Question

Topic: Other

Help Choosing Crm, Sfa, Marketing Automation Etc!

Posted by avi_wener on 3/4/2012 at 6:28 AM ET 500 Points
Midsize manufacturing company (30-50 employees) that's been in business 20 years. Currently sells directly to customers worldwide across the globe. Most sales come via word of mouth. No sales force and few distributors in place. Has priority ERP system but no CRM, marketing automation system etc. Looking to expand distributor base and boost marketing activities. Want to grow lead list, customer names, automate online marketing activities etc.

Where do I start? I am familiar with several CRM systems but without an active sales force do I look to CRMs such as SFDC and MS Dynamics or should I be looking more at marketing automation systems such as hubspot and radian6? Perhaps both? We will not build a sales force but we want to build our customer reach and distributors.

Advice?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by avi_wener on 3/5/2012 at 9:12 AM Author
    Thanks for your response .
    I agree that the company needs to build a distribution network but online marketing can be done in parallel. As for automation, I am under the impression that there are various messages and follow up responses that can be automated (such as downloading a white paper followed by an intro email or browsing a product followed by an invite to a webinar) that one can set automated rules for without the need to overburden a very small customer service staff.

    Thoughts?
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 3/6/2012 at 11:29 AM Accepted
    Yes Avi, there are many solutions that can save you valuable time and help provide your customers with a satisfying experience. Going through the process of documenting your needs and selecting the right solution will take some time. Here's a link to help get you started:

    https://www.getapp.com/blog/how-to-select-crm-software-advice-from-experts-...
  • Posted by avi_wener on 3/12/2012 at 4:44 PM Author
    Steve,
    Thanks for your response. Nice blog post. Will definitely be useful to me while considering CRM needs.
    Avi
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