Marketing automation is the secret weapon of successful Australian small businesses, allowing you to nurture leads and serve customers while you sleep. By automating repetitive tasks, you ensure no enquiry falls through the cracks, providing a consistent professional experience that builds trust and drives revenue.
Why Marketing Automation Matters
In the competitive Australian landscape, speed to lead is everything. If a potential customer reaches out to your Brisbane-based service business and doesn't hear back for six hours, they’ve likely already called your competitor. Automation bridges that gap, providing instant engagement and personalised follow-ups without adding to your daily workload.---
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before diving into the setup, ensure you have the following ready:- A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool: (e.g., HubSpot, Mailchimp, or ActiveCampaign).
- A clear understanding of your customer journey: Where do leads come from?
- Basic content: Drafts of the emails or SMS messages you want to send.
- Your ABN and business details: Required for setting up professional email sending domains and SMS verification in Australia.
---
Step 1: Define Your Goal
Don't automate for the sake of it. Start with one specific objective. Are you trying to welcome new email subscribers, follow up on abandoned website carts, or request reviews after a service is completed? Pick one workflow to start with so you can measure its success clearly.Step 2: Choose Your Automation Platform
Select a tool that fits your budget and technical skill. For most Australian SMEs, Mailchimp is great for simple email journeys, while HubSpot or ActiveCampaign offers more robust automation for service-based businesses. Ensure the tool integrates with your website (e.g., WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace).Step 3: Map Out Your Workflow (The Logic)
Before touching the software, grab a piece of paper or use a tool like Lucidchart. Map out the 'If/Then' logic. Example:* Trigger: Customer fills out an enquiry form. Action: Send 'Thank You' email. Wait: 2 days. Condition: Did they book? If no, send a follow-up SMS.Step 4: Clean and Segment Your Data
Automation only works if your data is clean. Ensure your contact list is segmented. You don't want to send a 'New Customer' discount code to someone who has been buying from you for five years. Create tags like 'Lead', 'Active Customer', and 'Past Client'.Step 5: Create Your Trigger
The trigger is the 'event' that starts the automation. In your CRM, look for a button that says 'Create Workflow' or 'Automation'. You will see a screen asking for a starting point. Common triggers include:- Form submission on your website.
- A specific tag being added to a contact.
- A date (like a customer's birthday or service renewal).
Step 6: Design Your Email Templates
Keep your designs clean and mobile-friendly. Most Australians check their emails on their phones during their commute or lunch break. Use your brand colours, include your logo at the top, and ensure there is a clear 'Call to Action' (CTA) button. Screenshot Description: You should see a drag-and-drop editor with elements like 'Text', 'Image', and 'Button' on the sidebar and your email preview in the centre.Step 7: Write Compelling, Personalised Copy
Use 'Merge Tags' to personalise the content. Instead of 'Dear Customer', use|FNAME| to pull their first name from your database. Keep the tone professional but approachable—exactly how you would speak to a client in person.
Step 8: Set Your Delays and Timing
Timing is crucial. If you send five emails in two days, you’ll see your 'Unsubscribe' rate skyrocket. Space out your communications. For a lead nurture sequence, a 2-day delay between the first and second contact is usually the 'sweet spot' for Australian audiences.Step 9: Add 'Conditions' (Branching Logic)
This is where automation gets smart. Add a 'Filter' or 'Condition' step. For example: "If the contact clicked the link in Email 1, send them the 'Book Now' SMS. If they didn't open Email 1, send them a different subject line 3 days later."Step 10: Set Up SMS Integration (Optional but Recommended)
In Australia, SMS has an open rate of over 90%. If your platform allows it, integrate an SMS step for urgent reminders or high-value offers. Note: You must include an 'Opt-out' (e.g., "Stop to opt out") to comply with the Australian Spam Act 2003.Step 11: Test Your Workflow Thoroughly
Never 'Go Live' without testing. Use the 'Test' function to send the entire sequence to your own email address. Click every link, check every image, and view it on both a desktop and a smartphone.Step 12: Set Up Tracking and Analytics
Ensure your links have UTM parameters so you can see in Google Analytics exactly how much traffic your automation is driving to your site. Most CRMs will have a 'Report' tab showing Open Rates, Click-Through Rates (CTR), and Conversions.Step 13: Activate and Monitor
Hit the 'Publish' or 'Turn On' button. Monitor the results closely for the first 48 hours. Check for any 'bounced' emails or errors in the logic where people might be getting stuck in a loop.---
Pro Tips for Success
- The 80/20 Rule: 80% of your automated content should be helpful and educational (e.g., '5 Tips for Maintaining Your Garden'), and only 20% should be a direct sales pitch.
- Compliance is Key: Always include your physical business address and an unsubscribe link in every email to stay compliant with Australian law.
- Humanise it: Use a 'From' name that people recognise, like "Sarah from Local Marketing Group" rather than just "Sales Department".
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-automating: If a customer replies to an automated email with a specific question, a human needs to jump in immediately. Don't let a bot give a generic answer to a complex query.
- Forgetting to Update: If you change your pricing or services, remember to update your automated emails! There is nothing worse than a customer receiving an outdated price list.
- Broken Links: Regularly click through your automations to ensure your website pages haven't moved or changed.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Emails going to Junk/Spam: Check your SPF and DKIM records. This sounds technical, but your CRM will have a guide on how to add these to your domain settings (like GoDaddy or VentraIP) to prove you are a legitimate sender.
- Automation not triggering: Double-check your entry criteria. If the trigger is 'Added to List', but the contact was already on the list, the automation won't fire for them.
- SMS not sending: Ensure the phone numbers are in the correct format (e.g., +61 4XX XXX XXX) as many platforms require the international prefix for Australian mobiles.
---
Next Steps
Once you have your first 'Welcome Sequence' running, look into automating your Google Review requests or creating a 'Re-engagement' campaign for customers who haven't purchased in 6 months.Need help setting up complex workflows or integrating your CRM with your website? The team at Local Marketing Group is here to help Brisbane businesses scale through smart technology. Contact us today for a strategy session.