When choosing a CRM, it is a very important step to consider which marketing automation platform to buy and compare. The primary characteristics of these platforms include, being easy to use, inexpensive, highly flexible, and flexible payment options. Additionally, the provider should also offer a number of tracking and reporting features such as automation. Therefore, the choice of CRM versus marketing automation is an important one.

We would be inclined to select CRM, however, there are a few reasons why, at this stage, Marketing Automation is more likely the best fit.

High ROI

One of the main reasons why CRM, or customer relationship management, is the best fit for the marketer, is because the system allows them to track the path to purchase. The marketer can gain insight into where they started, and what tools they used in order to move on to the next step of the sale process. CRM also saves the marketers time, as they can learn a great deal of information without having to create an entirely new report.

Adoption in the small business market

Over 95% of small business owners are implementing mobile apps in the year ahead. Additionally, there is a statistic that a large number of people are looking to embrace CRM as a part of their digital portfolio. Therefore, it is increasingly important to take advantage of the massive adoption of CRM, as a viable avenue to achieve the goals you have in mind.

Communications capabilities

Instead of building a new system, businesses should choose a marketing automation platform that is well-equipped for making communications. The best type of CRM allows you to communicate by email, phone, and SMS. However, you can also add social media channels to keep up with your customers’ interactions. Furthermore, you can track leads and convert them to sales.

Negotiations

Many small businesses have salespeople that represent them in various situations. These individuals need time and resources to create and execute strategies. Unfortunately, a CRM is only good if it has some form of automation to manage negotiations. Automation allows the salespeople to quickly analyze proposals and sign agreements, without having to deal with many other forms of tedious work, such as negotiating.

Innovative Social Tools

Social media apps offer a great number of features, and customers can view and contact businesses in many different ways. For instance, you can use a service to publicly announce the existence of a new product by letting friends and followers know. Or you can set up other user group conversations to make your brand even more relevant in the eyes of your customers. In fact, we are all happy about to use tools like Slack, and expect that they will be integrated with our CRM for the foreseeable future.