What is Sales Automation Software
What is Sales Automation Software?
The sales
automation software streamlines the collection, analysis, and distribution of
data in a sales pipeline. Initially, the sales automation process was focused
on streamlining tedious but unavoidable daily, weekly, or monthly tasks. Sales
automation tools are designed in a manner that is efficient enough to reduce
manual and repetitive work that enhances efficiency.
What is Marketing Automation Software?
Marketing
automation software acts as a catalyst in quickly automating the lengthy manual
marketing tasks and offers more time to the marketing reps to do painless
prospecting. It gives comprehensive information of prospects describing their
buying preference, trends and demographic details that help the sales and
marketing reps to establish and nurture a strong connection with new and
existing customers.
Difference between Marketing Automation
Software & Sales Automation Software
Is it
difficult for you to make out the difference between sales automation software
and marketing automation software? Or do you think both are the same? The
answer is not really. Both sales automation software and marketing automation
software have their particular features and utility in the sales and marketing
process. Sales automation software and marketing automation software have
become an inseparable part of businesses these days. Seeing at a macro level
sales automation software and marketing automation software looks similar,
however, they serve different purposes. Let us compare and contrast marketing
automation software with sales automation software:
The difference in Primary User: The primary user for sales automation
software and marketing automation software is different. Sales automation is
used by sales executives whereas marketing automation is used by the marketing
team. Now, it doesn’t mean that only the sales team using the sales automation
software, there are other teams as well using the sales automation but here we
are only discussing the primary user. Marketing automation software is more
advanced than sales automation software as it is developed to fulfill the
requirements of different types of marketing campaigns. Marketing automation
software allows performing different action types, like changing field values,
editing records, aligning records to a CRM, distributing leads, and so on.
However, with sales automation software it has workflows used by the sales team
when tracking leads like sending emails, text messages, and so on.
Email Source: Another notable difference between marketing
automation software and sales automation software is the manner that email
messages are sent. In marketing automation software, emails are sent through
the marketing automation provider’s network, however; in sales automation software
emails are sent through the company’s own email server. It can be an Exchange
server, Office 365, Google and so on. Sales automation software offers better
control over the emails with better deliverability, and an option to
unsubscribe in the emails.
Tracking Emails: The third difference between sales
automation software and marketing automation software is the level of tracking
emails. Marketing automation software tracks the number of emails opened and
clicked; however, it doesn’t detect if anybody replies to an email. On the
other hand, sales automation software is efficient in detecting replies. With
sales automation software, contacts can be automatically removed from the
workflow if the deal is closed or not interested in offer however with
marketing automation software, leads need to be manually removed if they are
closed or not interested in product or service.
Marketing automation is ideally used to nurture relationships with
existing clients however sales automation is used for establishing new
relationships.
Target Audience: The last major difference between sales
automation software and marketing automation software is the target audience
contacted and in which stage of a buyer’s journey. Sales automation software is
simple and due to its sales-friendly setup, it is used to fill the top of the
sales funnel. Relationships at the top of the sales funnel are delicate and not
completely established, in such scenarios sales automation software acts as a
savior to create strong connections. Sales executives can take most of the advantage
of sales automation software that helps them to build strong connections at the
beginning of a buyers’ journey. On the other hand marketing automation software
is ideal for contacts in the middle or bottom of the funnel, when a
relationship is already established.
In a
nutshell automation software is used by marketers and intended for middle to
bottom of the funnel people. It is perfect for nurturing warm prospects or
existing clients, establishing stronger relationships, and up-selling
customers. However, sales automation software is used by sales executives and
intended for the top of the funnel sales activities. It is perfect for
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and prospecting.
Summary: As the technology advancing day by day, companies are
investing in both sales automation software and marketing automation software.
Companies are using marketing automation software to improve the performance of
their marketing campaigns and add efficiency and on the other hand, they are
using sales automation software to help sales executives in simplifying their
work and build stronger relationships with prospects.
