When provided with the appropriate tools, small and medium-sized businesses can match the capabilities of large business conglomerates in executing extensive marketing strategies. Utilizing marketing software is one way for your small business to keep pace with these industry leaders.
By having this tool available to you, you will be able to enhance your marketing workflows, improve engagement with potential customers, and increase the effectiveness of customer retention. It is simply a matter of comprehending the functionalities of this software and recognizing the advantages that the company will gain by selecting one.
In this article, we will be covering the following topics to provide you with a better understanding of the significance of marketing software solutions for your small business. We strongly advise you to promptly subscribe to one, as numerous vendors provide a thorough free trial.
Most small and medium-sized businesses face budget limitations that hinder their growth, considering their struggle to establish themselves in the industry. Additionally, brand recognition affects both the quantity and the quality of leads received.
By integrating a marketing system into your operations, you can enhance your ability to handle all aspects more easily. It enables you to be proactive with your leads and improve the customer experience. Additionally, you can offer individualized interactions and prevent any customers from being overlooked, thereby increasing customer loyalty. Interestingly, utilizing marketing automation leads to a 14.5% boost in sales productivity and reduces overhead expenses by approximately 12.2%. Furthermore, it enables marketers to achieve conversion rates as high as 50% by optimizing the entire process more efficiently.
However, despite these benefits, 10% of SMBs still choose not to invest in any form of marketing. As reported by eMarketer, this decision is frequently influenced by the high cost of marketing platforms (33%), the entrepreneurs’ unfamiliarity with technology (25%), or the lack of time to learn about its functionality (21%). Fortunately, these issues can be easily resolved with the availability of software solutions that offer more affordable pricing options, vendor-provided customer training, and user-friendly platforms. The best part is that maximizing the potential of these platforms does not have to be a complicated task.
Types of Marketing Software
Marketing encompasses multiple processes, prompting many software developers to design various systems for task management. Nonetheless, not all of these systems may be necessary for small businesses and startups. To assist you in narrowing down your options, we present a compilation of key marketing platforms for SMBs, categorized by their functions.
- Marketing Automation. Probably the most common type of marketing software that businesses opt for, marketing automation systems are designed to minimize tedious tasks and automate campaigns. They can handle tasks ranging from basic lead generation and content management to advanced CRM and analytics, making it a good option for small businesses that want marketing systems that can perform different functions. This way, you won’t have to allot a budget for multiple platforms.
- Customer Relationship Management. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a type of marketing system that lets you streamline the workflow of your marketing and sales teams. It lets you keep tabs on interactions with customers and leads through contact management as well as analytics. With this, you can provide a better experience for your customers and monitor the status of each one’s sales journey. This is especially useful for startups and small businesses that have yet to build their customer base.
- Email Marketing. Unlike the above-mentioned, email marketing software is a more targeted system. It primarily aims to boost emailing efforts rather than the entire marketing campaign. Equipped with autoresponder options as well as tools for email building, delivery optimization, and email tracking; it helps you make sure that you send the right message to the right people at the right time.
- Social Media Management. Similar to email marketing software, social media management platforms have a more specific purpose in your marketing campaign. It essentially serves as a convenient place where you can manage all of your business’s social media accounts. With functions such as post scheduling and social analytics, this helps small businesses in building a strong online presence without taking up too much of their time curating social pages.
- Content Marketing. Often used alongside social media and email management tools, content marketing systems let you manage all the content you publish for your business. It helps marketers create, source, and distribute informative text, images, videos, or infographics about their products and services.
Benefits of Marketing Software for Small Business
You may be questioning the necessity of these software. Can’t you handle these tasks without using a platform? While it may appear that you are saving money by manually managing your marketing campaigns, it is actually more expensive. Not only does it require you to work longer hours, but it also prevents you from concentrating on your business. To provide you with a clearer understanding of the advantages a marketing platform can provide for your small business, here are some of the main benefits it offers:
- It cuts down the time spent on marketing tasks. Marketing software is designed specifically to simplify campaign creation and management efforts. It offers tools that automate any mundane marketing tasks, so you can eliminate the risk of human error and accelerate the entire process. In addition, it optimizes your operations by providing you with useful data during the planning stages of your marketing campaigns. This way, you don’t have to micromanage the different aspects of your small business.
- It allows you to nurture leads more effectively. First impressions matter, especially for small businesses. This is why it is crucial for you to build a good reputation through efficient customer service. By using the analytics tools and lead management options of marketing platforms, you can be more proactive and hands-on when nurturing leads and existing clients. These give you access to customer information as well as in-depth insights on your leads, so you can pinpoint which ones you should focus on and determine how to assist them.
- It can help you enhance customer experience. What sets a small business apart from its competitors is the kind of experience it can provide for its customers. By using marketing platforms, you can enhance customer experience by personalizing interactions with clients. These software solutions provide you with customer relationship management tools that let you track the status of clients and leads on their sales journey. In turn, you can easily find out what makes them tick, so you can interact with them more effectively.
- It reduces the risks associated with campaign creation. Unlike large companies, small businesses don’t have much resources to spare. As a result, every campaign feels like a big financial risk. Marketing systems take the guesswork out of campaign creation by providing you with the data you need for the decision-making process. With these pieces of information right at your fingertips, you can build more effective campaigns that your customers will be able to appreciate. Most software solutions even offer A/B testing features and similar tools so that you can test out your campaigns before launching them.
- It gives you the data you need to improve your marketing strategies. Startups and small businesses have plenty of room for growth. To help you realize just how much potential your company has, you can use marketing platforms to track your progress. They are equipped with analytics tools that will let you know whether or not your campaigns are working. This way, you can better assess your strategies and find out how you can improve them in the future.
Sample Uses of Marketing Software for Small Businesses
Although we can extensively discuss the advantages of marketing software, how can small businesses effectively utilize it? Here are several specific scenarios in which small businesses can employ software.
- Using content marketing to build a stronger company reputation. Some small businesses use marketing software for brand building. They do this by employing social listening tools to understand the status of their company in the eyes of customers. Utilizing keyword research is also a common part of the strategy to find out what buyers are looking for and figure out what kind of content will be most useful for your campaign. After that, they determine their target audience and map out the different phases of their intended customer lifecycle. This way, they can create targeted content such as blog posts, polls, or videos, that prospective customers will surely appreciate. As you implement your content marketing strategies, you may monitor your progress through analytics and real-time reporting.
- Boosting lead generation by advertising on social media. Print ads and commercials can be very expensive, so for small businesses, the economical yet effective way to market is through social media networks. By using marketing software, you can analyze the data you’ve gathered to find out which channel works best for your advertising campaign. You can create and publish gated content to your followers so you get detailed information about prospects. After gaining enough data on your prospects, you will be able to target a specific audience based on your followers’ location, interests, age, and online behavior. You may then test ad sets to fine-tune the formula that will make your campaign more profitable, and from there, you can launch your ad and generate more leads.
- Increase lead conversion through email marketing. Converting leads into paying customers is the most difficult aspect of marketing. To optimize the process, you can use marketing software to make effective emails that are sure to engage your leads. Start by analyzing previous interactions with clients that your CRM has collected. After which, start building a marketing track–a collection of emails delivered to a specific type of buyer over a certain period of time. These will help you determine how to better communicate with your leads. Before crafting your emails and scheduling them, it is also important that you segment your contact list according to their status in your pipeline. This way, you can make sure that the right message is going to the right people at the right time.
How to Choose a Marketing Software for Your Small Business
Choosing the right marketing platform for your company is undoubtedly crucial. To simplify the browsing process, here are a few guidelines for selecting software for your small business.
- Determine Your Budget. Small businesses have a finite amount of financial resources–a bulk of which is spent on employee wages, business insurance, inventories, and rent. So, when investing in a marketing platform, it is important that you determine a budget that you can easily maintain. Aside from making sure that you can afford the monthly/yearly fees of a particular software vendor, you should also try to factor in installation fees, licensing fees, and the like.
- Find Out Your Operational Needs. Ask yourself what type of marketing strategies will you be using most. If you will be focusing on email and social media marketing, then you should opt for a platform that specializes in these processes. Should you need something that can streamline your marketing and sales tasks, then maybe CRM software is what you need. The bottom line here is that you need to find out what your business operations require so you can better understand what type of marketing software to invest in.
- Assess Your Technical Know-How. Before investing in a marketing platform, you also have to assess whether or not you have the technical expertise to manage it. Some software solutions require users to have some sort of programming knowledge while some might involve a number of technical processes to set up and maintain. If you are adept in programming and are used to these kinds of technology, these shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you think you’ll have a hard time getting used to this or will have to spend extra money by hiring an expert to help you, then, you should opt for a product that is easier to learn.
- Define Your Business’ Long-Term Goals. Are you looking to expand your business into a large enterprise in the future? Perhaps you’d prefer to keep your business the way it is? Whatever the case, you need to identify your long-term goals for your company. By doing so, it makes it easier for you to determine how scalable your platform should be.
- Get a Closer Look at Prospective Platforms – Of course, after narrowing down your options using the factors mentioned above, you need to start taking a closer look at your prospective platforms. Not only do you need to browse their site and find out more about the platforms’ specifications; but you should also get in touch with the vendor for any concerns that you may have. This way, you get a better understanding of what the product can do before you invest in it. In addition to these, find out if they offer free trials for their products so you can better gauge the features of the software you are interested in.
Best All-In-One Marketing Software in 2023
Houzz Pro
The software called Houzz Pro offers project management and marketing solutions for contractors and design professionals in one convenient and user-friendly online platform that does not require any downloads.
Advantages
- Houzz Pro offers a range of features that can help contractors and design professionals streamline their business, attract better clients, and increase profits, all in one place.
- Houzz Pro has a powerful premium profile feature along with targeted advertising, which can help businesses showcase their work and reach more potential clients.
- Houzz Pro provides a mobile app that allows users to use the software on the go, making it easier for them to stay productive.
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- Houzz Pro seems to have a steep learning curve as it offers a lot of features, and it can take time to master them all.
- The pricing for Houzz Pro is not disclosed on the website, which makes it hard to determine whether it will be affordable for small businesses or not.
- Although Houzz Pro offers a range of features for project management, it may not be suitable for large organizations with complex project management needs.
Does it offer a free trial or have a free plan available?
The plans begin at a cost of $49 per month.
DirectLync
With our all-in-one digital marketing software, DirectLync helps you save both time and money.
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- All-in-one platform: DirectLync offers an all-in-one digital marketing and sales platform which makes it easier for small businesses to manage their marketing and sales operations from a single location.
- Customizable: The platform can be customized according to the unique needs of a business, allowing businesses to use only the tools they need.
- Drag-and-drop editor: DirectLync offers a seamless drag-and-drop editor which makes it easier for businesses to design engaging email campaigns and forms.
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- Limited pricing information: DirectLync’s pricing models are not clearly mentioned on their website, which can be a drawback for businesses who want to compare prices before purchasing.
- Limited social media features: DirectLync’s social media tools are limited to planning and scheduling content, which may not be enough for businesses that require more advanced social media management tools.
- Limited contact management features: While DirectLync does offer contact management features, it is not clear how advanced these features are and they may not be sufficient for larger businesses.
Does it offer a free trial or free plan?
Plans are available starting at $20 per month.
GetResponse
We have a solution for you, regardless of your level of expertise. GetResponse ensures that email marketing is done correctly. Begin your free account today!
Advantages
- GetResponse provides a wide variety of marketing tools, including email marketing, marketing automation, webinars, and more.
- The pricing plans are affordable, with a free option available and paid plans starting at $1-30 per month.
- The platform is user-friendly and well-designed, with features like an AI email generator and a website builder to help streamline marketing campaigns.
Please rephrase the text while maintaining the same meaning: Cons
- Some users may find the number of features overwhelming or unnecessary for their specific marketing needs.
- The custom solution option, GetResponse MAX, is not available for all pricing plans and may be too expensive for some businesses.
- While GetResponse offers customer support 24/7, some users may prefer to have a dedicated account manager for more personalized assistance.
EngageBay
EngageBay provides cost-effective CRM software that offers marketing, sales, and support solutions for expanding businesses interested in engaging and converting website visitors into satisfied customers.
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- All-in-one suite for marketing, sales, and support teams.
- Free CRM option for small businesses with unlimited contacts.
- Marketing automation features such as email marketing, landing pages, and web forms.
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- Limited free options for teams larger than 15 members.
- Pricing information is not readily available on the website.
- Minimal customer testimonials or case studies are mentioned on the website.
Is there a free trial or a free plan available?
Plans have a beginning price of $10.79 per month.
VipeCloud
VipeCloud, the CRM with the highest rating for usability and customer satisfaction, is a comprehensive sales CRM, marketing, and social suite that offers unmatched support.
Advantages
- Comprehensive suite of CRM and marketing tools that can improve sales and marketing productivity
- A free trial offered to test out the product before committing to a subscription
- Positive customer feedback and high rankings in usability and customer satisfaction
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- No pricing information provided on the website, which may turn off potential customers who want to know the cost before trying the product
- Limited information provided on specific features and capabilities of the individual tools within the suite
- No mention of mobile app availability for on-the-go access to the CRM and marketing tools.
Is there a free trial or a free plan available?
Plans are available starting at $20 per month.
Venntive
Venntive is an extensive CRM platform that encompasses Marketing Automation, Sales Pipelines, Customer Engagement & Support, Projects, Events, and Learning, all of which are designed to cater to your preferences.
Advantages
- Complete RevOps CRM with end-to-end customer lifecycle management.
- Integration of marketing, sales, service, and operations for improved collaboration and efficiency.
- Simplified workflows and automation of repetitive tasks.
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- Limited information provided about features and pricing.
- Unclear details about the 7-day free trial.
- Lack of additional customer reviews or ratings to validate user satisfaction.
Is there a free trial or free plan available for this?
Plans are available with a starting price of $150 per month.
SeoSamba Marketing Operating System (MOS)
Unlock the potential of your business effortlessly by utilizing SeoSamba’s Marketing Operation System (MOS), an all-in-one Marketing Automation Solution & Review Software. This integrated toolset allows you to streamline your marketing efforts and enhance your online reputation. With MOS, you can combine all digital key performance indicators (KPIs) on a single dashboard and connect with your target audience through numerous online channels such as paid ad campaigns, email marketing, social media, organic web traffic acquisition, phone calls, text messages, chat, and online forms.
The advantages
- SeoSamba provides a comprehensive range of marketing solutions for different businesses, which can cater to their unique needs.
- The marketing automation technology of SeoSamba can help businesses achieve predictable results.
- SeoSamba offers a performance guarantee when businesses purchase its service packages, which can be reassuring.
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- There is no indication of pricing on the website, so businesses may not be able to compare it with other marketing solutions.
- The website contains a lot of technical jargon, which may be overwhelming or confusing for some businesses.
- It is unclear how easy or user-friendly SeoSamba’s software and services are to use, which may impact adoption rates.
Does it offer a free trial or a free plan?
Plans are available starting at $99 per month.
Mailchimp
Start and grow your business on your own terms by using Mailchimp’s All-In-One marketing, automation, and email marketing platform. It is user-friendly and you can begin for free!
The advantages of this are as follows:
- Offers a variety of tools for businesses to build their online presence, including websites, online stores, and appointment scheduling.
- Provides a range of marketing tools such as email campaigns, landing pages, and digital ads to engage with audiences and reach potential customers.
- Features a suite of audience management tools like CRM, segmentation, and behavioral targeting to help businesses target their messaging and personalize their marketing efforts.
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- Pricing can be quite expensive, particularly for the Premium plan, which may not be affordable for smaller businesses.
- Some of the more advanced features, such as multivariate and A/B testing, are only available on the Premium plan, limiting their accessibility to smaller businesses on lower-tier plans.
- While Mailchimp offers a range of integrations with other platforms and services, some integrations may require additional fees or custom coding, which may be a barrier for businesses with limited technical expertise or resources.
Does it offer a free trial or a free plan?
Plans are available starting at $9.99 per month.
Vbout
VBOUT combines different marketing tools into a single, robust platform that includes social media, landing pages, lead management, email marketing, automation, and analytics.
Advantages
- VBOUT offers a wide range of features for marketing automation, lead management, email marketing, and social media analytics.
- The platform provides customizable pricing plans and add-ons, allowing businesses to choose features that meet their specific needs.
- VBOUT has received positive reviews from satisfied customers and has been ranked as a top marketing automation software by G2 Crowd.
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- The platform may be overwhelming for businesses that do not require all the features offered by the platform or have limited technical expertise.
- The pricing plans of VBOUT may not be affordable for small businesses with limited budgets.
- Advanced features such as AI content generation may require additional costs or technical expertise to fully utilize them.
Constant Contact
With Constant Contact, you have the ability to create successful email marketing and other online marketing campaigns that align with your business objectives.
Advantages.
- User-friendly tools for email and digital marketing
- Advanced automation features to streamline your campaigns
- Industry-specific solutions tailored to your business needs
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- Limited customization options for more unique branding
- Higher pricing compared to some competitors
- Initial learning curve for navigating the platform
Does the product offer a free trial or a free plan?
Plans can be purchased starting at $12 per month.
Conclusion
With marketing software, small businesses can level the playing field. By selecting software that fits their budget and meets their specific needs, they can compete with larger competitors without needing to increase staff or have extensive financial resources. These centralized hubs enhance workplace productivity, improve pipeline management, and help small businesses keep pace in a technology-driven market. Our guide to marketing software for small businesses aims to help you understand how to leverage this platform and determine which software solutions are suitable for your business.
