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IT and technology companies have come a long way since the simple days of the 90’s. 92% of companies are or are expected to adopt multi-cloud strategies this year. Spending on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) will approach $300 billion this year. And the MSP market is expected to reach $787.18 billion by 2033, up from an already impressive $340.59 billion in 2024.
This success also means your market is competitive. And with limited time, budget, and resources, you know you need to fill your sales pipeline to keep up and keep growing, but how?
That’s where an effective digital marketing strategy powered by automation becomes a competitive advantage.
When used strategically, marketing automation saves time and also helps you build a scalable, repeatable funnel that attracts qualified leads, nurtures them with relevant content, and converts them into paying customers.
Ahead, you'll learn how to build a complete B2B tech marketing funnel using automation—step by step—and how it fits into your broader digital marketing strategy.
The first step in any successful digital marketing strategy is clarity. You need to understand your buyer’s journey so you can match the right message to the right moment.
If you haven’t already, develop detailed personas of your ideal buyer profile. Depending on your business, you may have several, but these personas should outline your buyers’ challenges, needs, wants, and desires. Once built, you can revise them or add new ones at any time, but they’re critically important. Personas guide your marketing strategy, your content, and how you’ll tailor your messages as they move throughout your B2B marketing funnel.
A typical B2B funnel has three stages:
Top of Funnel (TOF): Awareness
In this stage, leads are just becoming aware of their problems and potential solutions.
Middle of Funnel (MOF): Consideration
Here in the middle, leads are comparing solutions and evaluating providers like you.
Bottom of Funnel (BOF): Decision
Finally, leads are ready to buy and need the right push to convert.
Each stage needs content, touchpoints, and automated actions that move the lead one step closer to becoming a customer.
An effective digital marketing strategy starts by capturing attention. At the top of the funnel, your goal is to attract potential buyers with valuable educational content.
Some examples of lead magnet content for tech companies and MSPs include:
“5 Cybersecurity Mistakes SMBs Make” (Blog)
“IT Audit Checklist” (PDF)
“Free Network Security Assessment” (Offer)
Automate it: Use a platform like HubSpot to create landing pages to gate longer, more in-depth resources like guides and eBooks, or designed handouts, like checklists. This process has its own funnel: a prospect will visit your site and read content, such as a blog post or a relevant website page. You’ll place a call to action (CTA) graphic on these pages and blogs, inviting them to dive deeper through one of these longer resources.
Once they click on the CTA, they’ll move to a landing page. On the landing page, once a visitor fills out the form, this action can deliver the gated content and trigger a welcome email sequence automatically.
Once leads are in your system, your digital marketing strategy should shift to nurturing. This is where marketing automation really shines.
Automated email sequences can deliver:
Case studies relevant to their industry
Explainers on the ROI of managed IT services
Webinar invites or demo videos
How to do it: Segment your audience by interest or job role and create tailored nurture paths. Tools like HubSpot can automatically deliver the right content at the right time.
A strong digital marketing strategy uses data, not guesswork. Lead scoring allows you to automatically assess how “warm” a lead is based on their behavior.
For example:
Opened an email = +5 points
Visited your pricing page = +15 points
Downloaded a case study = +20 points
When a lead reaches a threshold (say 50 points), notify your sales team or shift them to a bottom-of-funnel automation flow.
This ensures that your sales team is only engaging with qualified, ready-to-buy prospects.
Once a lead is sales-ready, automation can still play a key role, especially in tailoring outreach to the lead and removing friction.
At this stage, automation can help:
Send tailored BOF emails with testimonials or ROI stats
Trigger demo invitations or sales meeting requests
Show targeted ads (via retargeting) based on CRM data
Make it easy to convert: Integrate booking tools like Calendly into your funnel so prospects can schedule a call without back-and-forth emails.
Automation without CRM integration is like a car with no engine. To make your digital marketing strategy truly effective, sync your automation platform with your CRM.
Automated CRM tasks may include:
Creating new contact records from form fills
Logging email opens, clicks, and website activity
Triggering sales alerts when prospects take high-intent actions
Platforms like HubSpot make this seamless.
The best digital marketing strategies are iterative. Use analytics to identify bottlenecks in your funnel and areas where automation can improve conversion.
Key metrics to monitor:
Conversion rate on landing pages
Email open and click-through rates
Funnel progression (TOF → MOF → BOF)
Cost per qualified lead
Use A/B testing to refine your messaging, subject lines, and content offers. Over time, automation will do the heavy lifting—so you can focus on results, not repetition.
After vetting and working in several marketing, sales, and service tools, we recommend HubSpot to all our clients. From a centralized CRM for unified data to integrated marketing tools for seamless campaigns and built-in analytics for continuous improvement, HubSpot provides a suite of tools that can help align your team's efforts, reduce inefficiencies, and present a unified front. When you’ve heard business professionals giddy over tool selection, platform integration, and process automation, you know they’re happy with HubSpot as their choice.
HubSpot’s tools include:
HubSpot CRM: Unites marketing, sales, and service on one platform.
HubSpot Marketing: The marketing automation tool that lets you attract, nurture, create, execute, analyze, and everything in between.
HubSpot Sales: HubSpot’s sales tool lets you communicate, quote, connect, track, report, forecast, and more.
HubSpot Service: The service delivery tool that lets you communicate, help, ticket, track, report, survey, and everything in between.
HubSpot Web (CMS): A content management system that doesn't require plug-ins or developers to manage. Build, track, edit, optimize, report, and more.
HubSpot Operations: Take your HubSpot platform to the next level with enhanced operational efficiencies, processes, and automation.
Read the blog: Why HubSpot is the Key to Scaling Your Marketing Efforts This Year
A well-built B2B marketing funnel doesn’t just automate busy work; it builds real relationships at scale. And that’s the true power of a smart digital marketing strategy.
For MSPs and tech businesses, automation means less time chasing leads—and more time closing deals. But remember, not everything should be automated. The best strategies balance tech with the human touch, especially during the sales conversation.
Our advice: start small. Focus on one part of your funnel. Then build out from there.
A great partner will also ensure you've got the right tools, you're making the right investment, and that your business is set up for success. At MarketDesignCo, we combine a passion for marketing and love of technology with a commitment to operational alignment, enabling our clients to compete, grow, and thrive in today's crowded IT market.
