Table of content
- Features
- Price
- Scalability
- Ease of Use
- Integrations
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Features
The first and most important criterion, of course, is the kind of marketing automation features that a tool provides.
The most common application of automation in marketing is in the form of automated emails. This is one feature that almost all marketing automation software provides.
So, the key distinguishing factor becomes the level of automation within email campaigns for marketing that a tool can provide.
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Price
Given that most marketing automation platforms are mainly focused on email automation, their pricing depends on your contact list or the number of emails sent.
So, make sure that before you choose a marketing automation platform, you compare the prices keeping this in mind.
Don’t compare the plans in absolute terms, but in terms of how many contacts you can reach for a certain amount of money.
Also, look for marketing automation software vendors that provide customized pricing plans based on your exact needs.
This way, you can save a lot of money by not going for a plan that you don’t even need. You can simply pay for what you use and the features you need.
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Scalability
Adding to the previous point, you should opt for a tool that provides more scalability. You may think you should choose a small tool that meets your current needs, but it won’t be able to support you when your business grows.
This does not mean that you need to invest in premium, enterprise-level tools from the start.
But, make sure that you check whether the tool that you choose has enterprise plans or customized plans that you can move to later.
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Ease of Use
When someone hears “marketing automation,” they assume that it is something complicated and definitely not easy to use. However, that is not true.
In fact, ease-of-use should be one of the most important criteria for choosing a marketing automation platform.
There is no point in investing in something that you can’t use to the full capacity. Also, having a complex tool can be time-consuming and end up wasting your time.
When you choose a marketing automation platform, make sure that you choose one that has a clean and simple user interface that is easy to use.
Most marketing automation software solutions will claim to have that, but don’t just take their word for it.
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Integrations
Another important factor for choosing a marketing automation tool is the kind of integrations that it provides. Most automation tools focus on one or two aspects like email, sales, automation, advertising, etc.
So, to get the most out of such marketing automation software, you need to integrate it with your other tools and platforms.
Even with an all-in-one automation tool, you still need to integrate it with your customer relationship management (CRM) software solution, email marketing tool, etc.
Research the websites carefully to look for these details. Sometimes, you might have to go through the FAQs sections to find such information.
Also, once you have a basic understanding of what kind of customer support each platform offers, verify those claims by reading reviews by actual customers. But, more on that in the next section.