The Most Efficient Marketing Automation Tools 2024 - Thorit

October 08 • 6 min to read

Marketing automation tools for more efficient marketing

Those who want to successfully advertise their products and services must nowadays use all marketing channels in order to be noticed by potential customers. However, as modern marketing is becoming increasingly extensive, confusing and therefore more time-consuming and labor-intensive, it makes sense to use high-quality marketing automation tools. We present a comparison of the most important tools.

What is marketing automation?

Marketing automation is used to automate all of a company's marketing processes. It is carried out with the help of special automation software, which is often cloud-based and simplifies, structures, standardizes, combines, measures and evaluates marketing processes. This makes marketing more efficient and also more cost-effective

Because marketing automation integrates many different advertising channels and combines them with a CRM module, the advertising company has even more data at its disposal which it can use for generating and nurturing leads. It collects comprehensive information from various sources about all website visitors and their interests, for example by analyzing and evaluating their click behavior and areas of interest. This data is then used by the advertiser to find the appropriate advertising strategy for the respective target group. Various marketing automation tools support successful automated marketing

Advantages of marketing automation tools

The interested visitor to the company's website is guided through marketing automation as a lead and automatically receives emails with relevant information. If they then show an interest in buying, the database classifies them as qualified leads and adjusts the actions accordingly. These qualified leads request a catalog or a free download, for example. If they are already stored in the CRM database, they receive a special offer as the company already has information about them and their interests.

If the qualified lead purchases the advertised product, it is transferred to the CRM database as a sales lead and is also informed about the products and services of the advertising company in the future. The marketing automation tools include automation such as:

Compare the marketing automation tools based on your requirements and marketing objectives. We are happy to support you in the selection, implementation and realization for successful automation

Website monitoring
Marketing CRM
Email marketing
Landing pages
Lead generation
Pop-ups
SMS marketing
Social media marketing
Web push marketing
Offline channels such as in-store purchases

Instead of using different programs for these areas as before, the software offers an integrative solution that works together with the CRM customer database. This stores all data about (potential) customers that originates from online and offline communication with the advertising company. This could be registrations for the newsletter, Facebook comments or emails. The data collection simplifies the evaluation of customers and at the same time prevents important information about them and their individual purchasing behavior from being lost. The data also makes it easier to display tailored content and maintain existing customers.

Success through marketing automation

Most marketing processes run independently with marketing automation. First, suitable content and workflows are created to nurture or retain certain leads and segments. In this way, you determine when, how and with what content the contact should be played. For example, means of communication such as email, SMS or social media are used. Even drip marketing can be easily carried out with marketing automation tools: The advertiser provides the prospective customer "drop by drop" at certain intervals automatically with information about the product or makes them special offers from time to time.

Marketing Automation Workflow — Marketing automation workflows allow leads and customers to be addressed automatically

Marketing automation solutions are available for the B2B and B2C sectors. They benefit marketing professionals and sales alike:

Marketers save a lot of time as they no longer have to generate leads separately and on their own. Nurturing also takes place without further intervention. Sales, in turn, can access reliable information, find potential target groups more quickly and address (potential) customers personally. This increases customer satisfaction and sales at the same time.

Another advantage of marketing automation is the simple and quick interpretation of the leads/customer data and the success of the campaign. The new customers acquired can later be offered additional cross-selling and upselling products.

Companies that have automated their marketing can

reduce their marketing costs by 33%,
generate 50% more leads,
significantly increase the conversion rate in three out of four cases,
and increase their sales by around 10% during the first six to nine months

In turn, the increase in sales usually results in an increase in the advertising budget, which in turn can be used to generate even more qualified leads and customers.

What is the difference between B2B and B2C marketing automation tools?

Marketing automation is fundamentally beneficial for all types of companies. This applies equally to B2B and B2C advertising. E-commerce companies also benefit greatly. The biggest difference between the two types of automated marketing is the target group of the advertising campaigns:

Compare the marketing automation tools based on your requirements and marketing objectives. We will be happy to support you in the selection, implementation and realization of successful automation. B2B marketing addresses other companies, B2C marketing private consumers. The former requires targeted communication with the decision-makers of the respective company, which requires detailed information about these people. The content is communicated factually and is predominantly based on facts and useful information about the product, while private consumers are addressed according to their individual interests and with emotional language .

Automated B2B campaigns are mostly geared towards personal and long-term business relationships, B2C advertising activities address consumers with regard to their needs and wishes. This is done by convincing them of the special added value of the advertised product. Long-term customer relationships are seen as a positive side effect.

Differences between B2B and B2C marketing automation — Different buying processes in B2B and B2C have an impact on marketing automation (Image: blog.salesmanago.de)

Another difference relates to the products or services offered. B2B contacts often deal with niche products that need to be explained in great detail and adapted to individual customer requirements, whereas B2C offers are generally not personalized. In B2B marketing automation, the advertising company must also be perceived as a trustworthy, reputable business partner. In automated B2C marketing, on the other hand, the focus is on satisfying the consumer's needs with the product on offer. However, thanks to the various features of marketing automation tools, a personalized approach is also no problem in the B2C sector.

Taking automated email marketing as an example, this means that the acquisition of qualified leads and ultimately sales for B2B contacts takes significantly longer than for B2C contacts and also requires considerably more preparatory work. The timing of the requested newsletters also differs: Newsletters to B2B prospects are best sent during the prospect's business hours, as they are more likely to be noticed and read then. Private consumers, on the other hand, are best contacted during their leisure time and at weekends. B2B contacts respond well to the offer of whitepapers and additional useful information. B2C leads are quickly converted via discount offers and trial subscriptions.

What marketing automation systems are there?

Examples of modern automation solutions are

Some providers of marketing automation tools focus on email marketing, whereby the software price usually depends on the number of leads/customers to be managed. The number of emails to be sent each month rarely plays a role. Most providers offer more cost-effective annual subscriptions or options to expand as demand increases.

Which automation software is suitable for your company essentially depends on the type of customers you want to acquire (B2B, B2C) and how many customers are targeted. If you want to create and maintain a large customer base and use extensive functions, you should purchase a correspondingly large program. This purchase is of course associated with higher investment costs.

Marketing automation with Salesforce Cloud

The US provider of the Sales Cloud has been in existence since 1999 and was the first company on the market to have cloud solutions in its portfolio. Today, it is the international market leader in CRM systems and automated marketing.

The marketing cloud includes:

Email marketing
Mobile marketing
Social media marketing
Web marketing
Complex cross-channel marketing

Marketing automation with Salesforce Marketing Cloud (Image: salesforce.com)

The buyer has the choice between the modules:

Journey Builder
Audience Builder
Personalization Builder
Content Builder
Analytics Builder

Marketing automation with Marketo

The Marketo platform is also a cloud-based automation solution. The comprehensive software solution is particularly suitable for large and medium-sized companies. Complex sales systems with a high transaction value in particular benefit from Marketo solutions.

Marketo offers four modules:

Marketing automation
Marketing management
Customer loyalty marketing
Real-time personalization

Marketo Marketing Automation — Marketing Automation with Marketo (Image: en.marketo.com)

The most important features include:

Lead management
Email marketing
Mobile marketing
Existing customer marketing
Consumer marketing
Web marketing
Search engine marketing (ad marketing)
Marketing analytics
Integration functions for third-party providers
Account-based marketing

Marketing automation with SALESmanago

SALESmanago is one of the few marketing automation providers from Europe. The software offers extensive possibilities for B2B companies, e-commerce and sales. The professional version is already affordable for small companies, but offers comprehensive features.

SALESmanago includes:

Email marketing
Live chat
Website tracking
Web push
Social media
Mobile apps
Advertising networks (Facebook, Google) and RTB

The most important functions:

Artificial intelligence
Push notifications
Dynamic content
User identification and user tracking
Own CRM
Comprehensive analysis
Offline beacons

Marketing automation with HubSpot

HubSpot has evolved from a sales and inbound tool to a holistic solution provider for sales, marketing and service. The browser-based marketing automation tool impresses with its user-friendliness and quick implementation. By combining the various modules, companies can select the scope and functions to suit their needs.

HubSpot offers these modules:

CRM
Marketing
Sales
Service
CMS

The most important functions include:

Blogging
Landing pages
Email marketing
Marketing automation
Lead management
Analytics
Social media
SEO
Calls-to-action
Ads

Marketing automation with Exponea

The marketing automation and customer data platform Exponea focuses on customer data. Through the comprehensive collection, analysis and intelligent action on customer data, marketing grows efficiently.

The following channels can be used with Exponea: