The Dawn Of Automation

I started out in the very beginning of the marketing automation revolution. I had an art business and artists were my primary client.

I began turning my paid speeches into online videos and it became increasingly difficult to manage without a backend system. Thank goodness this was around the same time that marketing automation software platforms were first becoming popular.

That’s when I invested in a platform that was built by a start up and it promised a lot of functionality, but the team was never able to deliver on it. It didn’t work out, I decided to cut my losses here and I began to think about my next steps.

This is when I began my real education into the automation space. I read Chris Lema’s reviews of different platforms and eventually I found my way to Memberium which was compatible with Infusionsoft and Active Campaign. This worked great!

What really helped out during this period was that a partner I was working with was a certified user of the platform and they acted as a coach and guide which sped up my own learning curve dramatically.

From that point I was able to build my first marketing stack. I was able to get subscribers, use facebook ads, and get my funnel going. Now I was in business!

 

Deciding What Software To Use

There are a lot of choices out there, so you can actually work yourself into a frenzy trying to decide what type of stack is right for you. Once my own funnel was working I began to wonder about optimisation.

In the back of my mind I kept wondering if I was overpaying and if there was a simpler, cheaper way I could be achieving the same success or greater. I didn’t need gamification, badges, or quizzes that a lot of other online learning companies use so I felt like I could perhaps go simpler.

There is just so much that goes into setting up a marketing stack especially for a first timer. You have to make sure that all your platforms can handle the job and that they play nicely together too.

Then there is the ongoing training and maintenance which takes valuable time away from other areas of your business so you have to calculate how that is going to affect the rest of your operation. Plus you also have to manage anyone you bring on to help oversee your automation system. And on top of it all, none of this is necessarily adding to your bottomline!
 

Get A Coach

Hiring a coach who I paid monthly saved my neck when it came to my automation stack. There is no way I would have been able to get the success I’ve had without a coach, it would have cost me tons of money and time making easily avoidable mistakes. Find someone who is a certified trainer on the platform and work with them 1 on 1 until you are up to speed.
 

Keep An Eye On The Marketplace

I’ve also kept an eye on developments in the marketplace. When a new platform comes along I’ll make sure to read up on it and see if maybe it’s a better fit than a current part of my stack. Right now Infusionsoft and Active Campaign are by far the leading platforms, but there are tons of others out there.
 

Join A Community

Don’t go it alone, there are great communities out there full of other entrepreneurs and power users who can help you along the way. Just getting out there, making some connections and having conversations can save you tons of time and money down the road with your marketing stack.
 

Action Steps

  1. Closely examine what you need from your marketing stack.
  2. Hire a coach who is a certified partner in your chosen platform.
  3. Keep an eye on what new platforms are becoming popular and how the marketplace is shifting.
  4. Join a community of other users who can help you if you get stuck.

 

Result You Will Achieve

A strategy to build your marketing automation stack that gives you the proper support to grow your business.
 

Mentor: Barney Davey

Founder at Art Marketing News & My Marketing Courses, able to use Facebook advertising and Marketing Automation to add an average of 800 new subscribers a month.

 
This article is based on an EHQ interview with the mentor.