Marketing Automation for Solopreneurs: Work Smarter, Not Harder
- Kisha Velazquez
- Apr 13
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 16
What's in the Post
As a solopreneur or founder of an early-stage business, your time is your most valuable asset. What if you could automate repetitive marketing tasks while making your customer communications more personal, not less?
In this article, I share practical automation strategies from my recent workshop with marketing leader and Rishari founder Corey Washington that can help you scale your business without scaling your team.
Key Moments in this Recording
15:00 What Marketing Automation IS and IS NOT
28:00 Demo: AI Generated Sales Response on Web Form Submission
45:01 Picking the Right Tool for Your Business Challenges and Goals
Why Marketing Automation Matters Now More Than Ever
If you're running a business on your own or with a small team, you're likely wearing multiple hats - from sales and marketing to operations and customer service. The good news? 98% of marketers say automation is vital to their success, and it's not just for big companies anymore.
Today's tools make it possible for solopreneurs and small businesses to automate key marketing processes without breaking the bank. In fact, most of the solutions I'll discuss can be implemented for less than $50 per month.
What Marketing Automation Is (And Isn't)
Before diving into the how-to, let's clarify what we're talking about:
Marketing automation is:
A way to manage processes and campaigns automatically
A method to streamline time-consuming tasks
A tool to build personalized experiences for customers
A system to strengthen your insights with better data collection
Marketing automation is NOT:
A replacement for your skills or expertise
The human touch in your business
A complete solution for every marketing problem
The goal is to automate repetitive tasks so you can focus on the creative, strategic work that allows you to work in your zone of genius. And with tools like AI agents and platforms like HubSpot, even the smallest teams can provide an enterprise-level of service and personalization that customers expect.
Practical Automation Ideas You Can Implement Today
1. Automate Lead Communications
What it looks like in practice: When someone fills out a form on your website, they automatically receive a personalized response based on their specific needs or questions.
How to set it up:
Create a web form in a tool like HubSpot (free version works)
Connect it to an AI tool via Zapier ($29/month)
Set up templates that pull in the visitor's name, role, and specific challenge
Automatically send a personalized response that addresses their exact needs
The impact: Immediate response to potential clients without you having to manually craft emails at all hours of the day.
2. Automate Customer Touchpoints
What it looks like in practice: As your project or customer relationship reaches different milestones, automated messages keep clients informed and engaged.
How to set it up:
Use a project management tool like Monday.com, Asana, or ClickUp
Set up automation triggers at key project milestones
Create template messages for each milestone
Connect your PM tool to your email system via Zapier
The impact: Consistent client communication without having to remember to send updates manually.
3. Automate Testimonial Collection
What it looks like in practice: When a project concludes successfully, the client automatically receives a satisfaction survey, and if they give positive feedback, they're invited to record a video testimonial.
How to set it up:
Create a project completion trigger in your PM tool
Connect it to a survey tool like Google Forms or Typeform
Set up a conditional that sends video testimonial requests (via tools like Boast or StoryPrompt) only to happy clients
Collect testimonials without awkward asks
The impact: A steady stream of social proof without having to chase clients down after the project.
4. Implement AI-Powered Chat Support
What it looks like in practice: Visitors to your website can get immediate answers to common questions, even when you're sleeping.
How to set it up:
Gather your FAQ content, pricing details, and support documentation
Feed this information into an AI chatbot tool
Install the chatbot on your website
Train it to understand and answer common questions
The impact: 24/7 support for prospects and customers without hiring a support team.
5. Create Automated Customer Segmentation
What it looks like in practice: As contacts engage with your business, they're automatically sorted into groups based on their interests, challenges, and behaviors.
How to set it up:
Use web form data to collect information about roles, challenges, and interests
Set up automated lists in tools like HubSpot or ActiveCampaign
Create triggers based on website behavior (like visiting a specific page multiple times)
Deliver targeted content based on these segments
The impact: More relevant communications that speak directly to your contacts' specific needs and interests.
Marketing Automations Tools That Won't Break the Bank
The best part about modern marketing automation is that it's accessible to businesses of all sizes. Here are some affordable tools that can help you get started:
Marketing Automation Platforms:
HubSpot (free plan available)
ActiveCampaign (starts at $9/month)
Integration Tools:
Zapier ($29/month)
AI Chat & Support:
ChatBot
ManyChat (for social media automation)
Project Management:
Asana
ClickUp
Surveys & Testimonials:
Google Forms (free)
Typeform
Boast
StoryPrompt
The Human Element: Using AI Effectively
As powerful as automation is, the human touch remains crucial. The key is using AI and automation to handle repetitive tasks while you focus on building real relationships.
When implementing any AI solution:
Ensure content speaks your brand's language
Review AI-generated messages before sending (especially at first)
Use automation to be more personal, not less
Focus on building trust and authenticity
A Simple Example: Automated Yet Personal Follow-ups
Let me walk you through a real example. When someone fills out a form on your website expressing interest in your services:
They include their name, role, and specific challenge (e.g., "struggling with creating content consistently")
Your automation system immediately creates a personalized email addressing:
Their specific challenge
Why it matters for someone in their role
How your solution could help
The subject line directly references their challenge: "Overcoming your content creation challenges"
The message feels personal because it's tailored specifically to them
Total cost to implement this system? About $50/month with HubSpot and Zapier. Time saved? Countless hours of manual follow-ups.
Getting Started: Your Next Steps
If you're new to marketing automation, the best approach is to start small:
Identify one repetitive task that's taking up your time (like sending initial responses to inquiries)
Choose the right tools for that specific task
Set up a simple automation flow
Test, refine, and expand
Remember, the goal isn't to automate everything at once, but to strategically free up your time for the work that truly requires your unique talents.
Ready to Scale Your Marketing Without Scaling Your Team?
To grow your busines you have to scale your operations. It's a delicate dance to increase your revenue while managing the growing costs of increasing headcount. If you're tired of being the "little octopus" in your business (doing everything yourself), marketing automation could be your path to growth without burnout.
Let's discuss how I can help you sustainably scale your marketing and your business. With the right automation strategy, you can deliver more meaningful touchpoints to customers without working more hours.
