There are countless elements that go into successfully operating a business, and managers are often left feeling like there are not enough hours in the day to ensure every aspect of their business is functioning effectively. Staying on top of marketing and sales can be particularly stressful with so much at stake. Marketing automation platforms were created to remedy the pain points associated with the marketing process and create powerful, high-performing campaigns all on one central system. Marketing automation platforms provide a vast number of benefits and robust features that give any company utilizing them an immediate advantage against those who don’t.

In this blog we will discuss what exactly marketing automation and inbound marketing is, the pros and cons of the leading platforms, and how to select the perfect marketing automation platform that best suits your business.

What is Marketing Automation?

Put simply, marketing automation is a collection of tools designed to streamline the most time-consuming tasks and responsibilities of modern marketing and sales processes. In the rapidly evolving digital world, marketing automation is a valuable tool that enables companies to stay up to date on marketing trends and best practices. Leading automation platforms can create multichannel campaigns that can be used to curate leads, expand brand reach, maintain relationships with customers, and ensure companies are always taking advantage of best modern technology and strategies.

The ability of marketing automation has already been proven, as businesses that use it to acquire prospects experience a 451% increase in qualified leads. Marketing automation has become one of the best tools for lead curation and inbound marketing since it can reach customers at any point of the buyer’s journey and deliver timely, relevant content that reaches customers at the right time and place.

Selecting the Right Marketing Automation Platform for Your Business

There are several marketing automation platforms available, each offering its own set of benefits and tools. Selecting the correct platform is crucial, as you want to be operating on an automation platform that is best suited for your business and industry in order to fully utilize all the features and tools it offers. The leading marketing automation platforms are:

HubSpot

A robust and intuitive all-in-one inbound marketing engine that includes tools for content management, customer relationship management, social media marketing, email marketing, landing page creation, search engine optimization, reporting and analytics, and more.

Pros: Landing page creation suite, excellent customer service, partner program, ease of use, free CRM

Cons: Lack of email templates on free version, paid plans can be expensive for small businesses

Salesforce

The world’s leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform used by thousands of businesses for a large variety of goals and use cases including digital marketing, ecommerce solutions, customer service, and remote connection for organizations.

Pros: Cloud-based, supports all major browsers, efficient and easy start-up which saves on training costs

Cons: User-based pricing which can become expensive for small businesses, unlimited version still has email send limits, page limitations on unlimited plan with fees for extras

Act-On

An adaptive inbound and outbound marketing platform designed to create personal and focused multi-channel marketing.

Pros: Automation builder, customer support, adaptive lead scoring

Cons: Confusing user interface, steeper learning curve than other CRM’s, social media connections need updating, some elements of the CRM are becoming outdated and will require a refresh soon

Pardot

Key features include lead management, lead generation, lead scoring, and email marketing.

Pros: Their lead tracking tool – Lead Deck – is robust and valuable, easily customizable, good customer support

Cons: Lack of integrations, A/B testing only available to PRO users, lack of social media connections, no free trial

Selecting a Marketing Automation Platform Onboarding Partner

Whether you are migrating from a different platform, or starting fresh, it’s an absolute necessity to work with a marketing automation platform onboarding partner to ensure your data is uploaded correctly and your team is fully versed on your chosen platform’s tools.

Plus, onboarding with a representative from a marketing automation provider can get very pricey – for example, HubSpot onboarding starts at $6,000. However, these fees can be waived completely by partnering with a certified HubSpot Certified Partner like Vonazon. We can teach you the ins-and-outs of HubSpot, guiding you through the initial setup, critical functions and features, data transfer, integrations, and more.

Another benefit of working with an expert marketing agency like Vonazon is the ability to work alongside us to create brilliant and effective campaigns through marketing automation platforms. We take the time to fully understand your company and all its nuances, and work with you to create campaigns that reflect the values of your brand and turn your prospects into life-long customers – all executed by your new marketing automation platform.

Are You Eligible for a FREE HubSpot Onboarding?*

Whether you are starting fresh with HubSpot as your CRM or switching over from another platform like Marketo, Pardot, or Salesforce, you need to find a knowledgeable Elite HubSpot partner who understands the platform.

Vonazon is your one-stop-shop HubSpot Elite Partner that will guide you through the entirety of the onboarding and integration processes. It is our #1 priority to ensure that your company fully understands HubSpot and will be able to fully take advantage of its powerful marketing automation tools.

Apply today for your FREE HubSpot Onboarding and get:

  • 10 FREE Consulting Hours
  • No Commitments or Added Costs
  • No HubSpot Onboarding Fees

Plus!

  • Strategic planning/project prioritization for upcoming marketing endeavors
  • Technical account setup
  • Deliverability technicals
  • Branding basics
  • Key native integration setup
    (website, CRM, etc.)
  • Asset creation
    and much more!

What is Inbound Marketing?

Up to this point, you’ve seen the words “inbound marketing” appear consistently throughout this article. That is because inbound marketing is currently the most effective and well-performing form of digital marketing, and it’s what marketing automation platforms do better than anyone else.

Inbounding marketing is a marketing methodology that revolves around the importance of creating and presenting high quality content that is personalized to your leads and customers. These relationships are created and maintained through social media posts, email campaigns, and advertisements that are relevant to them. This method of marketing has proven to be preferred among consumers, as 61% are more likely to buy, and feel better overall, about companies who provide customized content. Additionally, relevant emails drive 18 times more revenue than generic and broadcast emails. To cap it all off, inbound marketing has consistently demonstrated it’s incredible value to companies and marketing agencies, as 82% of marketers observe positive ROI from their inbound marketing efforts and it generates 3 times more leads per dollar against traditional forms of marketing.

How Does Inbound Marketing Work?

Inbound marketing is performed by creating custom content tailored to different segments of your target audience such as blogs, social media posts, and landing pages. Focus should be centered on the quality of the content created, as high-quality content is favored by search engines and is superior at attracting visitors and nurturing leads. Content should be created for every step of the customer’s journey from discovery to conversion to maintaining a meaningful relationship.

The Big Decision

Choosing which marketing automation platform to implement in your business is a decision that should not be taken lightly. The right platform will have the power to take your marketing to the next level and acquire more leads than ever before. Even if you are currently using a marketing automation platform, it’s always a good idea to perform an evaluation to ensure that it is still the best fit for your business.

We’re Offering Free Marketing Automation Platform Evaluation

Regardless of how long you have been using HubSpot, Salesforce, Pardot, Marketo, Eloqua, or Act-On, there’s a good chance that your inbound strategy could use an evaluation. Don’t leave sales on the table, or useful tools and features unutilized.

Vonazon can provide valuable guidance on your inbound marketing automation strategies that ensure you are getting the most out of your preferred platform. In this free marketing automation platform evaluation, you will receive clear insights into lead management and scoring, automation campaign creation, content structure, reporting, analytics, and more.

What’s in Your Free Evaluation?

  • 45-minute discovery call with an in-dept evaluation of:
    • Inbound Marketing Strategy
    • Marketing Automation Platform
    • Contact lists and buyer personas
    • Lead management and scoring
    • Folder structure
    • Email management
    • Landing pages
    • Form management
    • Campaign reporting
  • One-hour results & recommendations call