If you want marketing automation for your business, there are two main approaches: A “full-stack” all-in-one system A “custom-stack” of point solutions Examples of full-stack solutions include systems such as Hubspot and Marketo. They give you a large suite of features to execute a marketing automation approach. A custom-stack approach is one where you pick-and-choose different point solutions to achieve the specific functions and features you need to meet your goals or support your marketing strategies. Which is right for you? That depends on the stage of your company, your sales and marketing goals, your budget, and your technical know-how. In this article, we’ll analyze both approaches—including the price comparisons of each. ( Note: Want to see who’s visiting your website—even if they don’t fill out a form? Try Leadfeeder for free .) Marketing Automation Features To compare the various marketing automation offerings, let’s first define the core features of marketing automation. These are the features that perform the basic job of moving customers and prospects through the customer journey. They include: Lead generation and tracking Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact forms Landing pages Email campaigns Lead management Segmentation Website analytics Campaign analytics SEO analytics & auditing Social media marketing Social media monitoring Content marketing Dynamic content Question No. 1 to ask before deciding on a platform is this: What Features Do I Need to Achieve My Goals? With that answer in hand, you can evaluate the specific technology options. ‘Full-Stack’ and ‘Custom-Stack’ Options, Features, and Costs We looked […]

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