At the end of the day, we all know that our business has to make money to succeed. But what we fail to consider is how important workflow automation can be to our business’s profitability.
Finding ways to streamline business processes related to new customer acquisition can help marketers attract more potential customers, sales reps close more deals, and finance specialists process more customer payments.
Since new customer acquisition often starts with the marketing team, here are 7 time-saving hacks to help marketers streamline their work:
Hack 1: Declutter the Inbox
Getting an inbox to zero is a near impossibility for most of us, but there are ways to successfully cut down on the clutter. For instance, you can avoid a heap of random and inconsistent emails by simply using a form builder to gather and process information. Online forms can bring necessary standardization to your workflows by automating menial tasks, streamlining approvals, and eliminating the need for lengthy, confusing email chains.
Hack 2: Implement a Project Management Tool
Using a task-management tool like Jell or Basecamp can help you eliminate unnecessary meetings. Both platforms allow your team to share status updates, such as project progress or where a prospect is in the pipeline, which can keep everyone on the same page without meeting to discuss to-dos.
Hack 3: Automate New Customer Registrations
How do you automate new customer registrations? For starters, make it easy for people to indicate interest in your company, such as through an accessible contact form or online event registration form. Then, integrate your online forms with a customer relationship management (CRM) tool to automatically route lead data into the system for your sales team. Finally, set up online subscription payments for your customers so the money transfer is quick, secure, and accurate.
Hack 4: Keep Important Information Organized and Accessible
Making sure employees know how and where to find certain information on your company’s systems can be a huge time saver for a marketing team. This might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many companies struggle in this area. Using web-based tools like Confluence and Trello can do wonders for your information’s organization and accessibility. The ability to collect and sort information into easily searchable categories and files makes form building solutions appealing as well.
Hack 5: Use Templates Whenever Possible
Why waste time writing or organizing the same information again and again? Create templates for commonly used forms and documents, such as webinar outlines or event registration landing pages. That way, you can make minor updates when necessary instead of starting from scratch every time.
Hack 6: Invest in Useful Apps
Social media, internal communication, and other tasks can create major headaches as you toggle between endless spreadsheets and accounts. Fortunately, apps like Hootsuite, HipChat, Slack, and others can make even the most time-draining tasks a breeze. Find the ones that work for you.
Hack 7: Set Goals
Yes, it seems obvious, but goal-setting is often overlooked. It can be difficult to manage your time if you don’t know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish. Take a minute each morning to establish your goals for the day. Set deadlines and tackle them one at a time. Multitasking may seem like a good way to juggle projects, but it’s inefficient. Start with the most immediate need and don’t stop until you’ve accomplished the desired result.
About the Author: Ashley Walsh has worked in multiple areas of the B2B marketing sector and is currently the VP of marketing for Formstack, an online form building solution based in Indianapolis.