5 companies that provide MA services -Introduction of case studies!

“MA services”, which are currently attracting attention in the marketing field, are provided by various companies and are used by various companies.

This time, we will introduce the characteristics of companies that provide MA tools and services other than MA tools. After reading this article, you will be able to compare the characteristics of each company.

What is MA

MA is an abbreviation for “marketing automation” and refers to automating a part of the marketing process . By using MA tools, you can collectively manage lead (prospect customer) data and automatically analyze lead interests and concerns.

By introducing MA, it becomes possible to manage the amount of data that cannot be managed by human hands, aiming to improve the efficiency of operations.

3 benefits of introducing MA tools

Here are three benefits of introducing MA tools.

1. Easy data management and sharing
2. You can expect an increase in lead acquisition
3. Efficient sales activities

(1) Easy data management and sharing

By introducing MA tools, data can be collectively managed and shared easily by multiple people. This will facilitate collaboration with other departments.

In particular, smoother collaboration between the marketing and sales departments will greatly improve operational efficiency.

In addition, using MA tools makes it easier to classify leads. Leads can be automatically categorized by pre-specified segments (industry, occupation, job title, etc.).

It is also possible to provide customized content and advertisements for each segment, and an approach suitable for each customer can be expected.

(2) An increase in the number of leads acquired can be expected

Many MA tools include templates for creating emails and forms. This makes it easier to create eye-catching content, and you can expect an increase in leads.

You can also provide pop-up information tailored to the content your leads viewed on your website. If you set it so that you can request materials and make inquiries from those displays, the number of leads will increase.

(3) Efficient sales activities

By using the MA tool, you can analyze what the lead is interested in and how willing they are to purchase. As a result, it is possible to extract customers who are highly motivated to purchase, enabling efficient sales activities .

Collaboration between the marketing and sales departments is essential for the efficiency of sales activities. Actively share the data and analysis results managed by the MA tool with the sales department.

5 companies that provide MA services

Here are five companies that offer MA services. Let’s take a look at the features of each company’s services.

1. Hubspot Inc. | Over 128,000 companies worldwide
2. Shannon Co., Ltd. | Specializing in digital marketing
3. salesforce.com, Inc. | No.1 market share in Japan
4. Adobe Systems Co., Ltd. | Consulting services also provided
5. Cloud Circus Co., Ltd. | Full support system

Hubspot Inc. | Over 128,000 companies worldwide

HubSpot, Inc. offers five main types of software. Among them is an MA tool called Marketing Hub.

Marketing Hub has a free version, so you can start using it with confidence even if you are using the MA tool for the first time.

Main functions include chatbot function, e-mail distribution function, and report function to measure the results of marketing measures. In addition, it can be linked with other HubSpot products and Salesforce.

• Case study

Comnico Co., Ltd. is a company that supports SNS marketing, founded in 2008, and utilizes Marketing Hub.

Since using Marketing Hub, we have been able to acquire more than 100 new leads per month, and sharing customer information has become smoother. In addition, the email open rate increased to 30-40%.

It seems that the range of sales activities has expanded since it became possible to acquire new leads from the website.

• Scale of introduction

There are multiple services provided by HubSpot Inc., and those services are used by more than 128,000 companies around the world. It can be said that it is a tool that is widely recognized worldwide.

It is also used by domestic famous companies, so it seems that it can be used with confidence.

• support system

If you use the paid version of HubSpot’s product, you can contact the Japanese support desk. You can consult with us by email, chat, or phone, so you don’t have to worry if you have trouble using the tool.

For details, please refer to the following site.

• About other products

HubSpot Inc. offers several services in addition to MA tools. For example, we have services that meet your needs, such as Sales Hub, a CRM for sales support, and Service Hub, which supports customer service.

If you use the tools provided by HubSpot in combination, you can expect great results.

Shannon Co., Ltd. | Specializing in digital marketing

Shannon Co., Ltd. is a company that “solves marketing issues with technology and science.” In addition to providing MA tools, we also provide consulting on the utilization of MA tools and marketing strategies.

Shannon Co., Ltd. provides an MA tool called SHANON MARKETING PLATFORM. With this tool, you can not only easily manage leads, but also create application forms and manage seminars and events.

Recommended for companies that frequently hold seminars and events in-house.

• Case study

Waseda Academy Co., Ltd., which operates cram schools in the Tokyo metropolitan area, has introduced the SHANON MARKETING PLATFORM and is using it to attract customers for mock exams and events.

If there is an application for mock exams or events, we will collectively manage applicant information and participating events. In addition, we categorize customers according to whether they are Keio students or not, according to school year and area of ​​residence, and distribute emails for each category.

Customers can be automatically categorized by attributes, saving time in organizing customer data. Compared to the manual management system, errors in notation of names and addresses have decreased, and e-mail distribution and sending of materials have become smoother.

• Scale of introduction

Although the specific number of companies that have introduced it is not clear, it has been introduced by companies in various industries and forms. For more case studies and interviews, please check the site below.

• support system

Shannon provides free customer support and implementation training . Even if you are using the MA tool for the first time, you can immediately consult about your troubles.

In addition, we also offer consulting services at the time of introduction, monthly report issuance services, and operation agency services. These services are chargeable, please contact us for detailed pricing.

• About consulting services

Shannon Co., Ltd. provides consulting services related to MA tools and marketing strategies. Specifically, you can receive consistent support from hearing the current situation, setting goals, initial tool settings, and post-operation support.

If you are using a tool for the first time, you may not know where to start, but with consulting services, you can operate the tool step by step.

salesforce.com, Inc. | No.1 market share in Japan

salesforce.com, Inc. offers a variety of sales tech to meet your needs. As an MA tool, a product called Pardot is available.

Pardot engages with customers through personalized emails and advertisements. It also integrates with Slack so you can instantly share important matters and customer data.

The monthly fee is from 150,000 yen, which is relatively expensive. We recommend that you check the demo and ask any questions before you start using it. Since Salesforce provides various tools, you can expect further effects by using them in combination with other tools.

• Case study

Pardot is a MA tool for BtoB (Business to Business). Cosel Co., Ltd., which sells information communication equipment and medical equipment, uses Pardot.

By enriching the content on the website, inviting visitors to the inquiry form, and actively distributing the e-mail newsletter, the number of leads acquired increased tenfold.

In order to use these leads for business negotiations, we have also started introducing SalesCloud. The integration with Pardot makes lead management and analysis a breeze.

When using Pardot, consider other Salesforce services as well.

• Scale of introduction

The number of companies that have introduced Pardot has not been clarified, but the market share in Japan exceeds 20%, and it is currently the most used MA tool in Japan.

In addition, salesforce.com, Inc., which provides Pardot, is a large company with over 150,000 customers worldwide. You can use it with confidence because it has a lot of introduction results.

• support system

You can connect to the support desk by logging in from the salesforce.com, Inc. official website.

We also have materials and videos that explain how to use Salesforce products. Events are sometimes held, so let’s use it when you’re in trouble.

• About other products

Salesforce.com, Inc. provides not only MA tools but also tools to support sales, e-commerce, human resource development, etc. You can choose from a wide variety of tools by industry and purpose, so you will be able to find the right tool for each company.

Adobe Systems Co., Ltd. | Consulting services also provided

Adobe Systems Inc. operates an MA tool called Marketo. Marketo can track customer behavior history and provide content tailored to customer interests.

Attract customers and acquire new customers through email and advertising.

In addition, Adobe Systems Co., Ltd. is famous for providing not only MA tools but also photo and video editing tools. If you need a media editing and design tool for your company, check this out too.

• Case study

Marketo has been introduced at Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., which manufactures ceramics-based products.

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. utilizes MA tools for hiring new graduates. We used social media videos and ads to acquire lead students, and leveraged Marketo to keep students well informed.

Since then, the number of entries has increased by about 10%, and the ES submission rate has increased by about 60%. By using students as leaders and incorporating marketing into recruitment, operational efficiency has increased significantly.

• Scale of introduction

Marketo has been introduced by more than 5,000 companies and is a tool used all over the world. It is used by companies in various industries and forms, and there are many examples of implementation.

• support system

Marketo offers free customer support as well as paid training courses and consulting services. Even if you are using MA tools for the first time, you can acquire knowledge through these contents.

Please check the following site for details on fees.

• About other products

Adobe Systems Incorporated provides not only marketing support tools, but also a sales support tool called Marketo Sales Insight.

With Marketo Sales Insight, you can rank your customers’ willingness to buy based on email open rates and website browsing history. You can make your sales activities more efficient by prioritizing customers with higher purchasing intentions.

Cloud Circus Co., Ltd. | Full support system

Crowd Circus Co., Ltd. provides several digital marketing tools.

The most famous and used MA tool is BowNow. Since you can start using it for free, it is highly recommended when using the MA tool for the first time.

BowNow is another marketing tool. Tools such as “Plusdb” that can build a product database without specialized knowledge and “BlueMonkey” that supports the construction of websites are provided.

There is also a chatbot tool called “IAZANAI”. If you use these tools in combination, you will be able to build a website that is attractive to your customers and will lead to new customer acquisition.

• Case study

Maxell, which provides products in various fields such as automobiles, housing, and beauty, has introduced BowNow.

We use BowNow to analyze customer behavior and distribute monthly e-mail newsletters based on customer interests. After increasing the number of leads we have, we aim to acquire customers by nurturing them by sending emails.

Since the introduction of BowNow, the number of leads has more than doubled, and the average number of leads who read the e-mail magazine frequently exceeds 250.

• Scale of introduction

BowNow is currently installed in over 5,000 companies and is the second most used tool in Japan. Since it can be started for free, it seems that it is also used by customers who want to try out what the MA tool is like first.

• support system

Cloud Circus Co., Ltd. conducts seminars free of charge. If you are interested in web marketing support tools such as BowNow, it would be a good idea to participate.

In addition, seminars and events are held for BowNow users, so you can learn how to use MA tools from scratch.

• About consulting services

Crowd Circus Co., Ltd.’s MA consulting provides support for MA operation, goal setting, and initial setting . In addition, if you use BowNow operated by our company, you can receive operation training and support for creating an inquiry form.

In addition, it is recommended if you want to enrich your content because you can receive support in creating content for emails and websites .

The initial fee for consulting is 110,000 yen, and the monthly fee is 330,000 yen. Please contact us to confirm details. Please refer to the following sites.

What is the most used MA tool in Japan?

What kind of tools are the most used MA tools in Japan?

• 3rd place Marketo | Strengthening connections with customers
• 2nd place BowNow | Available for free
• 1st place Pardot | Tools provided by Salesforce

3rd place Marketo | Strengthening connections with customers

Marketo is a tool used by over 5,000 companies worldwide . Track customer behavior and send the right emails with customer-focused tools.

Engage your prospects by building personalized content. In addition, it is easy to use with a simple dashboard, and detailed reporting functions allow you to measure the results of your marketing efforts.

2nd place BowNow | Available for free

BowNow is a free-to-use tool that focuses on ease of use .

You can collect information on prospective customers and distribute useful information to each individual. Prospects will be more interested in your product and will be more likely to purchase it.

In addition, the operation screen and price setting are simple, so it can be said that it is a very easy-to-use tool. Since you can start using it for free, there is an advantage that even if you are introducing the tool for the first time, it is easy to try it .

1st place Pardot | Tools provided by Salesforce

Pardot is Salesforce’s MA tool.

It is possible to link with Salesforce, and if you use it in combination, you can greatly improve your work efficiency. It’s a great tool, especially if you’re already using Salesforce.

And with an email creation editor and templates available, it’s easy to create emails that engage your customers. If your email open rate goes up and your customers are more informed, they’ll be even more likely to buy.

In addition, the report function makes it easy to check the results of marketing measures on the screen. Knowing which measures have worked will make it easier to decide which measures to implement in the future.

Three points when comparing MA tools and providers

Here are three points to consider when comparing MA tools and provider companies.

1. How many implementations have you had?
2. Is there a user support system in place?
3. Is the fee structure clear?

(1) How many implementation results do you have?

The first thing to check is the implementation record.

The official websites of many MA tool providers have introduction results and case studies. Check to see if companies with similar issues to your own, or companies in similar industries and formats, have introduced the tool.

If companies similar to yours are using the tool, you may be able to use it in the same way. Let’s make an operation plan for your company by referring to the introduction case.

②Is there a user support system in place?

If you have a system in place where you can consult immediately when you stumble on MA operation, you will not waste time. It is reassuring to be able to consult not only by phone, but also by e-mail or chat.

We also recommend companies that offer free seminars and events. Before actually introducing the tools, attend seminars to understand the features of each company’s products.

(3) Is the fee structure clear?

The price of MA tools varies greatly depending on the tool, but there are cases where paid options are available. It is safe to choose one that is clear to detailed pricing.

Some tools are fairly expensive, so you need to carefully consider whether the features are worth the price. Check the price list on the website and contact us if you are unsure.

3 points to note when operating MA within the company

I will explain three points to keep in mind when operating MA within a company.

1. clarify purpose
2. Make a solid operation plan
3. When in doubt, consult a professional immediately

① Clarify the purpose

Before introducing the MA tool, let’s clarify the points such as “Why are you introducing the MA tool” and “What kind of results do you want to achieve?”

Simply introducing a tool blindly without a purpose will not yield results. In order not to waste time and money, let’s be conscious of the tool selection and operation plan according to the purpose .

② Make a solid operation plan

After clarifying the purpose of introducing the tool, make a concrete operation plan. When making an operation plan, it will be easier to make a plan if you set specific numerical targets.

Setting numerical targets not only makes it easier to evaluate the results of measures, but also improves the motivation of all employees.

• Numbers to be emphasized

Here are some numbers to consider when setting goals. If you have concrete numerical targets, it will be easier to make an operation plan.

Here, we introduce KPIs.

KPI is a key performance indicator in Japanese, and it is a specific numerical value for evaluating the process in achieving the company’s objectives . By using KPI, you can visualize the results of the company.

There are various items to set according to the purpose and industry of each company. For example, in the field of marketing, new customer acquisition rate, customer satisfaction, customer unit price, etc.

③ If you are in trouble, immediately consult a professional

If you get stuck in the introduction or operation of MA, it is one way to consult an MA consultant. Consulting companies specializing in IT tools and marketing will give you appropriate advice depending on the situation.

You can receive consistent support from tool selection and initial settings to feedback after operation. For more information, please refer to the article below.

Summary

This time, I explained the companies that provide MA services and the points when introducing MA. Both domestically and internationally, MA tools are widely used and introduced.

Choose a tool that suits your company’s purpose and situation, and aim to improve work efficiency. When in trouble, try comparing several tools or consult a professional to achieve the optimal MA operation.