Part 1

Step 1: Discovery

Start by asking your sales team what emails they seem to send over and over again.  Their responses will likely fall into some basic categories:

1. Introduction email
2. Thank you for meeting with me/taking my call
3. Quick Follow-up with a quote or requested information
4. Follow-up post purchase
5. Reconnect message

Get the salespeople’s insight and feedback at every step of the way:

• What do they wish their leads/customers knew about your company and your products?
• What processes or features do they explain to customers repeatedly?
• What are common roadblocks to making an important sale?

Step 2: Determine which email messages can be automated

For the best results, connect your CRM (Salesforce, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics) to your marketing automation program (such as Marketo, ExactTarget, Hubspot or Act-On.).  This is a big step, but makes a world of difference when it comes to utilizing email to its fullest. Follow-up emails can be triggered based on activity recorded in the CRM, and noted there for the sales team to see the email activity on their accounts.  

Step 3: Automate, Automate, Automate!

Example using Salesforce and Marketing Automation:

1. Salesperson records an inquiry or purchase by one of their accounts in Salesforce.  
2. The purchase is recorded in Salesforce and that information is passed to your Marketing Automation Software or Email Program (MailChimp, ConstantContact).
3. A confirmation of the sale email is sent through your marketing automation program.
4. On the account screen in Salesforce the salesperson can see that the confirmation email has been sent, a copy of the email, and if it was opened by the recipient.
5. Continuing the communication: three business days after the sale is made a second email is sent through your marketing automation software.  This email contains a follow-up message from the salesperson that includes information on how to receive support, related products and blog posts, and a satisfaction survey.

Follow-up email is recorded in Salesforce on the account screen, along with a copy of the email, and if the customer opened the message.  This saves the salesperson time with routine follow-ups, and allows managers to track progress on an account.

Benefits of Automation: 

• Eases the workload on sales team.
• Marketing team can create great content that has ongoing value.
• Salesperson can see at a glance what has been communicated.
• Ongoing client nurturing.
• Generates continued and renewed interest in your company over time

What if you don’t have that direct connection?

There are so many reasons why a company isn’t able to automate a connection between the sales process and a marketing automation system.  The most likely reason is that the CRM or sales software is a closed program that isn’t connectable. It is important to remember that fully integrated software between marketing and sales is a new type of software, and many companies have systems that were not built to support that connection.    

Coming soon:

Part 2: Automation hacks for companies without a direct connection between CRM and Marketing software, I will address how to use other methods to automate the sales process.   

Part 3: What other options are there for simplifying the sales team’s daily email sends