by Drew Adams
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It's easy to get frustrated when mapping out the complexities of integrating email marketing with a CRM application. Companies want to view all customer data, including email marketing statistics, in one easy-to-use application. However, few CRM providers have mastered the art of email marketing.
Some organizations attempt to build their own email tool within a CRM application for managing email marketing, but this often results in poor deliverability. A new system can't immediately leverage the whitelisting status that reputable email marketing companies work hard to maintain. Also, by bringing email marketing in-house, a company must dedicate staff time to developing relationships with ISPs.
Many firms turn to an API, or application-programming interface, as the solution. APIs bridge the gap between CRM and other third-party software applications, which is useful for organizations that wish to manage customer data and email campaigns in one interface. A user may view sales data, demographic, and other customer data in the CRM system. The API is simply a bridge between the two systems, allowing them to talk with one another.
Why is integration important? Simplicity. By using a single interface, users can quickly gather information from various sources rather than logging into different applications. Everything they need is available by the click of the mouse from their CRM's interface.
OK, I'm ready to integrate my CRM with an email marketing solution. What next?
Before you do hours of research on an email marketing company's API, ensure that your own system has an API. If you're using a CRM that does not allow third-party applications to connect, it may be difficult to achieve this level of integration.
Assuming you have a system that can plug in, you may begin shopping for an email marketing API. Your first step is to perform the standard email marketing litmus test:
- Is it whitelisted with the major ISPs?
- Does it use third-party services to measure deliverability?
- Does it offer Sender-ID and DomainKeys?
- Does it ban rented or purchased lists from their system?
- Does it offer and encourage double opt-ins?
- Does their feature set meet my needs?
- Does it screen resellers and API users to ensure they aren't abusing the system?
If the answers to those questions are favorable, then one can move on to evaluating the API. At this point in the evaluation process, you should pull in your development team, if applicable.
What Does the API Need to Do?
Automatic contact subscriptions
One of the main uses of an email marketing API is to subscribe people automatically to email lists from a third-party system. For example, when a customer is added to your CRM, an API call can be made to automatically add that person to an email list. Without the API, your marketing manager will be pulling double duty adding the email address to both the CRM and the email application.
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Comments
by Doug Bowker Tue Jul 1, 2008
Good article. Many people think that they can use simple or homemade email tools to do the job of a true marketing platform, while others confuse email marketing with relationship marketing, without addressing the critical relationship management component - CRM and a well developed customer database. This unfortunately includes many email marketing platform vendors.
I suppose that this situation will correct itself as the market matures, just as it has in the life cycle of other applications, but in the meantime half-way "solutions" that don't deliver the expected results will needlessly send users looking for other alternatives.
Doug Bowker
by Brad Bylsma Sun Jul 6, 2008
Hi Brad here, I'm new to your newsletter and am highly impressed and grateful for the information you have provided.
I was looking for a CRM solution to my list organizing and follow-up nightmare up to 2 months ago when I tested an online solution and have found it to be the answer I needed.
This one is very targeted to the needs of people who market online and have tools specific to those needs, one is unique in all the CRM applications I looked at.
Thanks.
Oprius.com
by Joie Tue Jul 8, 2008
Nice! Glad the conversation is happening around bridging CRM gaps.
It was this very issue that had me research a solution for my company over the past six months. I ended up going with OfficeAutopilot.com.
It's CRM and marketing automation and email at it's finest. I'm amazed and stupefied. I have systems in place for that automate nearly every part of my business. I'm so pleased.
by Richard Rose Tue Jul 8, 2008
Most of the major email sending systems (experian, constant contact, exact target) support salesforce integration. For our Microsoft CRM system, exacttarget.com offered a pretty amazing integration. I have to say i've been extremely impressed with their support and the quality of the implementation. YMMV,
RIch
by Vinod Nambiar Fri Jul 11, 2008
Great article. The need to combine outward marketing with internal analytics is key to define ROI and effectiveness.
I came across LyrisHQ, a platform offers an integration of email and analytics (Clicktracks). Anybody used it before?
by Maria Fri Aug 1, 2008
Do you people know that the tecnology is so advance nowadays, where I have seen you doenload the Email list and than you can route it or upload in the email campaign platfrom and than you can really tarck all your emails and prospects can be directly transfer to a CRM
yes i am talking about a newplatfrom which can make this possible form salesbrowser.
its too good for samll and medium business. its call Intregated Marketing Suit, Recently Launch by a company called salesbrowser.
by Elaine Tue Sep 23, 2008
MailChimp.com has been a wonderful web-based solution for integrating my contact databases with my business email marketing needs. The seamless integration with Google Analytics and a continually developing API have given me the results I was looking for-- and the power to track what is (or isn't) working.
After trying other, more cumbersome solutions, I was so relieved to find MailChimp!
by Angela Thu Oct 23, 2008
Thanks for the article Drew. Good information and your product puts the money where your mouth is. I was impressed by the robust nature of the Contactology api.