5 Steps to Marketing Automation Success

WSI Team

Marketing automation is all the rage these days, and for good reason: it frees up humans to do things humans are good at and automates repetitive and mundane tasks. With marketing automation technology improving by the day, it's easy to see why it's become so prevalent.

A word to the wise, though: just because you engage with and implement marketing automation processes doesn't guarantee your marketing automation success. It's like anything else in life, you need to put in time and effort to hone your skills in order to generate the best results.

To help you avoid turning what should be a time-saving process into an inefficient and confusing mess, we put together an infographic outlining the 5 Steps to Marketing Automation Success:


What is marketing automation? Successful marketing automation boils down to one simple concept: knowing exactly what your customers need and the reasons why they need it. In order to understand the what and the why of your customer's needs, however, you have to truly understand your customers. This is why even though marketing automation is an automated process, it only works as well as you set it up. And to properly set things up, you need to understand the steps to implementing marketing automation and what causes your customers pain so you can help ease it.


Once you know exactly how to meet the needs of your customers, the automation process begins. The first step is to set reasonable goals by delving into your site's traffic numbers. If you know, you need 500 incoming site visits to generate 5 new leads, make that your goal and drive headlong toward it.


Upon first blush, marketing automation might seem drastically different than the digital marketing strategies of the last few years, but that's not the case. Marketing automation uses the same tried and true tactics – content, social media, and email – it just organizes them better. Think of it like the wrap jobs you see on Christmas presents; you can use the exact same wrapping paper to wrap a present, but if one is wrapped with more care and expertise, it absolutely glows below the tree (while the poorly wrapped present lays crumpled to the side).

The content that functions best within an automation strategy focuses on answering customers' questions while offering your products and/or services as potential solutions.


The worst thing about most lead generation processes is internal communication within a business or company. Small businesses often have so much work piled onto not enough people that leads fall by the wayside. And within larger companies, a misalignment between sales and marketing is often the culprit of too many leads left unconverted. Neither of these situations is a case of not enough leads being generated, it's about leads being mishandled. If you can treat your leads properly – something marketing automation demands – you may not need to generate more.


Another issue with many marketing strategies is they are so disconnected it's nearly impossible to tell whether they are working. With the amount of access we have to data and information in today's world, not knowing is never acceptable. If you establish a closed-loop reporting process that tracks your leads as they travel along your funnel, you'll always know.


Yeah, yeah, implementing automation marketing and testing is another thing we talk about all the time. But the reason we harp on some of these things so much is that they make that much of a difference to your success! Landing pages, blog posts, emails, and social posts all need to be tested and tweaked until they deliver optimal results. There's no reason to settle for less when a little bit of effort can help you maximize the dollars you spend on digital marketing.

10 Marketing Automation Tools Examples

  1. HubSpot, a marketing automation platform, offers email marketing and lead nurturing features.
  2. Marketo, now a part of Adobe Experience Cloud, provides lead management and analytics capabilities. 
  3. Salesforce's Pardot is a B2B-focused platform with lead scoring and email automation features.
  4. Mailchimp is known for its user-friendly interface and is widely used for email marketing, with features like drip campaigns.
  5. ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation software that combines email marketing, automation, sales automation, and CRM. 
  6. Oracle Eloqua is an enterprise-level platform offering lead scoring and campaign management.
  7. SendinBlue, known for its affordability, integrates email and SMS marketing with automation features.
  8. Drip focuses on e-commerce, offering workflows, personalization, and segmentation.
  9. Zoho MarketingHub, part of the Zoho suite, provides multichannel marketing automation and lead management.
  10. SharpSpring includes email marketing, CRM integration, and behavior-based tracking for effective lead nurturing

When selecting marketing automation platforms, businesses should consider their budget, needs, and requirements.

AI and Marketing Automation: The Dynamic Duo Transforming Your Game

Remember the days of endless manual tasks and late nights glued to your marketing dashboard? Thankfully, those days are fading thanks to the rise of two powerful forces: AI and marketing automation. These dynamic duos are streamlining workflows, boosting efficiency, and unlocking unprecedented levels of personalization and engagement. But with a dizzying array of tools claiming "AI-powered" crowns, finding the best fit for your marketing arsenal can be tricky. This list guides you in navigating the exciting world of AI and automation and discovering the tools to propel your marketing magic to new heights.

Content Creation on Autopilot:

  • Jasper AI: This versatile AI writer is your one-stop shop for copywriting. From sizzling social media captions to captivating product descriptions, Jasper crafts compelling content that grabs attention and converts leads, giving you more time to focus on the strategy part of your business. 
  • Surfer SEO: Once you have your buyer personas all sorted out, you're going to need your content to dominate search engines. Surfer SEO analyzes your content against competitors, suggesting keywords, topic clusters, and sentence structures to optimize your work for Google's hungry eyes.
  • Lexica Art: Say goodbye to generic stock photos! Lexica Art uses AI to generate stunning, on-brand visuals that perfectly complement your content, making your blog posts, ads, and social media feeds pop.

Automate the Mundane, Master the Moments:

  • Zapier: This workflow automation wizard connects all your marketing tools into a seamless symphony. Automate repetitive tasks like email scheduling, social media posting, and lead nurturing, freeing up your time for big-picture thinking.
  • ManyChat & Chatfuel: Engage your audience on their preferred platforms! These AI-powered chatbots answer customer questions, capture leads, and nurture relationships through Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and other messaging apps.
  • Grammarly & Hemingway Editor: Don't let typos and convoluted sentences trip you up. These AI grammar gurus polish your writing to razor-sharp perfection, ensuring your message is clear, concise, and impactful.

Beyond the Toolbox: Data-Driven Insights and Personalization:

  • Albert.ai: This AI-powered advertising platform analyzes your target audience and optimizes your ad campaigns for maximum reach and engagement. No more throwing spaghetti at the wall – Albert.ai targets the right people with the right message at the right time.
  • FullStory: Get inside the heads of your website visitors! FullStory uses AI to track user behavior, reveal engagement patterns, and identify areas for improvement. Optimize your website layout, content, and calls to action for a conversion-boosting experience.
  • Brand24: Stay ahead of the conversation. Brand24 monitors online mentions of your brand and competitors, giving you real-time insights into social media buzz, customer sentiment, and industry trends.

Remember, the magic lies not just in the tools but in how you wield them. Choose tools that align with your goals, understand their capabilities, and don't be afraid to experiment. With the right AI and automation allies, you'll be amazed at what you can achieve—think lightning-fast workflows, laser-targeted engagement, and content that truly connects. So, go forth, brave marketers, and let the AI revolution power your path to marketing mastery!

This is just a starting point, of course. Feel free to delve deeper into specific tools, share your favorite AI and automation secrets, and spark a conversation about how these game-changing technologies are reshaping the marketing landscape. Let's make the most of this dynamic duo and turn our marketing dreams into reality, one automated task and AI-powered masterpiece at a time!


The Best Digital Marketing Insight and Advice

The WSI Digital Marketing Blog is your go-to-place to get tips, tricks and best practices on all things digital marketing related. Check out our latest posts.

Subscribe Blog

I consent to WSI collecting my contact details and sending me digital communications.*

*You may unsubscribe from digital communications at anytime using the link provided in WSI emails.
For information on our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Don't stop the learning now!

Here are some other blog posts you may be interested in.
By Pamela Bell August 20, 2025
Every medical practice has a blind spot. It’s not in your patient care, your clinical expertise, or even your operations. It’s in the digital gap between wanting care and finding care , a space that’s quietly costing your clinic thousands in lost revenue every single month. And the worst part? You don’t even know it’s happening. Let’s talk about the patients you never see. These aren’t the ones who cancel last-minute or forget their follow-ups. These are the ones who never make it to your inbox, your phone line, or your waiting room, because your digital presence didn’t show up when they needed you most. Whether you're a family clinic, regional hospital, therapist, chiropractor, or dentist, the story is the same: today's patients don’t discover you through billboards or blind trust. They find you through a screen. And in those crucial first moments, those 7 seconds on your homepage or the instant scan of your Google profile, they're making a decision: Do I trust you enough to take the next step? Or do I go back and click on the next clinic that actually looks ready for me? Why You’re Invisible (Even If You’re “Online”) Most clinics think: “We have a website. We’re on Google. We’re fine.” But in the digital world, “present” doesn’t mean “performing.” Here are five common signs your practice might be invisible to patients, even though you think you're visible: You’re not ranking for local search terms. If someone types “family doctor near me” or “chiropractor in [city],” and you’re not on page one, you’re not even in the race. Your site isn’t mobile-optimized and loads too slowly. Google data shows a 32% increase in bounce rate when page load time goes from 1 to 3 seconds. That means you're losing nearly 1 in 3 visitors before they see your services. Your listings are inconsistent across platforms. Different hours, phone numbers, or addresses across Google, Yelp, and Healthgrades create confusion and a loss of trust. You’re not generating (or responding to) patient reviews. 77% of patients use reviews as the first step in choosing a provider. If your latest review is from 2022, or worse, you haven’t replied to any, you’re sending a loud signal: “We’re not listening.” Your website doesn’t guide users to take action. A confusing layout, no visible “Book Now” button, outdated content, or missing contact information creates friction. Friction kills conversions. The Hidden Cost of Invisibility Every missed search result, every bounce, every unreadable mobile page = a lost patient. Lost patients mean: Lost recurring revenue Lost word-of-mouth growth Lower staff utilization Slower clinic expansion Higher reliance on paid ads or referral programs that no longer convert But here’s the bigger issue: You don’t know what you’ve lost, because you never saw them to begin with. Most practices only measure success by how many appointments they get. That’s like judging a leaky bucket by how much water it still holds… not realizing what’s been dripping out all day. How to Stop Losing the Patients You Can’t See Fixing this isn’t about hiring a massive team or blowing your budget. It’s about optimizing what you already have. Here’s where to start: ✅ Run a local SEO audit. Check where (and if) you appear on Google for relevant, high-intent searches in your area. ✅ Fix your Google Business Profile. Update hours, add new photos, respond to reviews, and make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) is consistent everywhere. ✅ Speed up your website. Run it through Google PageSpeed Insights. A fast-loading, mobile-friendly site isn’t a luxury; it’s the foundation of trust in 2024. ✅ Simplify your homepage. Within 7 seconds, a visitor should know: Who you help What you offer How to book ✅ Add trust triggers. Real photos of your clinic, short testimonials, clear “what to expect” sections, all reduce anxiety and build confidence. ✅ Track your drop-off points. Use heatmaps, scroll depth, and click tracking to understand where users are losing interest, and fix it fast. The Bottom Line: Patients Are Searching. The Question Is, Are You Being Found? You became a healthcare provider to help people. But in today’s world, care doesn’t start with a stethoscope; it starts with a search result. If your digital experience doesn’t match the level of care you provide, patients will never know how good you are. And you’ll keep losing business to competitors who look more prepared, even if they’re not. Want to Know What You’re Missing? We help clinics, hospitals, therapists, dentists, and chiropractors uncover the blind spots in their digital strategy, so they stop bleeding revenue from invisible gaps. Book a free visibility audit and let us show you: Where patients are slipping through the cracks How to fix your digital presence fast What steps can you take today to start converting more visitors into loyal patients?
By Pamela Bell August 20, 2025
You post on social media. You send the occasional newsletter. You even ran some paid ads once. But if someone asked, “Is your marketing working?” , could you confidently say yes? If you’re like most clinics, hospitals, or healthcare providers, the answer is: “I think so?” And that’s a problem. Hope Isn’t a Strategy (But That’s What Most Clinics Rely On) In the business of medicine, your marketing should work as hard as your staff does. But most providers operate with marketing strategies that are vague, disconnected, or just based on guesswork. You deserve better than that. Marketing isn’t about being louder. It’s about being clearer, more consistent, and more strategic. Let’s break it down. The 3 Critical Areas You Need to Evaluate If you’re serious about growing your practice, whether you’re a family clinic, dentist, regional hospital, or therapist, start here: 1. Your Website: Is It Helping or Hurting? Your website is more than a digital brochure. It’s your front desk, your referral hub, your 24/7 patient guide. Ask yourself: Can a new patient immediately understand what you offer, where you're located, and how to book? Is your phone number clickable on mobile? Does your homepage speak directly to your ideal patient , or is it filled with generic fluff? A confused patient is a lost patient. If your website isn’t clear, fast, and action-oriented, it’s not neutral; it’s hurting your business. 2. Your SEO: Are You Ranking Where It Counts? Even the best doctor in town is invisible if they don’t show up in search results. Check this now: Search “family doctor near me” or “dentist in [your city].” Do you show up? Or are you buried under 5 competitors and an ad for a health app? SEO isn’t about vanity metrics. It’s about local dominance and relevance. Your clinic should be in the top 3 results for the services you offer in the locations you serve. If you're not, you’re losing patients every single day. 3. Your Messaging: Does It Actually Convert? Marketing isn’t about sounding “professional.” It’s about making patients feel understood. Do your emails, ads, and posts speak to real patient fears, like long wait times, confusing processes, or cost uncertainty? Are you showing up as a helpful expert or just adding to the noise? Are your CTAs clear? (“Book Now,” “See Our Availability,” “Ask a Question”), or are you hiding them behind vague language like “Learn More”? Your content should do one of three things: ✔ Build trust ✔ Reduce confusion ✔ Move people closer to booking If it doesn’t do that, it’s filler, not marketing. The Hidden Cost of “Just Doing Something” When you run marketing without measuring it, you're not just wasting money. You're doing something worse: You're building false confidence. You think you're active. You think your Facebook posts are reaching people. You assume your ads are working because you got a few clicks. But without clear metrics, without a real strategy, you’re flying blind. That’s how clinics stay stuck at the same patient volume, same reputation, same revenue… year after year. What Real Marketing Looks Like It’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things, consistently, and with intention. Here’s what a high-performing healthcare marketing strategy includes: ✅ A fast, mobile-first website with clear CTAs ✅ Local SEO that gets you found on Google ✅ Reviews that build trust before patients even call ✅ Messaging that answers real questions and objections ✅ Analytics that show what’s working (and what’s not) You don’t need a big team. You need a smarter approach. Let’s Get Real About What’s Working, And What’s Wasting Your Time We’ve helped family clinics, hospitals, psychologists, and dentists get clarity on their marketing and see a real return. Start by asking the hard question: Is your marketing helping you grow, or just making noise? Then let’s talk. 👉 Request a Free Marketing Audit We’ll evaluate your website, SEO, and messaging to give you real insight, no fluff, no pressure, just answers. Because in healthcare, every patient counts. And every missed opportunity has a cost.
By Pamela Bell August 20, 2025
It’s the first thing potential patients see. It’s where referrals go to check your credibility. It’s what Google scans before deciding if you show up or stay buried. Yet for most clinics, the website is nothing more than a digital brochure collecting dust. In today’s healthcare landscape, that’s not just outdated. It’s dangerous. The Harsh Truth: Most Healthcare Websites Are Silent Killers of Growth Let’s be blunt. Your website is either converting or repelling. When patients land on your site, they’re usually: In pain In a hurry Looking for answers Making a decision right now They don’t want to scroll. They don’t want to read a novel. They want clarity, ease, and a clear next step. If your site doesn’t deliver all three within the first few seconds, they’re gone. Not later. Not maybe. Not after browsing. Gone. What Today’s Patients Expect (and What Most Clinics Still Get Wrong) 1. They want speed. If your site takes more than three seconds to load, you’re already losing up to 50% of traffic. Mobile users are especially impatient, and in healthcare, most searches are done on phones. 2. They want clarity. Does your homepage immediately say what you do, where you are, and how to book? Most clinics bury that info in sliders, generic mission statements, or three clicks deep into the menu. 3. They want control. Online booking should be a click away, not a “Call us now” button with no hours listed. If your form is broken, your buttons aren’t clickable on mobile, or your design looks like it’s from 2012, you’re signaling that your care might be just as outdated. Trust Is Built in Seconds, And Lost Just as Fast Your website is your first impression. It sets the tone before you ever speak to a patient. Yet so many providers forget that digital trust is built through: Clean, modern design Friendly, real photos of your staff Clear CTAs: “Book Now,” “Check Availability,” “Meet Your Doctor” FAQ sections that answer common questions before patients have to ask Patient testimonials with real names, faces, and stories This isn’t fluff, it’s conversion. Every single element either builds confidence or introduces doubt. Here’s What Your Website Should Be Doing (But Probably Isn’t) It should: Load in under 2 seconds Be optimized for mobile first Show your services, hours, phone number, and location above the fold Include direct booking options, no barriers, no confusion Contain real, relevant content that answers the exact questions your patients are Googling Track analytics to show where people drop off and what pages drive action If even two of these are missing, you’re not just underperforming, you’re leaking revenue daily. Your Website Isn’t a Brochure. It’s a Silent Salesperson. It doesn’t sleep. It doesn’t take breaks. It works on nights, weekends, and holidays. It’s the one “staff member” every clinic has, but most ignore. If your in-person front desk treated patients the way your site does, how long would they stay? Your website should: Greet visitors warmly Offer clear next steps Answer questions with ease Make the decision to book feel effortless If it’s not doing that, it’s working against you, not for you. The Fix Isn’t Fancy. It’s Strategic. You don’t need a million-dollar redesign. You need a purpose-built site that: ✅ Converts mobile users into booked appointments ✅ Aligns with your SEO strategy ✅ Matches your clinic’s tone and brand ✅ Supports your staff by reducing call volume and repetitive questions ✅ Turns traffic into trust And yes, it should look modern, too. A visually outdated site implies outdated care, even if your team is world-class. Let’s Stop the Silent Revenue Loss You wouldn’t let your front door be locked during business hours. You wouldn’t let your phone line go unanswered. But that’s exactly what’s happening when your website isn’t performing. We’ve helped family clinics, psychologists, hospitals, and specialists turn their websites into growth machines, not liabilities. Let’s do the same for you. 👉 Request a Free Website Audit We’ll analyze your site’s speed, conversion, mobile experience, messaging, and SEO, all in one report. It’s time to stop wondering and start winning.
Show More