Using automations to manage your deals

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Using Automations to Manage Your Deals

ActiveCampaign provides a powerful way to improve your sales processes through its automation features. Automations streamline your workflow and enhance productivity by allowing you to manage and organize your Deals CRM pipeline effectively. This article will guide you on how to utilize these features to set up automations for managing your deals efficiently.

Introduction

Automations in ActiveCampaign revolutionize how you handle deals by automating key aspects of deal management. By leveraging these tools, businesses can ensure that leads are nurtured at every step of the sales process, from initial contact to closing the deal. This not only saves time but also enhances the likelihood of converting potential clients by maintaining consistent communication and follow-ups. With automations, you can set triggers based on actions taken by your contacts, making your sales strategy much more dynamic and adaptable.

How to Access This Feature

To start using automations for managing your deals:

1. Log in to your ActiveCampaign account. 2. Navigate to the Deals section from the main menu. 3. Within the Deals interface, select Automations to begin configuring your automation tasks.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1. 1. 1. Creating or Updating a Deal with an Automation

You can automate the creation of deals based on certain user actions:

1. In the Automation Builder, use the Add a deal action to create a deal for a contact after a specified behavior, such as filling out a form or achieving a goal.

1. 1. 1. 1. Setting Triggers for Different Deal Events

ActiveCampaign allows you to set various triggers for automations based on deal events. Here’s how to do it:

1. **When a Deal Score Changes**

  - In the Automation Builder, select the Score changes trigger.
  - Choose the desired score you wish to use.
  - Select the score that will cause the trigger in the Changes to be dropdown.
  - Decide whether the automation should run once or multiple times using the Runs dropdown.
  - Click Save.

2. **When the Deal is Created**

  - Select the Enters a pipeline trigger.
  - Choose the pipeline name.
  - Use the Runs dropdown to select if the automation will run once or multiple times.
  - Click Save.

3. **When the Deal Stage Changes**

  - Choose the Deal stage changes trigger.
  - Select the Contact moves from stage and designate the stage name in the dropdown.
  - Select the To Stage dropdown and choose the new stage.
  - Indicate if the automation runs once or multiple times in the Runs dropdown.
  - Click Save.

4. **When the Deal Status Changes (Open, Won, Lost)**

  - In the Automation Builder, choose the Deal status changes trigger.
  - Select a status from the Deal status changes to dropdown.
  - Use the Runs dropdown to choose the frequency of automation runs.

5. **When a Deal Task is Created or Marked as Complete**

  - To add a contact upon task creation or completion, expand the options in the Add a Task modal by clicking Show more options.
  - Select Trigger an automation, choose the automation to trigger, and specify if it will trigger on task creation or completion.

6. **When a 1:1 Email is Sent or Replied To**

  - Click the email address of a contact from the deal details page.
  - Enter the subject and message in the email composer.
  - Click the Automate this email icon.
  - In the modal that appears, select the automation to activate and choose whether the trigger occurs when you send the email or when they reply.
  - Click Save.

1. 1. 1. 1. Dynamically Adjusting a Deal Score

With the Adjust a deal score action, you can dynamically modify deal scores based on interactions or behaviors:

- Each time a specific behavior occurs, you can add or subtract points from a deal score using this action.

Configuration Options and Settings

While setting up automations for managing your deals, several important configuration options are available:

- **Score changes** - **Enters a pipeline** - **Deal stage changes** - **Deal status changes** - **Task creation/completion triggers** - **Email sending/reply triggers**

Utilizing these configurations allows users to create highly tailored automations that meet their unique sales workflows and objectives.

Best Practices and Tips

- Regularly review and test your automations to ensure they function as expected. - Use clear and concise naming conventions for automations to ease future edits and access. - Consider segmenting contacts based on their deal stages or engagement levels to refine your communication. - Set appropriate triggers that avoid overwhelming your contacts with too frequent messages.

Common Use Cases with Examples

1. **Automated Follow-Ups**: Trigger an email reminder to the sales team when a deal score reaches a specific threshold, prompting them to reach out to the contact.

2. **Deal Stage Management**: Automatically notify your customer success team when a deal moves to the "Won" stage, ensuring timely follow-up for onboarding.

3. **Engagement Tracking**: Use the automations to trigger educational emails after a deal has been lost to nurture the contact for potential future opportunities.

Troubleshooting Section

If you encounter issues while setting up or managing your automations, consider the following steps:

- Ensure that all triggers are configured correctly as per the specifications provided. - Double-check the selected actions and conditions within the automation to confirm they align with your objectives. - Verify if automation is enabled and activated after saving. - Consult ActiveCampaign’s resources or customer support for further assistance.

Related Features

- Deals - Automation

FAQ

1. What are deal triggers in ActiveCampaign automations?

  Deal triggers initiate automations when specific actions are taken by your contacts regarding their deals.

2. How do I create a deal using automation?

  You can create a deal as part of an automation by using the Add a deal action in the Automation Builder.

3. Can I edit an existing automation?

  Yes, navigate to your automation in the Automations section, and you can make modifications as needed.

4. What does the "Runs" option do in automation triggers?

  The Runs option allows you to specify whether the automation should run once or multiple times upon the trigger event.

5. How do I dynamically adjust a deal score?

  Use the Adjust a deal score action in your automations to increase or decrease the score based on specific behaviors or interactions.

6. Can I see my automation's performance metrics?

  Yes, ActiveCampaign provides insights on how your automations are performing, helping you assess their impact.

7. Where can I learn more about setting up automations?

  Explore additional resources and workshops available on the ActiveCampaign website to enhance your skills in automation management. 

By leveraging automations in ActiveCampaign, you can optimize your sales pipeline effectively, enhance communication with your contacts, and ultimately drive better outcomes for your business.