Comparison of 10 marketing automation tools | Benefits and how to choose!

In this article, we will introduce marketing automation tools, commonly known as MA. Marketing automation tools are the best tools for those who want to automate their marketing-related operations and who want to strengthen marketing measures and improve sales.

We will introduce the functions and actual tools for those who want to know about marketing automation tools and those who want to select the marketing automation tool that suits their company.

What is a marketing automation tool?

A marketing automation tool is a machine that automates marketing. For example, we manage customer information obtained from e-mail magazines and EC sites in one place, and take an approach that matches the purchase information and personal information of each customer.

Traditionally, customer information management and approaches such as direct messaging have been done manually. However, if you introduce a marketing automation tool, these tasks will be performed automatically, so the number of man-hours in marketing will be greatly reduced.

7 Main features of marketing automation tools

So what are the features of marketing automation tools? Here are 7 features.

1. Content creation
2. Scenario creation
3. Content delivery
4. Lead scoring
5. Lead management
6. Reporting
7. Link with other tools

I will explain each function.

① Content creation

The first function is content creation. Automatically create marketing content. Here is an example of content that can be created with marketing automation tools.

In this way, content is created automatically. * The content that can be created varies depending on the tool.

②Scenario creation

The second function is scenario creation. A scenario in a marketing automation tool refers to a plan for estimating and realizing the purchase behavior of a customer from touching content to purchasing.

Here is an example scenario in a marketing automation tool.

(3) Content distribution

This is a function that automatically distributes created content. Information will be disseminated through content such as SNS and websites.

④ Lead scoring

This is a function that scores customers based on their purchase status, interest, and degree of interest based on site browsing time and purchase history. This function makes it possible to provide information tailored to each customer.

The scoring criteria are as follows.

⑤Lead management

Manage customer’s personal information and purchasing behavior. Attributes and information of prospective customers can be shared with internal sales departments to help create new lists.

⑥ Report creation

It is a function to report the effect of marketing automation, the number of site visitors, purchase history, etc. This will give you an idea of ​​the sales impact of your marketing. Share reports across your company so you can devise strategies based on your marketing efforts across the enterprise.

⑦ Linking with other tools

By linking with other tools, you can further enhance the marketing of the tools you have been using. Some tools can work with other tools.

Below are some examples of tools that can be integrated with marketing automation tools.

Other marketing tools

In addition to marketing automation tools, we will introduce tools related to marketing.

CRM

CRM is a customer management system. Centrally manage customer information. It also groups and analyzes customers.

SFA

SFA is a sales support system. It manages information related to sales activities, and manages sales forecasts and budgets. In addition, you can create and manage schedules related to sales people, and create quotations and reports related to sales.

ABM

ABM is an abbreviation for Account Based Marketing, and is a tool that targets sales to marketing companies. We mainly target companies that are of high value to us. ABM is a marketing tool mainly used by BtoB companies (companies that provide services to companies, not general consumers), and is characterized by approaching specific companies.

Features that differ from other marketing tools

So what makes marketing automation tools different from other companies? Introduces the unique features of marketing automation tools.

Scoring function

The scoring function that scores lead information can be said to be a unique function of marketing automation tools. Based on this function, the function described later is established.

Creation and distribution of e-mail texts

It is a function of a marketing automation tool used by companies that conduct email marketing such as creating email magazines. You can streamline your work by automatically sending emails based on customer information.

LP and form creation function

LP refers to the landing page, which is the first page that people who visit the content come into contact with through searches, clicks on advertisements, etc. A form is a page where customers enter information.

Marketing automation tools allow you to create these.

Marketing automation method 3 things you can do

What are the benefits of using a marketing automation tool? Here are three benefits of using marketing automation tools.

1. Strengthen customer relationships
2. Unearth a sleeping customer
3. Operating cost reduction

(1) Strengthen customer relationships

The first is the ability to strengthen the relationship between customers and companies. With conventional methods, it would take a lot of time and effort to make the best approach to each customer at the right time. However, if you introduce a marketing automation tool, it will be done automatically, so you will inevitably be able to approach the customer individually.

This strengthens customer relationships by ensuring that customers are never left out or left unattended.

(2) Discovering customers who were sleeping

The second is that you can discover customers who were sleeping. With conventional methods, it was difficult to approach all customer information. As a result, there was a problem that it was not possible to approach customers who had acquired it a long time ago.

However, customer management using marketing automation tools has made it possible to approach customers again from the customer information that was sleeping. This allows you to reach more customers.

(3) Reduce operating costs

The third is the reduction of operating costs. By creating a sales list with a marketing automation tool, you can complete a high-quality sales list and make it easier to sell to your customers.

This can reduce operating costs.

Numerical values ​​to focus on in marketing measures

You can’t expect to increase sales just by introducing a marketing automation tool. Let’s measure whether the numbers are improving and measure the effect of marketing automation.

Here, we will introduce KPIs and NPS that we want to emphasize in marketing measures.

Main KPIs

KPI is an abbreviation for Key Performance Indicator, which means “Key Performance Indicator”. It is a numerical value necessary to achieve business goals. Here are five numbers you should set for your KPIs.

[1] Number of CVs (conversions)

CV (conversion) means conversion or result. In marketing terms, conversion refers to the customer’s purchasing behavior desired by the company.

The number of conversions refers to the number of member registrations and the number of clicks.

[2] Number of clicks

Clicks are set to one of the KPIs, as explained in CV count. Advertisements and banner button clicks are an integral part of customer actions on the web and in apps.

[3] Number of openings

Email opens are also important. Even if you send an email, if you do not open it, it will not lead to the next purchase behavior.

According to a survey by Constant Contact Inc, the average email magazine open rate is 17.16% as of September 2020.

[4] Number of arrivals

The number of visits to websites, purchase pages, etc. It is important that DMs and e-mail magazines from companies are not only opened but also clicked to reach the site.

[5] Number of deliveries

The number of email magazines, DMs, etc. delivered. Based on this, calculate the numerical value by calculating the number of opens, clicks, and arrivals.

NPS (customers’ trust in the company)

NPS stands for Net Promoter Score and represents customer loyalty (customers’ trust in a company).

First, ask the respondents to answer the question, “How likely are you to recommend this product or service to your acquaintances and colleagues?”

Calculate your NPS by subtracting the % Detractors from the % Promoters.

Organizations suitable for implementing marketing automation tools

There are companies that are suitable for introducing marketing automation tools and those that are not.

Suitable companies have the following characteristics:

Marketing automation tools can be recommended for the above companies in terms of being able to approach many customers and create content.

Organizations not suitable for implementing marketing automation tools

Companies that are not suitable for introduction are the following companies.

How to choose marketing automation without fail

As the demand for marketing automation tools grows, more tools are emerging. Therefore, we will introduce four ways to choose the tools that suit your company without fail.

① Set marketing goals

First, decide what numbers you want to improve through marketing automation tools. For that reason, let’s find out the numbers that have been acquired so far and the numbers that have not been acquired.

If you introduce it without deciding how much sales will be improved and what measures and figures are necessary for that purpose, you will not be able to obtain sufficient effects.

(2) Can leads be visualized?

A tool that can quickly quantify the leads you generate will allow you to quickly calculate your goal attainment. Choose a tool that makes it easy to see your leads.

(3) Cooperation with sales

If you can link with the sales department and SFA tools, you can create sales lists and strengthen sales. Tools that can share information and work with sales tools are recommended.

④Cost and support system

Determine the cost in advance and choose a plan that suits you.

10 Recommended Marketing Automation Tools

Here are the top 10 marketing automation tools we recommend.

1. Marketo Engage｜Over 5,000 implementations
2. SHANON MARKETING PLATFORM | Support for creating customer experiences
3. SATORI | Leading to the acquisition of prospective customers
4. b→dash | Easy to operate even for beginners
5. Probance | Responding to customer needs
6. Salesforce Pardot | Help Nurture Leads
7. Hubspot Marketing hub | All your marketing tools and data in one place
8. Kairos3｜Support for sales activities
9. List Finder | No.1 market share among listed companies
10. Oracle Marketing Cloud | Comprehensive Integrated Marketing Solution

①Marketo Engage｜Over 5,000 installations

By accumulating customer purchasing behavior data, combining standard functions and advanced action flows, we design customer experiences and promote the building of good relationships. More than 5,000 installations worldwide. It is widely used by companies of all sizes and industries, regardless of BtoB BtoC or company size.

Recommended for companies like this

BtoB companies Companies
that want to use tools used around the world

②SHANON MARKETING PLATFORM | Support for creating customer experiences

In addition to managing leads and implementing measures, we support the creation of optimal customer experiences based on data. In addition, marketing goals can be managed, so it can be used as a central system for team marketing.

Recommended for companies like this

Companies that want to work on marketing measures as a team

③ SATORI | Leading to the acquisition of prospective customers

By directly approaching target leads who meet specific conditions, they can be guided to the document download page and registered with the form. You can set up a CTA area such as a banner. In some cases, pop-up forms and banners have been used to generate more than 1,000 real-name leads per month.

Recommended for companies like this

Companies that want to strengthen their website measures

④b→dash｜Easy to operate even for beginners

b→dash is a data marketing cloud system that can realize “data acquisition, processing, integration, extraction, and utilization” all in one without using SQL. The screen is designed so that anyone can easily operate it.

Recommended for companies like this

Introduction beginner

⑤Probance | Responding to customer needs

Provence is an MA tool that delivers messages to customers at the optimum timing. Provence relieves the stress of end users, improves corporate value, increases the purchase rate, and helps improve results such as discovering dormant customers.

Recommended for companies like this

BtoC company

⑥Salesforce Pardot | Support for lead development

Pardot helps you generate leads, nurture leads, and measure marketing ROI. Its strength lies in its ability to seamlessly link with related tools provided by Salesforce and utilize user data.

Recommended for companies like this

BtoB company

⑦ Hubspot Marketing hub｜Aggregate marketing tools and data into one

Marketing Hub brings all your marketing tools and data together in one great platform so you can attract and win customers with the audiences who need your products and services.

Recommended for companies like this

Companies with no cost (free plan available)

⑧Kairos3｜Support for sales activities

A marketing automation (MA)/SFA tool that extracts customers who are likely to lead to business negotiations and supports sales activities.

Recommended for companies like this

Companies that want to strengthen their sales

⑨List Finder｜No.1 market share among listed companies

It is a marketing automation for BtoB that has a track record of introducing more than 1,600 accounts in Japan and boasts the No. 1 share among domestic tools introduced by listed companies.

Recommended for companies like this

BtoB company

⑩Oracle Marketing Cloud｜Comprehensive integrated marketing solution

The most comprehensive integrated marketing solution for launching cross-channel marketing programs and consolidating all prospect and customer marketing signals into one view.

It helps you increase the return on your digital marketing investments, generate customer loyalty through superior campaign performance, and drive real-time performance decisions during critical campaign cycles.

Recommended for companies like this

Large company

 Comparison of marketing automation tools introduced in this article

Boost your sales with marketing automation tools

This time, we introduced marketing automation tools. Refer to the comparison chart and introduce the marketing automation tool that suits your company.