A new era of marketing automation has begun with the proliferation of connected devices. Whether it’s a smartwatch, delivery truck sensor, smart home, or in-store beacon, the Internet of Things (IoT) has enabled the direct collection of real-time behavioural data from consumers’ physical surroundings.
Businesses can send contextual, hyper-personalised campaigns that are triggered by real-time customer behaviour when this data is integrated with Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC).
We at MetroMax Solutions assist businesses in the fintech, logistics, retail, healthcare, and tech services sectors in achieving this potent combination. Here are some ways your company can use IoT marketing automation to boost revenue, improve engagement, and make wiser decisions.
Why Is Contextual Marketing Critical In A Connected World?
Commonly, static campaigns become ineffective when consumers switch between platforms, devices, and locations. Contextual marketing bridges that gap by utilising data from sensors and smart devices to react instantly to consumer behaviour.
This is why it’s important:
- Real-time Delivery Of Pertinent Messages: Brands can customise offers or alerts based on the location, activity, or recent interactions of their customers rather than sending them generic emails.
- Better User Experience: Context-aware content is perceived as beneficial rather than invasive. The message adds value. No matter if it’s a personalised in-store discount. Or a reminder to refill a prescription.
- Increased Engagement And Return On Investment: Open rates, click-throughs, and conversions all rise in tandem with timing and relevance, increasing the efficacy of any campaign.
According to McKinsey, businesses that utilise personalised marketing can increase sales by 5–15%. And enhance marketing effectiveness by 10%–30%.
How Can Integrating IoT With SFMC Transform Your Marketing Strategy?
There are a ton of automation possibilities when IoT data is connected to Salesforce Marketing Cloud. It enables companies to develop real-time customer journeys that react immediately to actions taken in the real world.
Principal advantages consist of:
- Ingestion And Processing Of Data In Real-time: Gathering behavioural cues from smart devices and sending them straight to SFMC helps you take prompt action.
- Behaviour-driven Customer Journeys: Customer journeys that are behaviour-driven are those that are automatically started in response to real customer actions, such as entering a store, scanning a QR code, or turning on a gadget.
- AI-powered Predictive Personalisation: SFMC’s Einstein AI predicts client needs and presents offers or content before they even ask.
- Engagement Across Touchpoints Via Omnichannel: Using a single real-world event as the basis, send coordinated messages via email, SMS, push, and in-app notifications.
- Operational Efficiency Through Automation: Let device data initiate updates, segmentation, and messaging automatically to minimise manual labour.
What Are Some Innovative Ways To Connect IoT Data With SFMC?
Converting in-person interactions into useful insights is a challenge for many businesses. You can use SFMC’s automation features and IoT data integration tools to make your data work for you without overburdening your marketing team.
IoT data can be connected to Salesforce Marketing Cloud in the following ways:
1. Use cloud platforms to stream IoT data
To gather and route data from devices, use platforms such as Google Cloud IoT Core, Azure IoT Hub, or AWS IoT. These platforms serve as middleware, preparing structured event data for your marketing tools, such as temperature changes or motion detection.
2. Utilise webhooks and APIs to start campaigns
SFMC uses webhooks and the Event API to support real-time triggers. This enables you to start a campaign or journey as soon as a device reports activity, such as when a car sensor detects engine trouble or a fitness band records a milestone.
3. Use Einstein AI to send more intelligent messages
You can automate decisions about timing, content, and channel by using SFMC’s built-in AI engine, which can analyse usage data from connected devices to predict which message a customer is most likely to engage with.
4. Turn on location-based triggers
Businesses can send messages when customers enter or exit designated areas using beacons, geofencing, or RFID. Send a reminder as a customer approaches a service centre, for instance, or a push notification when someone enters a store.
5. Connect CRM profiles to smart devices
You can create more detailed profiles by connecting wearables, smart appliances, and home automation systems with Salesforce’s CRM. This implies that advertising campaigns can show not only the past purchases but also the actual ways in which customers use your product.
What Are The Best Use Cases For IoT + SFMC Across industries?
IoT marketing automation is being used in various ways by various industries to achieve their objectives. Here are some actual instances of how SFMC and connected data provide value:
Retail
- Send Location-based Offers: Send a push notification via an app or SMS to customers who enter a physical store with a temporary discount on items they have perused online.
- Track In-store Behaviour For Personalisation: Make use of in-store beacons to keep tabs on customer movements and send out email product recommendations based on the aisles they have visited.
- Recover Abandoned Carts In Real Life: This can be done by sending a customised follow-up email with deals on the products the customer interacted with if they depart without checking out.
Healthcare
- Remind Patients About Their Medications: Send a gentle SMS reminder if a connected pill dispenser is not opened at all or is opened late.
- Keep An Eye On Health Indicators For Notifications: Wearables can transmit heart rate or blood pressure data; when thresholds are exceeded, they will automatically notify the patient or their caregiver.
- Provide Wellness Content: Send out personalised advice and instructional materials by email based on information such as activity levels.
Fintech
- Alert Clients To Any Questionable Activity: SFMC can immediately issue alerts if payment systems connected to the Internet of Things identify an odd transaction.
- Gamify Financial Objectives: This can be done by using smart budgeting tools to monitor spending or savings progress and by sending out congratulations when milestones are reached.
- Provide Advice Based On Current Spending Patterns: Send alerts with tools or advice for budgeting if smart data indicates excessive spending.
Logistics
- Inform Clients In Real Time: As deliveries get closer, GPS-enabled fleet tracking can send out email or SMS updates.
- Boost Driver Safety: This can be done by sending in-app coaching or training materials when onboard sensors identify unsafe driving practices.
- Maintain Cargo Integrity: If temperature thresholds are crossed, sensors keeping an eye on cold-chain conditions may sound an alarm.
Technology Services
- Proactively Support Devices: This can be done by launching a journey that offers self-help resources or scheduling support when a smart product logs an error.
- Promote Feature Usage: This can be done by keeping track of underutilised features and sending out in-app messages and tooltips, or training.
- Real-time Engagement-based Upselling: Provide premium features, upgrades, or device expansions if usage reaches a certain level.
Which SFMC Features Are Built For IoT Campaigns?
A strong set of tools from SFMC is intended to facilitate real-time marketing automation using real-time data streams from Internet of Things devices.
- Builder Of Journeys: Using IoT sensors, devices, or apps, create dynamic, behaviour-driven journeys that react instantly to consumer activity.
- The Studio Of Interaction: To send tailored messages based on real-time actions, track consumer behaviour across devices, channels, and environments.
- The AI Of Einstein: Utilise AI to automatically choose the optimal message, delivery time, and channel for every client based on their device usage patterns.
- Studio Mobile: Provide users with direct SMS, push notifications, and app alerts based on information from their smart devices, such as location, usage, or alerts.
- Automation Workspace: Create backend processes that take in IoT data, convert it into formats that can be used, and then immediately start campaigns, segmentation, or updates.
What Common IoT-SFMC Integration Challenges Should You Prepare For?
Even though the advantages are numerous, there may be a number of challenges when incorporating IoT into your marketing plan. Here are some challenges and how MetroMax Solutions assists in overcoming them:
- Different Data Sources: To guarantee consistency and dependability, we use cloud connectors and Salesforce CDP to create unified data frameworks.
- Response Latency: To reduce the time lag between a customer’s action and a marketing response, our solutions employ low-latency, event-based triggers.
- Complexity Of Middleware And APIs: We create unique middleware connectors and APIs that grow and adapt to your technology stack.
- Regulatory Compliance: To safeguard private client and device data, every implementation complies with GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA regulations.
- Limited Internal Expertise: To free up your team to concentrate on core marketing efforts and competencies, we offer comprehensive consulting, development, and support services.
According to Gartner, real-time analytics and personalisation will be used in over 30% of IoT projects by 2025, necessitating smooth marketing integration.
Why Is MetroMax Solutions The Right Partner For SFMC + IoT Integration?
At MetroMax Solutions, we assist you in integrating marketing automation with IoT data so that you can deliver the right message to your customers at the right time.
What makes us unique is this:
- Over 25 years of expertise in CRM strategy, automation, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud deployment.
- Extensive background in fintech, logistics, healthcare, retail, and tech services.
- Models for scalable outsourcing with developers and strategists based in the United States.
- Proficiency in developing APIs, integrating IoT data, and orchestrating real-time marketing.
- Clear pricing and strategic advice based on your stage of development.
Final Comments
Nowadays, real-time marketing is a competitive advantage rather than an option. You can design customised journeys that are triggered by routine customer interactions by utilising Salesforce Marketing Cloud and IoT marketing automation.
MetroMax Solutions is prepared to assist you in spearheading that change.
