A CRM with marketing automation is a software tool that helps businesses manage their customer relationships and automate their marketing activities at the same time.
A CRM system is designed to help companies organize and track customer interactions. This includes managing customer data, tracking customer interactions across various channels (such as email, social media, phone, etc.), and analyzing customer behavior to help businesses better understand their needs and preferences.
When you combine CRM with marketing automation capabilities, you can take your marketing efforts to the next level.
Marketing automation refers to using software to automate repetitive marketing tasks, such as sending emails, posting on social media, and tracking leads through the sales funnel. By automating these tasks, businesses can save time and resources while also delivering more targeted and personalized marketing messages to their customers.
With a CRM that includes marketing automation, businesses can manage their customer relationships more effectively, streamline their marketing efforts, and improve their overall ROI. It’s a powerful tool to help businesses of all sizes and industries stay competitive in today’s fast-paced digital world.
What Are the Benefits to a Business?
The benefits to a business of using a good CRM with built-in marketing automation are huge:
- Improved Lead Generation: A CRM platform with marketing automation is a powerful business tool. It can help them generate more leads by automating lead scoring and nurturing. Basically, the software can identify potential customers based on their behavior and preferences and tailor marketing campaigns accordingly. This leads to better results and more conversions!
- Personalized Communication: Another great benefit of a CRM with marketing automation is the ability to personalize customer communication. By tracking their behavior and preferences, businesses can send targeted messages more likely to resonate with them. This creates a more engaging experience for customers and can improve overall satisfaction.
- Increased Efficiency: Marketing automation can also save businesses time and increase efficiency. Automating repetitive marketing tasks like sending emails and social media posts gives employees more time to focus on other important tasks. This leads to a more productive and efficient workforce!
- Better Customer Insights: A CRM platform with marketing automation also provides businesses with valuable customer insights. Businesses can gain insights into customer behavior and preferences by analyzing customer data. This information can help them make more informed decisions about their marketing strategies and improve customer relationship management.
- Improved Customer Retention: Lastly, marketing automation can improve customer retention and loyalty. By sending targeted messages and offers to customers, businesses can keep them engaged and coming back for more. This helps build a stronger customer relationship and increases the likelihood of repeat business.
Best CRM with Marketing Automation
So, where do you start? Which company do you choose? As with any business software, it’s down to your business needs, goals, and budget. To give you a head start, we’ve compiled a list of the best companies, an idea of their plans, and what you can expect to pay. Be aware that these prices may change, though, and, in many cases, you’ll need to contact the company for a custom quotation.
- Salesforce: With its user-friendly interface and powerful analytics capabilities, Salesforce is a popular CRM platform with marketing automation capabilities. It offers lead and opportunity management, email marketing automation, social media integration, and much more.
Several plans are available, including Essentials, which starts at $25 per user per month. Other plans include Professional, Enterprise, and Unlimited, with pricing ranging from $75 to $300 per user per month.
- HubSpot: HubSpot offers a suite of tools for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service, including lead management, email marketing automation, and social media integration. It is known for its ease of use and robust reporting capabilities.
A free CRM offering basic features and several paid plans are available. Those plans include the Starter plan, at $50 per user per month, while the Professional and Enterprise plans range from $800 to $3200 per month.
- Pipedrive: Designed specifically for sales teams, Pipedrive offers lead and deal management, email tracking and automation, and integration with popular marketing tools like Mailchimp and Zapier. It also provides customization options and an intuitive interface.
Pipedrive offers four monthly plans, starting with Essential at $12.50 per user. Other plans include Advanced, Professional, and Enterprise, with pricing ranging from $24.90 to $99 per user per month.
- Marketo: Marketo is a marketing automation platform with CRM capabilities that offers lead management, email marketing automation, and social media integration. It is popular for its advanced analytics capabilities and extensive integrations with other marketing tools.
A range of plans are available, starting with Basic at $1,250 per month. Other plans include Standard, Select, and Enterprise, with pricing available upon request.
- Infusionsoft by Keap: Infusionsoft by Keap is a CRM platform with marketing automation capabilities that caters to small businesses. Its features include lead management, email marketing automation, e-commerce integration, and tools for managing customer relationships and workflows. It is known for its customizable dashboards and reporting features.
Infusionsoft offers three plans, starting with Lite at $79 per month. Other plans include Pro and Max, with monthly pricing ranging from $149 to $199.
- ActiveCampaign: With its user-friendly interface and extensive automation options, ActiveCampaign offers lead and contact management, email marketing automation, e-commerce integration, and advanced analytics and reporting capabilities.
Four plans start with Lite at $9 per month, while Plus, Professional, and Enterprise range from $49 to $229 per month.
- Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM is a comprehensive platform with marketing automation capabilities that offers lead and contact management, email marketing automation, social media integration, and tools for managing sales, marketing, and customer service workflows. It is known for its affordability and ease of use.
Zoho CRM offers a free plan with basic features and a range of paid plans starting with Standard at $14 per user per month, and the Professional and Enterprise plans are priced between $23 to $45 per user per month.
- SugarCRM: SugarCRM is a flexible platform with marketing automation features that offers lead and opportunity management, email marketing automation, social media integration, workflow automation, and analytics capabilities. It is popular for its open-source architecture and flexible deployment options.
SugarCRM has several plans, including Sugar Professional, which starts at $40 per user per month, and Sugar Enterprise and Sugar Ultimate, with pricing available upon request.
- Insightly: Insightly is a CRM platform with marketing automation capabilities designed for small businesses. It offers lead and opportunity management, email marketing automation, project management tools, and integrations with popular marketing tools like Mailchimp and QuickBooks. It is known for its intuitive interface and ease of use.
Four plans are available, starting with Plus at $29 per user per month. Other plans include Professional, Enterprise, and Custom, with pricing available upon request.
- Agile CRM: Agile CRM is an affordable and user-friendly platform with marketing automation capabilities. It offers lead and contact management, email marketing automation, social media integration, and tools for managing sales, marketing, and customer service workflows.
Agile CRM has a free plan with basic features and a range of paid plans. The Starter plan starts from $8.99 per user per month, and other plans include Regular and Enterprise, with pricing ranging from $29.99 to $47.99 per user per month.
- Copper: Copper is a CRM platform with marketing automation features designed for small businesses. Its features include lead and opportunity management, email marketing automation, social media integration, and integrations with popular marketing tools like Mailchimp and HubSpot. It is known for its simplicity and ease of use.
Copper has paid three plans, starting with Basic at $19 per user per month, and Professional and Business, which range in price from $49 to $119 per user per month.
- EngageBay: EngageBay is an all-in-one platform with marketing automation capabilities designed for small businesses. Its features include lead and contact management, email marketing automation, social media integration, a help desk, and tools for managing sales and marketing workflows. It is known for its affordability and ease of use.
EngageBay has several paid plans and a free basic plan. Their paid plans start at $8.99 per user per month, with other plans ranging from $29.99 to $47.99 per user per month.
- Salesmate: Salesmate is a CRM platform with marketing automation capabilities designed for sales teams. Its features include lead and opportunity management, email marketing automation, sales automation, and integrations with popular marketing tools like Mailchimp and Zapier. It offers ease of use and customization options.
Three paid plans are available, starting with Growth at $15 per user per month. Other plans include Pro and Enterprise, with prices starting at $30 to $50 per user per month.
- Freshsales: Freshsales is a CRM platform with marketing automation features designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Its features include lead and contact management, email marketing automation, social media integration, and tools for managing sales and customer service workflows. It is known for its easy-to-use interface and robust reporting capabilities.
Freshsales provides four paid plans, including Blossom at $12 per user per month and Garden, Estate, and Forest from $25 to $79 per user per month.
- Ontraport: Ontraport is a marketing automation platform with CRM capabilities designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Its features include lead and contact management, email marketing automation, e-commerce integration, and advanced automation and reporting capabilities
Ontraport has four plans, including Basic, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise, and prices range from $79 to $479 per user per month.
Conclusion
Using a CRM with marketing automation can bring significant benefits to businesses. It can simplify their sales and marketing workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and provide valuable insights into their customer data.
With the plethora of options available, businesses must assess their requirements and choose a platform that fits their budget and provides the right features.
The 15 platforms we discussed above are just a handful of the numerous options available, and each one has its own strengths and pricing models.
By selecting the right CRM with marketing automation, businesses can boost their productivity, enhance customer engagement, and ultimately generate more revenue.
