Marketing automation tools play a decisive role in the establishment of a systematic lead management system and in the targeted design of dynamic customer journeys. In fact, most companies are already using tools to automate their customer journeys – to varying degrees.
Source: Ascend2, 2024
Overview of a changing market
At the same time, the market for these tools and systems is becoming increasingly complex. Companies that are just starting out with the automation of their marketing activities often find it difficult to find their way around. The situation is similar for those who have gained initial experience with a simple tool and are now repeatedly coming up against the limits of its functionality.
The market is changing rapidly: while the large, established platforms are being developed rather slowly, smaller tools focussing on specific functionalities and applications have been able to occupy individual niches. With the growing spread of artificial intelligence, it is safe to assume that this development will intensify, and the tool landscape will become increasingly differentiated.
Comparison of marketing automation tools
The informative value of market studies that typically compare a wide variety of tools and their providers based on two abstract dimensions is diminishing accordingly. Product comparison sites already offer more information and allow a somewhat deeper insight into the performance of the tools and systems. However, for the individual company that wants to automate its marketing activities to a greater extent, the question remains: Which functionalities do you actually need and to what extent?
Differences in the core functions of the tools
There are already huge differences in the core functions: Traditionally, all marketing automation platforms have mastered the planning, creation and execution of email campaigns. Differences can be seen primarily in the level of complexity of the campaigns supported. On the one hand, this relates to the intelligence that campaigns receive through the personalisation of content and logic based on personal, company-related or behaviour-related criteria and rules.
On the other hand, the systems also differ significantly when it comes to supporting other channels (from web pages, digital adverts and social media to apps and messengers). The extent and specific design of multichannel support in the different tools is rarely easy to oversee.
Lead management and performance evaluation
When it comes to lead management, another core function of marketing automation systems, understanding the differences also requires a detailed look. This is especially true in the B2B sector, where marketing automation and CRM must work hand in hand.
The possibilities for tracking, reporting and analysing results are often directly visible. Here, too, there are major differences. Their evaluation depends strongly on the individual requirements and the possibilities that a company’s existing tech stack already offers for visualising and evaluating performance and economic success.
Source: Deploytec, 2024
In addition to the directly usable functions of the respective tool, other aspects play an important role:
Determining the requirements for system and data integration
A key topic, especially for B2B companies that have already built up an advanced MarTech stack, is integration with other systems like the CRM. Most systems can exchange data with other systems via APIs. However, whether all relevant data can be exchanged in the required manner and speed is another matter.
Costs, security and compliance
Costs are of course another key factor in the purchasing decision, and the differences in licence models and costs are enormous. After all, the costs can be compared relatively easily if you know how many users should have access to the marketing automation tool, how many contacts you have in the database and the scope of the communication.
The situation is similar when it comes to security and compliance with legal requirements; here, too, clear specifications can usually be made and their fulfilment checked by the providers.
Service, support and customization
In contrast, the assessment of needs and performance in terms of customer service, user-friendliness and customisation options is much more individual and subjective. Personal preferences play a role here, as well as existing experience with marketing tools in general and affinity, ability or even manpower for handling more complex technical tasks.
Scalability and future development
Another aspect that is often neglected is the scalability of marketing automation platforms. Constantly growing databases, user numbers and dispatch volumes should be considered here, as well as additional business areas or countries that are added as users. The integration of new areas (e.g. due to company takeovers) or even the removal of individual areas (e.g. following the establishment of a subsidiary) can become a real challenge for many tools and their users and administrators.
There is also the question of the future development of the tools – will they be able to keep pace with future developments such as the possibilities of artificial intelligence or new communication channels?
Support in selecting the right marketing automation platform
Accordingly, it is not only difficult for companies to obtain an overview of the systems and their functions. Rather, they must first define what their requirements are. This in turn is difficult if you do not know the capabilities and possible applications of the tools. It therefore makes sense to rely on the experience that a specialised partner can offer.
Are you looking for a marketing automation tool that suits your company? We would be happy to help you define your requirements, compare systems and providers and select a solution. We look forward to hearing from you!
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