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The Best Marketing Automation Software Companies of 2020
How We Chose the Best Marketing Automation Software
Because every company is unique and has specific needs, we looked at a variety of marketing automation software with differing features and capabilities. But in order to make our list, companies had to meet our high standards for three main services — campaign management, lead management, and ROI tracking.
Campaign Management
For many companies, the ability to build, design, publish and segment online marketing campaigns are crucial elements to marketing automation. Without these built-in options, companies struggle to coordinate marketing efforts across channels, such as social media, search, mobile and other digital channels.
Lead Management
Marketing software should integrate the ability to automatically segment, track and store data about potential customers or leads. Building a sales funnel relies on the ability to see the customer’s journey and provide the best information, at the right time. For that reason, we focus on marketing automation software that enables easy communication with prospects at every point along the buyer’s journey.
ROI Tracking
Demonstrating value is one of the basics in marketing, and automation software is no exception. Sophisticated reporting should include ROI tracking that displays conversion rates, campaign effectiveness and profitability, making it easier for businesses to more rapidly make marketing investment decisions. The best marketing automation systems also track emerging trends among prospects, giving businesses a more agile response to changes in customer behavior.
The 15 Best Marketing Automation Software of 2020
| Company | Price | Free Trial / Demo | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act-On | $900 per month or Custom Quote | Demo | Visit Act-On |
| ActiveCampaign | $9 per month or Custom Quote | Free trial, demo | Visit ActiveCampaign |
| ActiveDEMAND | $15-$199 per month | Demo | Visit ActiveDEMAND |
| AWeber | Free - $149 per month | Free version | Visit AWeber |
| Constant Contact | $20-$45 per month | Free trial | Visit Constant Contact |
| Drip | Starts at $19 per month | Free trial, demo | Visit Drip |
| GetResponse | $15 per month or Custom Quote | Free trial | Visit GetResponse |
| HubSpot | $40-$3,750 per month | Free trial | Visit HubSpot |
| Infusionsoft | Starts at $199 per month | Free trial | Visit Infusionsoft |
| Ontraport | $79-$497 per month | Free trial | Visit Ontraport |
| Pardot | $1,250 - $15,000 | Demo | Visit Pardot |
| Salesforce | $50 per month per user - $4000 per month | Demo | Visit Salesforce |
| SharpSpring | $550 per month or Custom Quote | Demo | Visit SharpSpring |
| Sprinklr | Custom Quote | Demo | Visit Sprinklr |
| Zoho Campaigns | $60 per user per month | Free trial | Visit Zoho Campaigns |
Act-On
Act-On is a growth marketing platform that uses a variety of features to streamline creation, deployment and tracking for marketing campaigns. Features include:
- Publication and design automation. Through this platform, businesses can quickly create and publish landing pages complete with a targeted call to action, customized forms and direct messages.
- Marketing performance and ROI tracking. Analytics and reporting is prepackaged with the software, making it easy to generate reports and look at the value proposition for every campaign.
- Custom prospect segment creation. Separate contact lists quickly and by shared traits, allowing marketers to design targeted messaging that more closely aligns with customer’s needs.
- Automatic scoring of new and existing leads. Capture data surrounding each potential customer, generating individual scores based on business-selected criteria, sorting each lead based on level of quality, and allowing marketing teams to follow up personally with the highest-qualified opportunities.
Act-On offers a free demo so that businesses can see how the platform works, and how to deploy it internally.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| $900 per month - Custom Quote | Demo | >Web-based deployment |
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| >Lead scoring | ||
| >More features at Act-On | ||
Pros & Cons of Act-On Marketing Automation Software
Act-On includes web design software and automated publishing to streamline the process of getting new content out, along with the ability to customize your marketing funnel using an easy drag-and-drop design tool. The open API is another benefit, enabling quick integration with other software programs used within the company. The web page builder may have a steep learning curve, and social media tools could use some additional functionality.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Includes web page building and publishing | >Social media marketing suite could have a more comprehensive package |
| >Drag-and-drop campaign mapping tool | >Web page builder could be more intuitive |
| >Open API for easy integration with other operational software |
What Customers Are Saying
Customers often comment about the ease of use and rapid development for new tools with Act-On. One user notes, “I’ve used Act-On for many years and enjoy the ease of use, their great metrics and the intuitive interface. This is a product I can’t recommend enough.”
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign automates marketing by allowing you to create a contact map for potential leads. When a prospect lands on one of your pages, you can automate follow-up emails and customize each contact based on the source. This process seamlessly combines marketing automation with segmentation, so each lead gets the right follow up, on the right schedule. Automation chains are intuitive to build, allowing you to create increasingly complex communications.
Clear attribution tracking that monitors a buyer’s journey from start to finish builds ROI analytics right into the platform, and helps illustrate which parts of the campaign were most successful.
A demo version of the software is available for free, so you can get a feel for the interface and how it works before buying, and you can also use a free trial to see how the software adds value to your company.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Customer attribution | ||
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| $9-$229 per month | Free trial, demo | >Drip campaigns |
| >More features at ActiveCampaign |
Pros & Cons of ActiveCampaign Marketing Automation Software
With ActiveCampaign, customers can create customized marketing campaigns using the drag-and-drop design tool and easily integrate with third-party software for an all-in-one solution. Both CRM and sales automation are also available. Plans have strict limits on the number of contacts available per tier.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Drag-and-drop customization for campaign management | >Most affordable plan only supports a maximum of 500 contacts |
| >Includes CRM and sales automation with Pro and Enterprise packages | |
| >Easy and intuitive app integration |
What Customers Are Saying
Customers rave about the exceptional customer service provided by ActiveCampaign, with one user writing, “When we first launched … I had no idea of how to market online. Kelly, our account rep, walked side by side with us. The level of service and support that we receive to this day is unparalleled.”
ActiveDEMAND
With ActiveDEMAND, businesses can transition between digital channels and direct calls, all through the same automation platform. Some of the available features include:
- Call tracking. With call tracking, businesses can automatically redirect calls, route incoming calls based on GEO IP ad and schedule SMS messages to a contact list.
- Campaign management. From drip campaigns to preloaded campaign templates that include social media outreach, the list of available tools is comprehensive and easy to manage.
- Landing page design. Use the onboard designer and available templates to quickly create dynamic content with built-in tracking. Custom web form creation is also part of the package for small business marketing automation and includes automated captcha to help grow a prospect list quickly.
- ROI analytics and reporting. Automated reports provide near-instant insight into prospect and contact behavior, visitor timelines and other key metrics.
ActiveDEMAND packs in a lot of features in its marketing automation software at price points that range between $15-$199 per month.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Dynamic content | ||
| >A/B testing | ||
| $15-$199 per month | Demo | >Unlimited users |
| >More features at ActiveDEMAND |
Pros & Cons of ActiveDEMAND Marketing Automation Software
ActiveDEMAND includes call tracking to create a marketing solution that provides digital and in-person communication. Preloaded integration options make it easy to move between operational software programs, while a variety of templates make web page design simple and effective. Lead scoring is unavailable without an upgraded package.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Includes call tracking in addition to digital automation | >Lead scoring is only available at the highest tier |
| >Offers templates for campaign management and web page building | |
| >Extensive list of software integration options preloaded |
What Customers Are Saying
Support and functionality get great ratings from ActiveDemand customers, with one writing, “The platform’s got great functionality and that’s important to get things done, but that’s only half the story. I’ve been really pleased with how ActiveDEMAND runs its support, the chat is super quick … .”
AWeber
AWeber is an infinitely scalable platform, with no limits on the number of contacts a business can use while expanding their reach. In addition to scalability, AWeber includes features like:
- Content creation and distribution tools. Part of the AWeber package is the ability to send unlimited email and use design templates for easy content creation.
- Landing page design. In addition to an array of templates, all customized for specific uses, AWeber provides thousands of images that can be used during design. Pro users can publish landing pages with no third-party branding.
- List building assistance. One of the foundations of digital marketing is the growth of a contact list. AWeber integrates custom forms and automated data collection to streamline the process.
- User tagged segmentation. You can select special tags for each lead, creating basic and custom segmentation within your mailing list.
- Advanced reporting available. Pro users can easily access a range of reports designed to show detailed information about customer responses and touchpoints.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Web visitor tracking | ||
| >Text/SMS marketing | ||
| Free-$149 per month | Free version | >A/B testing |
| >More features at AWeber |
Pros & Cons of AWeber
AWeber customers can grow from fewer than 500 contacts up to 25,000 on the same platform, all at affordable starting price points. Integrated eCommerce also allows point-to-point sales. The free version is very limited in functionality and offers a maximum of 500 contacts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Extensively scalable from fewer than 500 to more than 25,000 contacts | >Free version has limited functionality and is capped at 500 contacts |
| >Affordable price point with a free version for beginners | >Custom URLs for landing pages still in the planning stages |
| >Integrated eCommerce package |
What Customers Are Saying
Strong results are mentioned time and again when customers talk about AWeber, with one customer saying, “I am a big fan of email deliverability, and AWeber delivers! If a tool has tens of fancy features but can’t get emails delivered, the features are not of much value. AWeber focuses on deliverability, and that’s why we love using it.”
Constant Contact
While Constant Contact started as an email marketing tool, it now does a lot more. The campaign management tools include everything from a logo maker, to design your company logo or logos for specific products, to a full-service eCommerce platform to streamline selling. While pricing is based on the size of your contact list, all packages come with unlimited sends to every contact on your list and automated resends when an email isn’t opened the first time. Other tools include the ability to perform A/B testing for subject lines and use customizable templates to create professional-looking content.
eCommerce marketing with customizable pop-up forms is part of the Plus package, along with event RSVPs and the ability to schedule new customer consultations and collect survey information.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| $20-$45 per month | Free trial | >10 users |
| >Dynamic content | ||
| >Third-party integrations | ||
| >More features at Constant Contact |
Pros & Cons of Constant Contact Marketing Automation Software
Constant Contact provides a comprehensive marketing platform with an expansive catalog of templates to design unique marketing materials. Integrated eCommerce includes an online payment system for streamlined setup. All tiers advertise pricing with a maximum of 500 contacts displayed.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Affordable and comprehensive marketing platform | >Advertised pricing is for a maximum of 500 contacts. Total price can exceed $335 per month. |
| >Extensive library of content templates | |
| >eCommerce integrations with online payments |
What Customers Are Saying
Exceptional functionality is a plus for Constant Contact users who comment that, “Constant Contact works well for emailing large groups. I particularly like the analytic information it provides on recipients, specifically how many and who open it, how many and who click on content, and what specific content they click on.”
Drip
Drip marketing automation software combines a host of campaign management tools with customer insights and reporting to generate solid returns. Here are a few of the features included with the software:
- Tracks customer behavior and records events
- Automates segmentation
- Provides revenue attribution for every event
- Automations geared toward multiple channels, enabling management for a variety of campaigns and strategies
- Detailed email analytics allow marketing professionals to better customize messaging for each recipient
Pricing for Drip starts at an affordable $19 per month for unlimited users. With no user restrictions, the software encourages collaboration from the marketing team, allowing multiple professionals to weigh in on outcomes and ROI.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Lead scoring | ||
| >Segmentation | ||
| Starts at $19 per month | Free trial, demo | >Unlimited users |
| >More features at Drip |
Pros & Cons of Drip Marketing Automation Software
Drip includes custom tagging and a solid set of list segmentation tools to help create personalized content for different customers. Flexible integrations make adding a variety of other software packages simple. Split testing is limited and could be improved.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Allows custom tagging for easy list segmentation | >Limited split testing features |
| >Flexible integration to work with a variety of third-party software vendors | |
| >Creates personalized content for different digital channels |
What Customers Are Saying
Drip customers enthuse about its scalable platform and features. One wrote, “It is super user friendly and intuitive to use. It has a lot of advanced features that will help you scale your setup. In terms of functionality by rules and automations, the sky is the limit — it can pretty much do anything you want it to.”
GetResponse
GetResponse is an automated marketing solution designed to grow and flex with your business. Unlimited templates and a step-by-step guide to creating a sales funnel are just the start of the list of features offered through this software package. Users have access to campaign management tools that provide controls for an unlimited number of landing pages and lead funnels to drive sales.
At the Plus level, GetRespose adds some automations that can turn webinars and other online events into additional lead generation tools. More sales funnels, more users and the addition of contact scoring and tagging make this one of the most popular options. For those who need unlimited sales funnels and the ability to build unique digital products like paid webinars, the Professional level is available.
Pricing for GetResponse ranges from $15 per month up to a custom quote based on needed functionality and list size. All basic pricing assumes an email list of 1,000 contacts or fewer.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >5 users | ||
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| Starts at $15 per month | Free trial | >Landing page templates |
| >More features at GetResponse |
Pros & Cons of GetResponse Marketing Automation Software
GetResponse offers a robust selection of campaign management tools and an easy-to-use interface to kick start campaign building. The integration options have some bugs and may require support assistance to get everything working.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Robust campaign management tools | >Provided software integrations have some kinks |
| >Intuitive interface and easy-to-use strategies | |
| >Unlimited design options |
What Customers Are Saying
GetResponse has plenty of satisfied customers, with one saying, “It is an excellent platform for marketing automation, you can track the behavior of your customers to obtain the most relevant information so you will achieve a simplified workflow to enhance the increase in sales with personalized communication and establish optimal performance of everything [for] the work team.”
HubSpot
HubSpot combines marketing and media buys into a single, helpful platform loaded with optional features. Its free program includes:
- Email marketing tools
- Reporting dashboard
- Ad management
- Custom form generation
While paid services build on an already-robust platform to include key services, such as ad retargeting, list segmentation, conversational bots, SEO recommendations, A/B testing and much more. As your company grows, the available marketing products grow with you. HubSpot is an all-in-one solution for marketing online and includes ROI reporting and customized packages. At every level of service, you can always expand specific options a la carte, without the need to jump up to the next tier. Live support via chat is always on, and HubSpot is home to a comprehensive library of blogs to help you create effective marketing content.
With paid service starting at $40 per month, HubSpot isn’t the least expensive option, but the depth of service offered makes it a premium product in the marketing automation niche.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| >Drip campaigns | ||
| $40-$3,200 per month | Free trial | >Dynamic content |
| >More features at HubSpot |
Pros & Cons of HubSpot Marketing Automation Software
HubSpot offers social media and market segmentation as part of the standard automation package, along with a variety of options available a la carte. Extensive testing allows users to perform A/B tests on both subject lines and content. It’s one of the more expensive options for marketing automation.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Extensive testing options for content improvements | >Starting price is $40 per month, which is on the high end for the industry |
| >A la carte services available | |
| >Social media and market segmentation included |
What Customers Are Saying
HubSpot routinely lands positive reviews for its rich list of features, with one customer saying, “HubSpot’s Marketing Hub is everything you need for your social media publishing, monitoring and reporting. I love that it is an all in one tool and I can get everything that I need in one place. The platform is easy to use . . . .”
Infusionsoft
Infusionsoft is a powerhouse marketing automation software offered by Keap. As the highest-tier program available, it offers a comprehensive list of features, including:
- CRM management. While marketing automation doesn’t always have integrated CRM, when it does, it can help boost efforts to the next level. By combining CRM with marketing automation, you can target both new and existing customers with messages based on the individual’s history with your company.
- Automated messaging. By creating autoresponders triggered by prospect actions, Infusionsoft frees up time for sales team members to focus on buyers at the end of the sales funnel. The software takes care of welcome messages, follow-ups and other standard communications for you.
- Campaign management with lead segmentation. All lead activity automatically syncs to the dashboard, streamlining workflow and allowing for easier segmentation.
Pricing for Infusionsoft starts at $199 per month for a maximum of 500 contacts.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Segmentation | ||
| >Lead scoring | ||
| Starts at $199 per month | Free trial | >Social media marketing |
| >More features at Infusionsoft |
Pros & Cons of Infusionsoft Marketing Automation Software
Integrated CRM software and sales tracking are part of the Infusionsoft package, enabling better strategic planning. Expert coaching is available for those learning the software or new to digital marketing. Advertised prices only include a maximum of 500 contracts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Software package includes integrated CRM | >Maximum of 500 contacts at the top-tier level without a price increase |
| >Sales tracking and campaign management run side-by-side | |
| >Easy to use and expert coaching is available |
What Customers Are Saying
Customers praise Infusionsoft for its incredible features list and easy user interface. One customer wrote, “In my opinion, the heart of an automated marketing system is the campaign builder. The graphical interface makes it easy to see how each campaign is structured. The reporting shows statistics so you know how each element is performing.”
Ontraport
In the world of automation, Ontraport does it all. Business process automation, CRM, eCommerce, and, of course, marketing automation. Looking only at its marketing automation features, this software package has a lot to offer. Key features include:
- Campaign maps. See your marketing campaign laid out visually to catch any gaps and make changes quickly and easily.
- List segmentation. You control how to break down contact lists, allowing you to create customized responses based on consumer activity.
- Automated follow-up. All customers and prospects get a basic follow-up message sent out through the automated system. Then, the software uses If/Then rules to continue the process with more customized messaging.
- Conditional filtering. Send new prospects down one funnel based in their original touchpoint. Then, adjust automatically and reroute them using conditional filtering as they continue their buyer’s journey.
Ontraport offers a free trial and migration to get started. The four available service tiers cost between $79-$497, and prices go up depending on the number of contacts needed after exceeding the included amount.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| >Third-party integrations | ||
| $79-$497 | Free trial | >5 users |
| >More features at Ontraport |
Pros & Cons of Ontraport Marketing Automation Software
Ontraport offers a variety of software support options for businesses, including a comprehensive campaign management toolbox. Scaling up marketing efforts is easy and built into the system. Top level package maxes out at 20,000 contacts without custom pricing.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Marketing automation is only part of the software available | >Maximum of 20,000 contacts at the top-tier level without custom pricing |
| >Campaign management toolbox is comprehensive | |
| >Easily scalable along pre-tiered lines |
What Customers Are Saying
Customers often mention Ontraport’s continued improvements and functionality. One wrote, “I love everything about the Ontraport CRM platform. The automation features, payment processing, landing pages & forms, ease of use, and most of all, everything you get for the super affordable price you pay. You really just can’t beat it!”
Pardot
Pardot combines unlimited email marketing with some easy-to-use automation features to create a marketing software package that takes care of a lot of the leg work. Some key features include:
- Integrated marketing calendar. Let all team members weigh in on when to schedule publishing for various content pieces.
- Social engagement tracking. Keep track of engagement levels for every social media post to find the format that works best for your business.
- Create custom automation rules. Use between 50-150 customized rules for delivering automated messages to leads.
- Automated ROI reporting. Get instant access to reports that show marketing campaign performance at every leg of the funnel.
- Manage multiple brands. Dashboard segmentation allows a single company to handle all marketing activities for a variety of brands.
Designed for established businesses with extensive contact lists, Pardot pricing starts at $1,250 per month for up to 10,000 contacts.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Dynamic content | ||
| >CRM | ||
| $1,250-$15,000 per month | Demo | >Social media marketing |
| >More features at Pardot |
Pros & Cons of Pardot Marketing Automation Software
Pardot marketing automation software includes a robust set of testing features and integrated engagement programs to help drive growth. Unlimited email marketing sends and landing pages are available at top tiers of service. Outside of Salesforce, programs may not have preloaded integration options.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Extensive feature list that includes robust testing | >Limited integration options outside of Salesforce |
| >Unlimited email marketing and landing pages with higher-tier packages | |
| >Integrated engagement programs |
What Customers Are Saying
Pardot customers praise the ease of use and extensive template options, along with exceptional segmentation control. One wrote, “Very extensive sorting and filtering through their many different tools make it easy to make updates or even target specific prospects.”
Salesforce
While Salesforce is best known for its CRM software, its marketing automation works hand-in-glove to create a more seamless sales funnel. In addition to exceptional communication channels between sales reps and customers, Salesforce offers features such as:
- Campaign management tools. From email management to smart lead capture forms and a central marketing dashboard to view and control all current campaigns, the Salesforce marketing automation package is fairly comprehensive.
- Built-in lead management. As a leader in CRM, the focus on creating accurate and extensive customer profiles is extended to leads as they begin interacting with your brand. Get the same tracking and deep analytics about customer behavior.
- Lead segmentation. Use customer behavior to determine when to initiate a follow-up, and personalize the message based on customer actions with integrated lead segmentation.
- Closed-loop reporting. Get a full understanding of customer acquisition costs with built-in marketing ROI reporting that tracks end-to-end costs.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Segmentation | ||
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| $50-$4,000 per month | Demo | >CRM |
| >More features at Salesforce |
Pros & Cons of Salesforce Marketing Automation Software
Salesforce is known for its reliable products and good customer service. The marketing program is easy to use and supports a variety of functions. Good reporting tools make it easier for marketing departments to offer transparency about ROI and individual campaign results. Learning to use Salesforce may take a while and require training.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Reliable company with good customer support | >Steep learning curve and may require several training sessions |
| >Easy to use and highly functional | |
| >Good reporting tools for ROI |
What Customers Are Saying
Functionality and reliability are two assets that Salesforce customers regularly highlight. One user says, “I really love the WYSIWYG editor and how simple it is to build out communication pieces on the platform. The tracking functions are pretty smart and help us tailor our campaigns better to each user.”
SharpSpring
SharpSpring is known for its transparent pricing and no-obligation sign-up. With no contract and affordable plans starting at $550 per month for up to 1,500 contacts, it has a lot of functionality under the hood, including key features like:
- End-to-end marketing automation. From first contact to final sale, SharpSpring has the tools needed to create a sales funnel that responds dynamically to customer behavior.
- Campaign tracking. See how each campaign is doing at a glance, and take a closer look to find areas that could use improvement.
- Display dynamic landing pages. With dynamic landing pages, leads see the information that’s relevant to them at every touchpoint. Their behavior and interests drive the journey.
- CRM and sales automation. Included with a robust package of marketing automation features is a CRM software and sales automation suite all designed to work together to move leads along the sales funnel.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Unlimited users | ||
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| $550 per month - Custom quote | Demo | >CRM |
| >More features at SharpSpring |
Pros & Cons of SharpSpring Marketing Automation Software
SharpSpring marketing packages also include sales and CRM automation, and a solid set of campaign tracking tools. Dynamic content is available to improve campaign performance. Limited template options are provided for content design.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Extensive software package that includes sales and CRM | >Could have more templates available for content design |
| >Uses dynamic content for better customer engagement | |
| >Good campaign tracking tools |
What Customers Are Saying
SharpSpring customers praise the insights the software delivers about leads, saying, “SharpSpring has enabled my team and I to actively create multiple drip campaigns to target our newest and existing prospects. It allows us to monitor how new and existing users interact with our website, what pages they go to and how much time they spend on each page.”
Sprinklr
Sprinklr is designed to be an open-ended solution for data consolidation and marketing, along with other core business processes. It moves seamlessly from desktop to mobile, so that users can always stay up to date on campaign performance. Using an intuitive, visual interface, you can interact with customer data in new ways, and pull information from every area of your business. It also does some of the market research for you, pulling information about your brand from social media sites and online mentions.
With this information in hand, it then allows the creation of automated marketing processes that use machine learning and natural language processing to suggest next steps and create timely alerts. Collaboration is a key benefit of this platform, allowing all company stakeholders access to the dashboard and information, streamlining communication internally and externally.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Social media marketing | ||
| >Third-party integrations | ||
| Custom Quote | Demo | >Analytics and ROI reporting |
| >More features at Sprinklr |
Pros & Cons of Sprinklr Marketing Automation Software
Sprinklr uses web-based researching automation to generate business-specific insights about customer behavior. Custom field generation makes use of structured and unstructured data to offer more information about each lead. The mobile app could use some work and a speed update.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Allows custom field generation to handle structured and unstructured data sources | >Mobile app is a bit clunky and slower than desktop |
| >Pulls customer insights from across the web and reports on current trends | |
| >Flexible dashboard that's available on mobile |
What Customers Are Saying
Customers really like the Sprinklr interface, calling it easy to use. One wrote, “It is a tool that allows us to carry content in a robust and scalable way to manage all our social networks from a single platform. It is a fairly light tool to learn what makes its use available to people, without needing to be fully nourished with the program or with technology.”
Zoho Campaigns
Zoho Campaigns is an email marketing automation solution that streamlines mass mailings. Some key marketing features include:
- Bulk sending. Send out marketing messages and newsletters to everyone on your contacts list, quickly.
- Content template designs. A wide variety of template options for email and newsletter designs.
- Drag-and-drop editor. Make changes to both preloaded templates and your marketing automations using an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. Add an extra touchpoint or change a marketing message using a simple, visual interface.
- Set autoresponders. Customer actions and prospect behavior can trigger pre-set messages to encourage engagement. From welcome emails to cart abandonment follow-ups, the options are endless.
Zoho Campaigns offers a software demo for new customers and a free version of the software. After the trial period, pricing is pay-as-you-go, based on use.
| Price | Free Trial / Demo | Features |
|---|---|---|
| >Segmentation | ||
| >Analytics and ROI tracking | ||
| $2-6 per month based on email usage | Demo | >5 users |
| >More features at Zoho Campaigns |
Pros & Cons of Zoho Campaigns Marketing Automation Software
With Zoho Campaigns, users only pay for the emails sent on this scalable platform that allows customers to determine service levels. The easy to use interface makes starting a new campaign nearly frictionless. Keeping track of costs and ROI may be more difficult with the pay-as-you-go pricing model.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| >Pay per email pricing | >Cost control is more difficult with prices changing based on use |
| >Scalable platform | |
| >Easy-to-use interface |
What Customers Are Saying
The easy-to-use interface is a big plus for many Zoho Campaigns customers. One writes, “Zoho Campaigns is a very useful tool for sending offers to subscribers or potential customers. It has an easy-to-use UI and has a very intuitive help assistant. It’s great for beginners, because they offer a free trial and include templates to make it easy to create email content.”
What Is Marketing Automation Software?
Marketing automation software is designed to make it easier to manage contact with large lists of prospects and customers. Sending out individual emails to a few dozen prospects might eat up a work day, but doing the same for thousands would be impossible without automation. Good and effective marketing automation fulfills several basic functions.
- Streamlines campaign creation. Mapping out a campaign and creating points for personalized contact are major benefits of marketing automation. Many software programs offer visual organizers and If/Then forks to successfully channel leads into a sales funnel.
- Allows better list segmentation. When handling contacts manually, segmenting lists means a lot of extra work. Every list needs its own content, and it takes a lot of time to determine when to send out each piece. With automation software, the system uses pre-drafted content and automatically sends it when the conditions for a response are met. For example, a new subscriber might get a welcome email, or a new reader might receive a follow-up email with more information, all without the need for constant traffic monitoring.
- Makes content testing smoother and more effective. Performing A/B testing is built-in to most marketing automation platforms, allowing you to see what content performs best with which customers. Then, you can deploy the better content at scale.
- Provides deep customer insights. Without automated tracking, it’s impossible to see every touchpoint a lead makes with your business. Did they read a blog post on Monday followed by a landing page on Tuesday? With automated marketing, the system tracks every customer action and creates actionable insights for your company.
- Offers rapid reporting. Real-time insights allow for quick adjustments to marketing strategies, as needed. When you can see campaign performance in real time, you can see what types of content deliver the best results and how many touchpoints it takes to deliver a sale. This allows for more targeted advertising and better conversion rates.
- Includes attribution tracking. To determine actual ROI from a marketing campaign, it’s crucial to track costs. Whether a customer lands at your page via an ad or through an organic channel, you need to be able to see the traffic pattern, and determine the customer value after deducting acquisition costs.
The best marketing automation packages also make it easier to create content for your funnel by providing easy-to-use templates and image libraries. When your marketing team can draft a crafted, publication-ready email in minutes, it saves time and adds value to your efforts. Ultimately, marketing automation software is all about saving you time and growing your reach, without negatively impacting your brand reputation.
Benefits of Marketing Automation Software
Marketing can be a major line item, and it can be difficult to assign a direct value to a campaign. Marketing automation software acts as a centralized hub for all customer communications, allowing team members to spend more time on personalized communications and less on mass mailings and ad tracking. As a small business owner, marketing automation software can help you:
- Organize your marketing efforts. By creating a visual guide for your marketing campaigns, these software packages help you keep all of your marketing under control, from email to Instagram.
- Make marketing strategic. Instead of adding individual pieces of content, marketing automation encourages you to create cohesive content that’s always moving leads through the qualification funnel toward a final sale.
- Test various strategies. It often includes A/B testing for landing pages, forms and email subject lines, so you can boost engagement and open rates without missing a communication opportunity.
- Dive deep into customer behavior. By tracking all customer behavior and noticing patterns, you can see behind each sale and learn to replicate that journey for the next prospect.
- Deliver customized reports for future targeting. Learn from every completed campaign, with detailed results that show what strategies worked and which could use improvement. Even incremental gains can have a tremendous impact on your bottom line.
- Enable collaboration between sales and marketing. When sales teams and marketing work together, sales departments spend more time working with only the most qualified leads, delivering more sales. Marketing automation software often integrates with CRM software to create a synergy of new and current customer opportunities, all viewable from a central dashboard.
- Create reports that include ROI and analytics information. See exactly how your marketing team is delivering value, and make decisions about future budgets based on current success.
Must-Have Features for Marketing Automation Software
While no two businesses operate in the same manner, many marketing campaigns do share several channels and reporting requirements. To make your investment in marketing automation pay off, you’ll want to make sure your package includes features like:
- Multi/omni-channel integration.For the best marketing efficiencies and most improved user experiences, it’s important to meet potential customers on the platforms where they’re most comfortable. Marketing automation that only streamlines communications through a single channel may not be easily scalable or offer long-term value.
- Campaign management tools.The ability to segment marketing to customize content for specific channels, along with building, designing and publishing content through a centralized interface, saves time and allows the marketing team to more easily track campaign results.
- Lead management automation.Prospects who turn into customers often share traits and a buyer journey. With the right lead management tools, you can see where a customer is, how qualified the lead is and plan next steps to continue nurturing a lead.
- ROI tracking.A marketing campaign that delivers customers at the cost of any profits isn’t terribly successful, even if it delivers a substantial boost in raw sales numbers. Cost of acquisition, lifetime customer value, number of responses, types of conversions and profits relating to the campaign are all crucial numbers when evaluating success. With integrated ROI tracking capabilities, the right marketing automation software can easily demonstrate the added value it brings.
- A goal that most companies share when it comes to marketing is growth. The goal is to grow the business and the contact list for future opportunities. Selecting a service that can grow with your marketing efforts reduces the need to retrain with new software down the line.
The Cost of Marketing Automation Software
Marketing automation software packages can range from free, limited-service options up to thousands of dollars per month. Some of the most common factors that affect the cost include the number of users, number of contacts, types of marketing and other factors. In general, the number of contacts managed through your marketing automation software will be the most important part of determining total cost. Most providers offer several tiers, with varying features and supported contacts. Some include integrated CRM software and an eCommerce suite.
Other factors that may impact pricing include support options, training provisions, accessible templates, number of automation rules and customization. The more customization options are available, the more premium the software.
Marketing is an investment in the future of your business, and automation software helps make marketing more effective and works to control costs. A little due diligence can go a long way toward helping you find the right option to support your company’s marketing efforts. Many providers offer free trials or software demos to help you get an idea of what their automation software can do for your business. You know best what will streamline your processes, so try a few options before you make a final decision.