Using lead scoring in your marketing automation

Dotdigital’s changed a lot over the last six months, and sometimes it can be hard to see how all the new functionality fits together.

I’m frequently surprised when I hear customers refer to their marketing automation and their lead scoring as if the two should never meet. Surprised, as there are a number of ways in which they can really complement each other.

Likewise, if you’re only using one or the other, let me show how the two can work together.

Engage your low scorers

You’ve got your lead scoring all setup. You’re happy with your rules, and your group distribution. You take your red hot leads, hand them over to your sales team – who say thank you very much – and then you ignore the rest.

You know this isn’t right. And perhaps some action somewhere will make a warm lead hotter. But finding time to actively nurture cool leads never quite makes it to the top of your to-do list.

So automate the process. But just because it’s automated, doesn’t mean it can’t be personal. In fact, I’d recommend it is personal. If a contact has engaged with you in the past – perhaps even extensively – don’t send them generic campaigns. Getting personal will help massively in your efforts to get them re-engaged.

Reward your most engaged

Hoorah, you have hot leads! Sell to them, quick! But these people shouldn’t just be there to sell to. If they love you that much, help them tell others about you.

Turn them into advocates. Create an automation program to send them vouchers, discounts, and content to share – whatever will be valuable to them – so they can distribute their love for you.

Use demographics to raise engagement

Lead scoring is great at telling you how engaged someone is. But using suitability scoring – which uses an email marketing contact’s demographic information – can tell you something that may not be obvious: if they look right on paper, why aren’t they engaged?

Or put another way, if a contact’s suitability score is through the roof, but their engagement is low, then automatically tailor your marketing: ensure your content for these contacts is different, utilise alternative channels – even mix up the volume and frequency of your efforts.

You may just find their sweet spot, and your lead gets warmer.

Know who to target when you’re retargeting

Set up an amazing retargeting program? Lead scoring is one of the best ways of establishing who it should be sent to.

Contacts that were previously hot – and received appropriate campaigns – but that have now cooled, are your audience.

And when they start engaging once more, their score will rise and they’ll stop being re-engaged. All without lifting a finger.

Get creative…

Lead scoring, as a tool, is flexible. Perhaps more so than people think.

Go beyond the normal uses to find something that works for you and your business. If you’re a B2C eCommerce outfit, try using lead scoring to measure customer happiness. As an example, complaints could make the score go down, positive reviews could make it go up.

Low scores can trigger incentives to stay loyal; high ones can reward them for their custom.

The key is to look inward at your business, and make the tool work for you.

…and experiment

On the 5th August, these features will be live in your Dotdigital account so there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting. You have the tools, you have the skills – good luck! And if you don’t have a Dotdigital account – why not sign up for a free trial?