Marketing is a process that every business needs to undertake to promote its products or services. It involves creating and executing a plan to reach out to potential customers and convert them into paying customers.
Automation software can help businesses with such marketing, allowing them to automate and streamline their marketing tasks through email marketing, social media campaigns, lead generation, and more.
From LinkedIn automation tools that help you build connections and drive leads, to market automation platforms that help you create and send email campaigns, several different software options are available.
In this article, I will rank and review the best marketing automation software options so you can make an informed decision about which one is right for your business.
Which Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses Is The Best To Consider?
The following are the best marketing automation tools to look into.
Automate.io
Best Overall Marketing Automation
Automate.io helps you connect various cloud apps that you use to automate repetitive tasks.
If your business involves any degree of repetitiveness, then creating one-to-one automation workflows with Automate.io is a no-brainer.
You can also go as complex as needed, with the ability to create multi-step workflows involving multiple apps.
With an iPaaS model that makes the tool easy to use, this platform offers a no-code solution to business automation.
Key Features:
Pricing:
Automate.io offers these pricing plans:
All of these are billed every month.
Pardot
Best For B2B Marketing Automation
Pardot is a product that forms part of Salesforce's Marketing Cloud. It's been designed to help B2B companies with lead generation and management. Providing an easy-to-navigate experience, Pardot makes it simple to score, nurture and report on your leads.
Lasting relationships don't happen by accident, and with Pardot's various capabilities, you can keep your finger on the pulse of every opportunity.
Then, with the ability to automate journeys based on lead behavior, engagement, and through multiple channels, you can ensure that you're always top of mind.
Key Features:
Pricing:
Pardot offers these pricing plans:
HubSpot
Best For Small Business Automation
HubSpot is a powerful marketing automation tool that's particularly well suited for small businesses.
Premium software features such as automation, sales CRM, and reporting help you take your business to the next level.
Each item in the platform can do great things on its own, however, when combined together, they pack an even bigger punch.
From lead generation to various analytics and reports, Hubspot is an excellent tool for small businesses to take their marketing to the next level.
Key Features:
Pricing:
HubSpot offers these starting pricing plans:
Marketo
Best For Simplifying The Buyers' Journey
Marketo is a tool that turns a complex buyer's journey into a simple, predictable one, ranging from the moment of lead acquisition to the brand evangelist stage.
With easy-to-use software, you can map out the buyer's journey from start to finish and design tailored marketing programs that guide leads through each stage.
If you want to determine how your various channels are impacting your funnel, Marketo is the tool for you.
Then, you can also scale your campaigns to new heights with Marketo's advanced marketing capabilities.
Key Features:
Pricing:
GetResponse
Best For Building Customer Relationships
GetResponse used to be a simple email marketing tool but has since transformed into a full-fledged marketing platform.
With GetResponse's all-in-one solution, you can easily create beautiful pages, build list segmentation funnels, and automate your email marketing.
When reaching customers personally, GetResponse is hard to beat as it has tools tailored for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to do that.
Whether you're just starting to build out your marketing automation or looking for more advanced features, GetResponse likely has a plan that's right for you.
Key Features:
Pricing:
Customers can choose from the following plans at GetResponse:
Eloqua
Best For Measuring Customer Interactions
Eloqua forms part of Oracle's Marketing Cloud and helps marketing and sales teams manage and measure customer interactions.
With closed-loop marketing insights, you can connect the dots between your marketing and sales activities to see which campaigns are working and which ones need to improve.
Then, with its B2B marketing automation solution, you can drive more leads through the funnel and convert them into customers.
Whether you're looking to develop dynamic campaigns or improve your lead management process, Eloqua has the tools you need to succeed.
Real-time activities can also be tracked, ensuring you're always on top of your game.
Key Features:
Pricing:
Request a demo to get pricing information from the Eloqua sales team.
SharpSpring
Best For Scaling Revenue
SharpSpring is an all-in-one platform to help you grow your revenue without adding headcount.
With the ability to take your entire funnel and automate it, you can nurture leads and create a highly customizable platform that fingers.
With its CRM solution that gives you a complete picture of your customers, you can provide them with a personalized experience that will keep them coming back for more.
Since SharpSpring understands that no two buyers are alike, they've created a highly customizable platform, which allows you to cater to the various stages of the buyer's journey - without sacrificing quality or results.
Key Features:
Pricing:
SharpSpring offers these pricing plans based on the number of contacts:
They also offer the Agency and Enterprise plan for those with more than the above contacts.
ActiveCampaign
Best For Business Automation Through Facebook Ads
ActiveCampaign is another platform that used to be geared towards small businesses but has since expanded to accommodate larger enterprises as well. With various CRM tools and components to choose from, you can create a solution that fits your specific needs.
For example, you can ensure that well-timed phone calls go out to the right person during their customer journey. This is done by setting up a call queue and assigning leads to specific sales reps.
Additionally, you can use ActiveCampaign's powerful automation features to take your marketing and sales processes to the next level.
Key Features:
Pricing:
ActiveCampaign's four pricing plans are as follows:
What Is Marketing Automation Software?
Marketing automation software are tools that enable businesses to automate their marketing tasks. As the marketing world becomes more complex, these types of software can help companies stay in touch with the latest trends and build better relationships with their customers.
From automation platforms offering the best overall value to those with the most features, there is a marketing automation tool to fit every need. Some tools even integrate with third-party platforms to help you create the right workflow. You can check out this Hubspot automation with workflows guide for more information about this.How Does Marketing Automation Software Work?
Here are the basic tenets of how marketing automation software works.
A list of leads or prospects is created in the software. This is obtained through various methods such as web forms, purchasing lists, or subscribing to newsletters.
Once the leads are in the system, they are contacted by the software through various channels such as email, ads, social media, or direct mail.
The software will track the interactions that each lead has with your business. This includes opening emails, clicking on links, visiting your website, and more.
Based on the interactions, the marketing automation software will score each lead to determine their level of interest. The higher the score, the more interested they are assumed to be in your products or services.
The marketing automation software will then provide you with reports and analytics to see how well your campaigns perform and make necessary adjustments. This also lets you see the most valuable leads to focus your efforts on.
As the people on your list move through the various stages of interest, the marketing automation software will provide you with different options for following up with them. This might include sending them more information about your products or services, inviting them to a webinar or event, or even making a sales call.
Such a process aims to get as many people as possible through your marketing funnel and into your sales funnels tools. Overall, by automating your marketing tasks, you can free up time to focus on other areas of your business.
Features Of Marketing Automation Software
Let's now review some of the features of the top marketing automation software.
Lead Segmentation
Lead segmentation is the process of dividing leads into different groups based on specific criteria. This might include job title, location, or even buying stage. Segmentation is a robust process, as it can help you tailor your marketing campaigns to the specific needs of each group. Segmenting your leads also makes it easier to target them with the right messages at the right time.
Lead Nurturing
This is the process of developing relationships with your leads over time. It involves sending them relevant information and building trust, so they are more likely to do business with you when they are ready to buy.
Email Marketing
This is one of the most common features of marketing automation software. It allows you to send mass emails to your list of leads and track their interactions. You can use this information to score your leads and determine which ones need more information about what you offer and which are ready to buy.
A/B Testing
This feature allows you to test different versions of your marketing campaigns to see which ones are more effective. This might include testing other subject lines, email content, or call-to-action buttons. The right A/B testing tools can help you improve your campaigns and get better results.
SMS Marketing
This relatively newer feature allows you to send text messages to your leads. This can be a great way to stay in touch with them and get them to respond to your marketing messages since you'll be able to reach them directly on their mobile phones. While some consider SMS a form of spam, it can be an effective way to reach your leads if used correctly.
Marketing Automation Workflow
This feature allows you to really dive in and build the process your leads will go through as they interact with your business. It includes all the different stages they will go through, from being a stranger to your business to becoming a life-long customer.
Integrations
This refers to the software's ability to connect with other systems. This might include other CRMs, accounting software, or email marketing platforms you currently use. Having integrations can make it easier to manage your business and get the most out of your marketing automation software.
FAQ
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The best marketing automation software for your business will depend on several factors, including the size and nature of your business, budget, and specific needs.
Yes, free marketing automation tools can get the job done, but they may not have all the necessary features and functionality. If you have a limited budget, you may want to consider a free tool that meets your basic needs and upgrade to a paid version as your business grows.
When considering marketing automation software for your business, it is important first to understand your business processes and needs. Once you clearly understand these things, you can start evaluating different software options to see which would be the best fit for your company.
Conclusion
The above list of marketing automation software can help you take your business to the next level by automating and streamlining your marketing efforts. Many of the tools offer free trials, so you can test them out and see which one is the best fit for your business.
Last Updated on November 5, 2022 by Hanson Cheng