How To Get Started With Marketing Automation

People often ask me How To Get Started With Marketing Automation…

“Hello, can I help you?” a wary middle-aged receptionist asked me…

I had just started my first job selling fax machines in a town called Warrington. My manager was the most alpha testosterone-pumped sales manager you can imagine. Every day was like working for David Brent in The Office. My job was to walk door to door calling on local businesses.

“Yes, I was hoping to speak to someone about your current fax machine,” I replied to the receptionist, rain trickling down my forehead.

“We’re not interested, thank you,” she replied with a thin smile and slammed the door in my face.

You had to make 50 phone calls a day, and every week you had to knock on 50 doors to find out whether they had a fax machine. I wasn't cut out for that and struggled with the unending rejection. Although on my first day I actually got an order from a clothing business in Manchester.

Beginner's Luck Perhaps?

You were meant to go in and ask about their current fax machine, what model it was and so on. I used to go in and say “hi, can I have a business card please?” If you came back to the office with a pile of business cards it looked like you'd been busy. Then I'd go home for the afternoon.

A stack of business cards only bought me time in the short term. Six weeks into the role I was unceremoniously fired. In hindsight, I was a fish out of water, and they were judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree.

You have to know yourself – and know your strengths. Door to door selling was a good experience. But my real passion is marketing automation.

Marketing automation isn’t a magic bullet. It requires the right people on your team. People understand your processes AND the best technology to automate them.

To talk more about How To Get Started With Marketing Automation book a free call and we’ll go from there.