Advertiser Platforms
Article | February 22, 2024
Embark on a historical journey charting CRM’s capability in businesses from organizational tools to a central strategic force in driving business innovation and deepening customer connections.
Contents
1. The Evolution of CRM: From Customer Records to Strategic Business Tool
2. Advanced CRM Technologies and Innovations
3. Data Management and Security in CRM
4. Top Provider Companies of CRM
4.1. SuperOffice
4.2. Teamleader
4.3. ePROMIS Solutions
4.4. Keap
4.5. HighLevel
4.6. Miles IT
4.7. FranConnect
4.8. CAS Software AG
4.9. SoftPro
4.10. Rapidops
Final Thoughts
1. The Evolution of CRM to Strategic Business Tools
The transition of customer relationship management (CRM) from an elementary collection of customer data to a strategic business tool signifies a notable change in how firms communicate with customers and make strategic decisions. The initial purpose of early CRMs was to facilitate the organization of customer information and enhance service quality, thereby establishing the foundation for a more individualized customer experience. Nevertheless, the emergence of digital marketing and technological progress revolutionized CRM, making it a formidable force in marketing with the ability to do intricate data segmentation, tailored interaction, and seamless connections with many digital platforms.
Notwithstanding the technological developments, the efficacy of any customer relationship management system is contingent upon the human factor, encompassing crucial aspects such as proficient user training, efficient data management, and a customer-centric organizational culture. The ongoing development of CRM highlights the significance of integrating technology with a strategy focused on providing outstanding customer value. The continuous evolution of CRM from an essential instrument to a fundamental business ideology promises CRM capabilities in contemporary businesses and can potentially alter the field of customer relationship management in the foreseeable future.
2. Advanced CRM Technologies and Innovations
- CRM evolution from basic data repositories to key drivers in enhancing customer experience (CX), marketing automation, and business growth.
- CRM systems now serve as integral assets, unifying customer interactions and increasing the efficacy of sales, marketing, and service operations.
- Cloud-based and AI technologies have advanced CRM functionalities, offering scalability, mobility, and actionable analytics.
- Modern CRMs enable predictive insights and proactive customer engagement strategies.
- Introduction of chatbots and virtual assistants to CRM, providing immediate support and freeing human staff for complex tasks.
- Rise of conversational CRM, leading to more natural and mutually beneficial customer interactions.
- Use of omnichannel approaches powered by cloud technology ensures consistent, informed communication across all customer touchpoints.
- These innovations lead to a unified brand experience, strengthening customer relationships.
3. Data Management and Security in CRM
CRM systems have evolved beyond their initial purpose as simple storage of customer data in the digital era. They have become advanced platforms that play a crucial role in creating business strategies and enhancing customer experiences. The effectiveness of CRM systems heavily relies on the efficient administration and rigorous protection of the data they store.
Efficient Data Management in Customer Relationship Management:
An essential foundation of a strong CRM system is its capacity to effectively handle data. To accomplish this, it is essential to precisely establish the goals of the CRM data, such as improving customer satisfaction or increasing sales. Efficient data management involves the CRM implementation like implementing accurate data collection methods and the preservation of data integrity. To maintain the quality and relevance of CRM data, it is crucial to implement regular data cleansing and updating procedures due to the fast rate at which information can become outdated.
Sophisticated Security Protocols:
Securing CRM data is crucial in an era characterized by frequent data breaches. Robust levels of security are provided by advanced methods such as role-based access control (RBAC), data encryption, and tokenization. These procedures are implemented to guarantee stringent control over data access and to render the data incomprehensible to unauthorized entities in the event of a breach.
The convergence of management and security:
The integration of data management and security within a comprehensive data governance framework is necessary, as opposed to operating in isolation. The provided framework delineates the policies, duties, and standards that are imperative for the efficient management and safeguarding of CRM data. Regular training for staff on data best practices, continuing audits, and adherence to data protection requirements are essential components of a robust governance approach.
4. Top Provider Companies in CRM
CRM has emerged as the central focus of contemporary company strategy. An effective customer relationship management system optimizes essential client data in a manner that is customized to the many facets of an organization's activities. It can assist in monitoring a customer's purchasing patterns, preferences, and apprehensions. In a time when each encounter can indicate the extent of a customer's commitment to a brand, selecting the appropriate CRM supplier can determine whether the firm succeeds or faces difficulties.
Choosing the most suitable CRM supplier for any company's specific requirements might be challenging due to the abundance of options available. Here’s a list of the top ten providers in CRM:
4.1.SuperOffice
SuperOffice, a premier CRM software provider, has been at the forefront of promoting meaningful business-to-customer relationships and driving revenue growth for medium-sized European B2Bs for over 30 years. With a steadfast commitmentto fostering meaningful relationships and driving revenue growth, SuperOffice distinguishes itself by offering a holistic CRM solution that unites marketing, customer care and sales teams. Key to its success are features such as integrated email and document management, AI-powered insights, GDPR compliance, and an extensive App Store. These elements, combined with customizable workflows and real-time dashboards, empower teams to achieve greater alignment, efficiency, and productivity, solidifying SuperOffice's position as the CRM partner of choice for businesses aiming for sustainable, customer-centric growth.
4.2.Teamleader
A CRM tool Teamleader Focus provides CRM solutions for contemporary businesses, integrating advanced features to streamline customer relationship management. This platform excels in centralized customer management, providing a unified repository for all customer-related data and facilitating immediate access and management efficiency. Its visualization of the sales pipeline demystifies the journey from prospect to customer, enabling precise monitoring and nurturing of potential leads. Unique in its capacity to manage multiple businesses within a single account, it adeptly caters to entrepreneurs running diverse ventures, simplifying complexities with ease.
4.3.ePROMIS Solutions
ePROMIS Solutions has been at the forefront of providing innovative enterprise management software for over three decades. Catering to a broad spectrum of industries, ePROMIS has carved a niche for delivering futuristic solutions that transform business operations. The ePROMIS FutureGen Enterprise Platform exemplifies an all-encompassing business solution, integrating over 100 applications across ERP, HCM, and EAM. It offers advanced automation, customizable workflows, and a potent analytics and BI engine, enhancing operational efficiency and facilitating insightful decision-making. Designed for global scalability, the platform supports multi-entity, multi-industry, multilingual, multi-currency, and multi-channel operations, making it an ideal choice for global expansion and innovation businesses.
4.4.Keap
Keap, formerly Infusionsoft, is a paradigm of innovation in sales and marketing automation for small businesses. Keap is committed to simplifying growth for small businesses, aiming to empower 1 million enterprises globally by 2030. Its comprehensive CRM platform is engineered to capture, organize, track, and nurture leads, amplifying sales and revenue. Keap distinguishes itself with expert coaching, extensive training, robust support, and a vibrant community of entrepreneurs. Its automation engine offers personalized features and strategic guidance to maintain business health, customer engagement and satisfaction, and team vitality during scaling.
4.5.HighLevel
HighLevel, is a revolutionary all-in-one marketing platform designed to empower agencies with the necessary tools, resources, and support to excel and surpass their marketing objectives. With over 60,000 customers and serving 1.4 million businesses, HighLevel facilitates the capture of leads through diverse means like landing pages, forms, and inbound phone systems. It automates engagement across multiple channels, including voicemail, SMS, and email, and offers built-in tools for payment collection, appointment scheduling, and analytics tracking. HighLevel's suite stands out for its comprehensive capability to consolidate marketing tools in one place, enabling users to enhance customer acquisition, retention, and business scaling through streamlined processes and a community-supported ecosystem of digital marketing strategies.
4.6.Miles IT
Miles IT, has established itself as a vanguard IT company, offering comprehensive services to bolster businesses nationwide through technological innovation. This array of services spans managed IT, software development, digital marketing, e-commerce, and dynamic websites, all tailored to meet the unique needs of each business. Positioned as a conduit for business growth, Miles IT promises expert support, coaching, training, and an engaging community of entrepreneurs, ensuring clients meet and exceed their business aspirations. Operating with a commitment to deliver cost-effective, efficient solutions, Miles IT is the technology partner of choice for businesses aiming to scale and retain potential customers while maintaining the integrity of their customer service and team morale.
4.7.FranConnect
FranConnect, is the quintessential partner for franchise management, offering an unparalleled suite of solutions that cater to the sales, operations, and marketing needs of over 1,500 brands and multi-location businesses globally. FranConnect's clientele experiences an average growth rate of 44% faster than the broader franchising market, a testament to the efficacy of its cloud-based solutions in fostering scalable and optimized business operations. The platform's robust offerings are designed to accommodate the diverse needs of franchisors and multi-location brands at every stage of growth, from emerging entities to established conglomerates. FranConnect's solutions are meticulously crafted to enhance unit sales, revenue, operational efficiency, franchisee engagement, and employee training, all while ensuring rigorous security and compliance standards.
4.8.CAS Software AG
CAS Software AG, has emerged as the premier provider of CRM solutions tailored to the unique demands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. Renowned for delivering superior ergonomics, integration capabilities, and exceptional value, CAS Software AG's offerings are designed to cater to a wide array of industries. Its portfolio, which includes the flagship CAS genesisWorld, offers a 360° view of all customer interactions thanks to intelligent, AI-assisted processes (AIA®), and is notable for adhering to the highest standards of data security and digital confidence.
4.9.SoftPro
SoftPro, a distinguished leader in the real estate closing, title, and escrow software industry, is celebrated for its comprehensive suite of products. Renowned for its commitment to innovation and excellence, SoftPro's solutions are meticulously designed for scalability and customization, offering process automation, secure communication portals, robust reporting, analytics, and myriad integrations. This ensures a streamlined closing process, enhancing volume and revenue for businesses. SoftPro remains committed to providing award-winning support, facilitating efficient residential and commercial closings, and empowering users with technology solutions tailored to their needs.
4.10.Rapidops
Rapidops, is an acclaimed technology, transformation, and analytics company recognized for driving digital innovation and delivering impactful digital products and platforms. Operating across retail, manufacturing and supply chain, healthcare, and technology industries, Rapidops has empowered clients, including Dassault Systemes and Harris Teeter, alongside launching platforms like Salesmate.io. Renowned for rapidly translating complex visions into market-leading digital solutions, Rapidops boasts comprehensive expertise in strategy, design, engineering, analytics, AI/ML, IoT, and DevOps. Rapidops’ commitment to excellence is reflected in its holistic approach to solving critical CRM challenges and fostering sustainable growth.
Final Thoughts
CRM capabilities in modern businesses are progressing towards a greater future. In the future, CRM is expected to become increasingly essential to business operations as artificial intelligence and machine learning improve its ability to make accurate predictions. As organizations adjust to remote and hybrid work arrangements, customer relationship management solutions will evolve to accommodate mobility and cloud-based capabilities, guaranteeing uninterrupted accessibility and performance across various work settings.
Read More
Advertiser Platforms
Article | March 12, 2024
Measuring the ad performance on your website is critical for understanding how well your revenue stream is optimized. Ad sizes, placements, and color are common measures, but they may not necessarily work for you. As a publisher, you must focus on four prime metrics that give you a clear idea of an ad campaign’s performance.
Let us take a look at them:
4 Ad Performance Metrics You Should Track
CPM (Cost per mille)
CPM stands for advertising cost per thousand views. It is the benchmark used to calculate the approximate cost of an advertisement or ad campaign across various media. CPM can be calculated by dividing how much it costs to place an advertisement by the number of impressions (in thousands) that it achieves. This metric helps compare the difference in ad opportunities based on efficiency and to evaluate the overall campaign cost.
CTR (Click-through rate)
CTR is the ad click-through rate that measures how well an online ad campaign is progressing on a website. It is denoted as a percentage and is calculated by how many times an ad is clicked divided by how many times an ad is shown.
RPM (Revenue per mille)
RPM is the revenue generated per 1000 ad impressions. It is similar to CPM but instead of cost, it measures revenue. It is an especially important metric for publishers. If the RPM of a campaign is low, you should replace the campaign with one that earns a higher revenue and RPM rate.
RPC (Revenue per click)
RPC is the revenue generated per click. It tells you how much the average revenue is for every click on your ads and PPC (pay-per-click) keywords. You can easily understand how much you earn every time someone clicks on one of your ads. Comparing RPC and RPM values can give you insights on your ad spend and the money you earned through the ads.
Streamlining Ad Campaigns with Ad Performance Measurement
Here are some tips to streamline your ad campaigns with the insights your ad metrics provide:
Use the right data: First-party data can help you optimize your programmatic ad campaigns along with your content.
Capitalize on returning visitors: Play with ad location on pages with returning visitors. Mix and match to maintain the interest of the visitors.
Optimize your content: Find out the type of content that attracts your visitors and optimize your content strategy based on your findings.
Maintain optimal ad placement and size: Place your ads in the middle of the page, use in-image ads at the bottom of mobile web pages, experiment with different ad sizes and positions to check how users react.
Final Thoughts
Data-driven optimization is the secret to getting the ad revenue you expect. Testing and improving with the help of data insights can help you identify the areas that need attention.
Read More
Advertiser Platforms
Article | March 4, 2024
Every business understands that brand marketing is the name of the game. In fact, the brand is a business’s best asset. It can help a business stand out amongst its competitors in the most authentic way possible. It can also act as a bridge and connect a business to its target audience.
When it comes to brand marketing, many businesses do not struggle with the concept. They struggle with the application. Marketing techniques are changing every few months. New platforms are being introduced in the digital world. It’s easy for businesses to lose themselves and their identity while adapting to change. Unfortunately, this is one of the common issues that businesses face while marketing their brand.
5 Common Branding Problems for Businesses
Every business has encountered at least one of these problems:
• Lacking an established identity. An undefined brand is just as bad as not having a brand
• Consistent messaging across various platforms. Some businesses struggle with remaining true to their brand values as they navigate new channels
• Possessing a creative marketing strategy. Without a direction or guide, it’s hard for businesses to discover their target audience and where to market to them
• Staying true to a target audience. Many businesses have lost their core audience while trying to gain a new one
• Lack of scalability. Some businesses struggle with discovering which marketing techniques can take them to the next level
Fortunately, there’s a solution that can solve all these problems. That solution is multimedia content.
How Multimedia Content Can Help Maximize Brand Marketing
What is multimedia content?
Content that incorporates a variety of different elements for its consumers. These elements could be audio, text, or graphic images. Each of these elements can be used separately to market content. But when used together, they can enhance the brand marketing experience for businesses and its customers.
What are some examples of multimedia content?
• Landing pages that include videos and images
• Blog posts with video clips from podcasts
• Infographics that include text
•Social media posts that include text and images
Multimedia content also allows new marketing possibilities for businesses. Digital marketing includes a vast array of content, from blog posts and website pages to videos and infographics.
Businesses can take advantage of these elements and create new marketing content for their customers. A software company, for example, can create an installation guide with infographics and post it on their website page. Businesses can also create storyboards to explain difficult concepts about their products or services. Discovering new content to produce for their customers is another way that businesses can stand out amongst their competitors.
Consistent Branding with Variety
Businesses can use different media elements to add a little variety to their content. Audio and visual elements can be used to enhance blog posts or FAQ pages and increase the engagement for readers.
Adding these new elements can help businesses stand out amongst the competition while remaining authentic. Maintaining a consistent brand identity makes it easier for businesses to establish trust with their target audience.
Exposure to a Wider Audience
At the same time, businesses always want to think of ways to expand themselves. This is what makes multimedia content so beneficial for businesses. They can use different multimedia elements to introduce their content to a different audience. Take an IT service company, for example, who wants to market their services to customers outside of their local area. They can create a blog post on cloud storage, repurpose it into a video and post the video on the business’s YouTube page, with the link to the original blog post in the description box of the video.
This type of content is marketable to every type of consumer. Businesses can provide audio content like podcasts to customers who may not yet be subscribed to their websites. They can create visual content for customers who are more drawn to striking images.
Incorporating these different elements allows businesses to reach customers that they may not have reached through just text-based or audio-based content.
Creative Possibilities for Digital Marketing
Multimedia content also allows new marketing possibilities for businesses. Digital marketing includes a vast array of content, from blog posts and website pages to videos and infographics.
Businesses can take advantage of these elements and create new marketing content for their customers. A software company, for example, can create an installation guide with infographics and post it on their website page.
Businesses can also create storyboards to explain difficult concepts about their products or services. Discovering new content to produce for their customers is another way that businesses can stand out amongst their competitors.
Established Brand Identity
Each business wants to be viewed as unique by their customer base. They do not want to be compared to every other business in their industry. With multimedia content, businesses can add a unique touch to their content marketing. Different multimedia elements and the way that they are embodied throughout the content can help businesses to stand out amongst its competitors.
Using these elements can also help a business remain in the creative stages of marketing. When a business remains in the creative phase, it makes establishing a creative marketing strategy easier.
Consistent and Creative Marketing Strategy
Like every other aspect of business, marketing is easier when a strategy is in effect. Multimedia content helps answer many marketing questions for businesses. Instead of spending additional time wondering what marketing platforms are effective, multimedia content can be used for every type of platform.
This allows businesses to use many interactive elements in their content and become more proactive in their marketing strategy. Businesses can create effective marketing systems by scheduling specific times to post different types of content across several platforms. By leveraging these methods, businesses can remain consistent with their brand marketing.
Greater Opportunities for Growth
Creating multimedia content also leads to increased productivity for businesses. Multimedia content gives businesses several options for content marketing. They can choose to create original content or repurpose their current content and add something new and refreshing.
These options help businesses reduce the amount of time they would spend on creating content. With the additional time, businesses can brainstorm opportunities for growth. They can spend additional time generating leads and catering to their current audience.
Taking The Next Steps with Multimedia Content
For businesses that want to transition into multimedia content, the best place to start is with the business’s vision. Consider what goals want to be achieved with the use of multimedia content. This type of content is so multifaceted that it can help any business achieve its core objectives.
Software companies can use multimedia content to educate their core audience about a particular product. They can use different interactive elements to illustrate how their product or service helps solve their audience’s problems.
Next, consider the needs of the target audience. Conduct some research and discover the audience’s responses when it comes to different types of content. Keep track of the different types of formats and platforms the audience is visiting.
Once the goals and needs of the audience are clearly defined, think about the different types of multimedia content that can be created. Businesses can incorporate different types of audio, visual, and interactive elements into their marketing content.
Lastly, remember to track the results of the multimedia content once it’s been created and distributed. Taking these next few steps can help businesses maintain a consistent brand marketing strategy.
Read More
Ad Tech and Martech
Article | November 18, 2021
Video content is more important than ever from a marketing perspective, but the high profile status it has attained also brings challenges with it.
The main hurdle to overcome is that of creating compelling clips that outshine the competition in a marketplace that is already overflowing with attention-grabbing content.
With all that in mind, here are just a handful of strategies that will empower you when making promotional video content for your business or brand.
Use the right software tools
The video editing tools you choose will form the foundation of your content creation strategy, so it pays to give this plenty of thought and not to just stick with the same old package you have been using for years.
For example, leveraging collaborative video editing software could take your projects to the next level, not only in terms of creativity but also when it comes to compressing cycles of work.
If you can have multiple team members collaborating on the same project in unison, you can hit deadlines and capture the zeitgeist with your content, rather than seeing viral trends pass you by.
Choose types of content that serve your advertising aims
The extent to which your video content is able to engage and connect with your target audience will partly be determined by the format it takes. As such you have to choose wisely and avoid producing clips that don’t gel with your marketing goals.
For example, if your business makes a product that has practical applications, you could gain views and shares by making tutorial content that explains how best to use it.
On the other hand, if your business offers services within a particular industry, then you may earn more traction with videos that explain a particular aspect of the niche you occupy.
Both of these types of content provide value to viewers as well as being promotional, and can also remain relevant for long periods. The more evergreen your video content, the bigger the potential ROI.
Extrapolate ideas from your existing content
Working out what video content will hit home with your ideal demographic can feel like it involves a lot of guesswork, and a lot of risk-taking as a result.
However, you don’t have to go all-in on a concept for a video without knowing if it will hold water, because it is more than likely that you already have tried-and-tested ideas that have proven themselves and are ripe for video adaptation.
Read More