When it comes to picking a sales and marketing automation platform, there are so many on the market. Unless you’re a marketing expert, some of the platforms can seem daunting and it can be an overwhelming task to narrow it down. How are you supposed to know what to pick when you haven’t used sales or marketing automation before? To help you out, we have come up with our top questions you can use to simplify the process and make it easier.
1. HAVE YOU READ ANY REVIEWS
Find out what people think of this software and read reviews. “93% of customers reading a review before buying a product”. Review sites such as G2 give an in-depth representation of how certain B2B software helps different industry types and sizes. (Read Zymplifies reviews on G2.)
Check out any case studies or testimonials they have on their site or look at any reviews they have on social media. Adding to that, there are a list of great sites that you can find out exactly what users are saying about various platforms on the market such as Trust Radius, Mar Tech, and Capterra.
2. ARE THE KEY FEATURES YOU NEED INCLUDED?
Ask yourself why you are on the hunt for sales and marketing automation. Be clear and specific with your answer and make sure those features are included in your final decision. They might try and impress you with added benefits, but don’t pay more for features you aren’t going to use. Know what you need and make sure the platform delivers on those.
3. WHAT ARE THE PAYMENT TERMS?
Some vendors will try and squeeze everything out of you in the onboarding process. We can see straight through this. You should never be expected to pay a large lump sum up front before you’ve even used the product. By doing this, you’re shooting yourself in the foot and using up valuable cash that you could be pumping into your marketing campaigns. Look for a provider that asks little from the start with a rolling contract.
 4. HOW LONG IS THE CONTRACT?
Most agencies work with clients on a month-to-month basis and you should be mindful of this before you sign yourself up for an entire year. We understand that a lot can change in 12 months. Find out the exact details regarding the contract and ask if you must sign a quarterly, annual or any other long-term contract. If the software provider is confident in their product, they won’t tie you into any long-term contracts. You should be able to cancel at any time if you feel like the platform isn’t the right fit for your business.
5. ARE YOU LOOKING AT BOTH THE PRICE AND THE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP?
Most vendors will have a range of packages that vary in functionality and price. Make sure you are fully aware of all the pricing packages and what you will get from them. Don’t be fooled by a cheaper deal that might not give you everything you need. If a lower package has limits on contacts, email sends, or users, it can be really easy to rack up overages and you could be hit with an extra bill at the end of the month. Nobody likes unexpected bills, especially for any company that is in the growth phase.
 6. HOW LONG WILL THE ONBOARDING PROCESS TAKE?
A lot of vendors can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? You should ask how long it will take to get you set up and running. Are they going to offer further support when you are up and running or will they leave you high and dry to figure it out on your own? You’ll want to feel confident in the product before being left on your own to carry out your marketing and sales tasks.
7. ARE THERE INTEGRATIONS AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH THE TOOLS YOU ALREADY USE?
You’ll want to work with a vendor who already works seamlessly with providers you already use such as social media sites and CRM tools. They might work natively with them, through plug-and-play, or by using Zapier. The Zymplify platform integrates with Google Analytics, Google AdWords, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Zen Desk, WordPress, Zapier and YouTube to name but a few.
 8. DOES THE BUILT-IN ANALYTICS MEET YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS?
You need to be measuring and monitoring your sales and marketing efforts regularly to ensure you are not wasting money. Choose a software provider that can offer you end-to-end reporting and analytics, so you know what’s working and what’s not. Don’t be afraid to ask for an example of their reporting tools and compare it against other providers.
