This is part 3 of our blog series Break Down Silos with Marketing Automation. Read previous articles here.
Marketing and Marketing Automation might sound like two sides of the same coin. But in practice, they often run on entirely different tracks. Marketing teams are busy pushing out internal updates – rebrandings, product launches, new initiatives – while MA is built to listen, interpret signals, and respond when the timing is right.
The problem? We’re still very inside-out in our approach. And even when the messages are relevant, we rarely stop to ask: What is the customer doing right now? What are they ready for?
When internal activities drive the agenda, the customer often ends up in the background – and so does the impact.
The real potential shows when we flip the logic and start communicating based on what’s actually happening out there. When someone downloads a product sheet or visits a key page. It’s not about choosing one or the other. Real value comes when we listen just as much as we speak.
At a global industrial company, different teams were working in parallel on their own marketing initiatives – all well-intentioned, but at varying levels of maturity. The brand team had strong foundations in tone of voice and buyer journeys.
But none of it translated into the actual communication. Why? The rest of the organization wasn’t brought along. There was no shared data structure to support the strategy.
But when marketing teams and Marketing Automation efforts align? That’s when the magic happens. Here are three real-world examples where insights, timing, and data turned good intentions into real results.
Global tech company with complex buying groups
The company noticed a recurring issue in their sales funnel: many deals were stalling in the negotiation phase. By tracking how long deals stayed in each stage, they could pinpoint exactly where momentum started to drop.
Customer insights confirmed the pattern: the procurement role often entered at this stage – bringing entirely different questions and needs than the rest of the buying group.
Some relevant messaging already existed, but new content also had to be created. Once it was packaged into automated flows targeting procurement, the message hit home – and deals started moving again.
The result: Shorter sales cycles and smoother negotiations.
Industrial company with too many unqualified leads
A global industrial company identified a key step in the buying journey: signing up for a free trial. The problem? Too many people were signing up without real intent – and the leads weren’t qualified. Sales engineers were overwhelmed with follow-ups that rarely led anywhere.
A cross-functional group set out to improve the messaging and user experience on the website around the trial sign-up. With the help of automated flows, they clarified what the trial included, who it was for, and what would happen next. They also introduced a short qualification question to make sure the right prospects got through.
The result: Fewer sign-ups – but much better ones. Sales engineers could focus on real business opportunities.
Membership organization with low cross-sell conversion
A membership organization offered insurance as an add-on. Engagement was low and conversions even lower – until they started looking at the data.
By analyzing behavioral patterns in their MA platform, they discovered something interesting: members who had recently used certain services were more likely to consider insurance shortly afterward.
They tested sending targeted messages to segments with similar behavior – and added SMS as a channel to make sure the message landed at the right time.
The result: Higher engagement, better conversions, and a more relevant experience. It wasn’t about changing the offer – it was about knowing who it mattered to, and when.
Marketing Automation helps us shift our perspective – from talking at people, to actually tuning in to what customers want. No more shouting into the void about internal product launches. Just relevant communication, delivered when it actually matters.
That’s when marketing becomes more useful. More relevant. And more connected to real results.
Next week, we’ll look at how Marketing Automation and IT can support each other – and create value on both sides.
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