilizing tools like marketing automation and AI can simplify the process. Establishing a foundation centered on segmentation, personalization, and automation is crucial for success. Tectonic deploys email marketing platforms that make email marketing easier. Our training, consulting, and ongoing support set you up for email marketing success. Email Marketing Best Practices Consider the following high-level email marketing best practices: Costs Involved with Email Marketing The cost of email marketing varies based on business size, audience size, and the number of emails sent monthly. While costs fluctuate with business cycles, the return on investment (ROI) for email marketing is notably high, averaging $36 for every dollar spent. Email Marketing Types Experts categorize email marketing into five common types: Interactive emails, in particular, boost engagement, potentially leading to a 300% increase in click rates. Salesforce and Email Marketing Tools An excellent email marketing tool empowers end-to-end Salesforce campaign management, from writing copy and designing templates to acquiring subscribers, managing leads, segmenting audiences, and analyzing campaign performance. Choosing the right tool involves considering factors like ease of use, integration with customer data systems, and compatibility with existing business tools. In Salesforce the two primary choices are Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. Salesforce can also be integrated with many other tools from Gmail to Marketo to Hubspot to MailChimp. Getting Started with Email Marketing To initiate an email marketing program in your company, Tectonic suggests you follow these steps: The right email marketing tool, coupled with a well-structured strategy, empowers businesses to execute successful campaigns, foster customer engagement, and achieve high returns on investment. Contact Tectonic today to discuss the best Salesforce email marketing tool for your business. Like1 Related Posts 50 Advantages of Salesforce Sales Cloud According to the Salesforce 2017 State of Service report, 85% of executives with service oversight identify customer service as a Read more Salesforce Data Studio Data Studio Overview Salesforce Data Studio is Salesforce’s premier solution for audience discovery, data acquisition, and data provisioning, offering access Read more Marketing Cloud Account Engagement and Salesforce Campaigns The interplay between Account Engagement and Salesforce Campaigns often sparks confusion and frustration among users. In this insight, we’ll demystify Read more Advantages of a Cloud Managed Service Provider Considering outsourcing your IT management to a cloud managed service provider? Here are several benefits of opting for a cloud Read more
06Jun
Perfect Drip Campaign
In an ideal world, you effortlessly conquer the lead generation challenges with one creative arm tied behind your back, craft compelling email drip campaigns that guide prospects seamlessly through your sales cycle while eating your lunch, and effortlessly close deals while playing on your XBox. But wake up – these success stories merely showcase the highlights of what it truly takes to construct the perfect drip campaign, complete with an ROI that positions you as the marketing hero vanquishing the empty pipeline challenge every single day. Envision the perfect email drip campaign – a foolproof method to cultivate a robust sales pipeline. Your conversion rates skyrocket, and your sales team can barely wrap up one deal before the next prospect eagerly phones in, begging them to take their order. Drip campaigns act as email touchpoints initiating relevant conversations with your most promising prospects at various stages of the customer journey. They automate the delivery of timely, pertinent communications based on an individual’s current and potential engagement levels with your emails. Meticulously crafted customer journeys connect with leads precisely when predictive analytics indicate maximum effectiveness. Digital Marketing with Email Drip Campaigns For those entering the digital marketing arena, it’s important to keep journey and content paths straightforward. A single journey should not be so generic as to capture every possible lead and propel them to the finish line. Instead, deliver the right message at the opportune moment and seal the deal when the prospect is prepared, avoiding premature sales pitches when they’re still evaluating the product. Salesforce’s Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, formerly Pardot, has the capability to develop advanced drip campaigns based on various criteria, though it typically demands a high level of expertise for design, implementation, and testing. Tectonic recommends communication spans between two and four emails per engagement journey, minimizing errors in more intricate journeys. Conduct split tests on content and engagement, directing the most engaged leads toward more specific journeys based on progressive profiling. In terms of campaign content, tease recipients, leaving them craving more information. Include secondary CTAs for eager learners, or create anticipation by advertising upcoming content in the coming weeks. Drawing on years of marketing expertise, Tectonic marketing professionals assert that campaign journeys aligned with the best customer experiences significantly impact recipient engagement. Creating a cohesive yet personalized narrative for drip communications keeps journey members excited and loyal, eagerly anticipating the next chapter and the value others have gained from your products and services. Stay Relevant Your potential customers don’t want an incessant barrage of irrelevant messages. Ensure your drip campaign and custom preference center grant recipients the option to specify how often they want to hear from you and what topics interest them. Respect your subscribers, simplifying the process for them to update their preferences. While unsubscribe links are obligatory, Account Engagement, formerly Pardot, also offers the option of activating a public preference center within your drip campaigns. Tectonic collaborates with you, understanding your brand’s selling points, helping craft and test the best content. Utilizing Salesforce’s Einstein Analytics, Tectonic designs drip campaigns that land in prospects’ inboxes at the optimal time with the perfect message. They guide you in designing prospect segments and preference center options, keeping everyone engaged with your brand at every stage of the buying process. Understanding Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement’s powerful communication capabilities from the user, vendor, and strategic services partner perspectives, Tectonic offers best practice guidance based on their success with the platform and that of their satisfied clients. They expedite your company’s transition with swift Account Engagement rollouts (Account Engagement Quickstarts), assist in crafting a flawless drip campaign, and provide guidance through lead generation, warming, and conversion. Harness the power of Marketing Cloud Account Engagement and Tectonic’s experience to fuel your pipeline. This content was updated in 2023. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
10Dec
Six Advantages of Salesforce
The six advantages of Salesforce that you should be aware of include: A CRM Platform Empowers Teams: A significant advantage of a CRM system is providing teams with a unified view of the customer. This advantage extends to various benefits derived from usable data. Reports enable businesses to identify opportunities, assess interactions with leads and customers, analyze sales and customer service trends, and more. This customer-centric approach guides decision-making across all customer interactions, from email marketing to available online features. Notably, 86% of marketers engage customers in real-time across multiple channels, and 82% consider customer experience a key competitive differentiator. CRM software offers a multitude of benefits, from providing insights and data to powering an efficient company. The organized data leads to a better understanding of customers, enabling improved messaging and outreach. Automation enhances efficiency in delivering customer service, and collaborative efforts become more accessible, reducing information silos. Overall, CRM software contributes to better-managed customer relationships and, consequently, better business outcomes. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
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