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If there’s one thing that owners of start-up businesses can all relate to, it’s the desire to keep things as practical and uncomplicated as possible. After all, most new companies don’t have as many customers to deal with and can probably get away with using a basic spreadsheet to keep track of their day to day operations.
Of course, as the business grows bigger, old methodologies like the one described above can impede growth. When your company reaches this point, it would be prudent to start implementing modern solutions to support your business well into the future. The use of a CRM (Customer Relations Management) platform is one such tool and can prove invaluable as it saves and tracks thousands of customer information as well as every interaction with your business. That said, the question remains — which one should you choose?
A quick look at the CRM market and you will find that two names tend to stand out — Infusionsoft and ActiveCampaign. In this article, we’ll compare the two and take a look at the specific pros and cons of each one. Only then can you decide which CRM platform is suitable for your business.
What can a CRM platform do for your business?
Before we get to the nitty-gritty of this article (comparing Infusionsoft vs. ActiveCampaign), it’s essential to know just what to expect out of a CRM platform. Perhaps you have lingering doubts about whether you need one? If so, consider asking yourself one question — do you want your business to grow? Well, of course, you do, or you wouldn’t have started the business in the first place! The thing is, building a business means maintaining the ability to get in touch with your prospects at the most opportune time and providing them with all the information they need to decide on their purchases. Nowadays, it’s nigh impossible to accomplish the latter without using a CRM.
Simply put, a CRM platform is a centralized database for storing all of your customers’ and prospects’ contact information in an organized and strategic manner. Gone were the days when businesses have to dig through their emails to find the most recent interaction with a lead or customer. The entire history of every customer interaction is readily accessible to customer service representatives. This helps reduce the chance of mistakes that can reflect poorly on your business. Picture a customer having to explain the same problem to your staff multiple times which makes your business seem indifferent and unprofessional.
More importantly, a CRM platform enables businesses to automate their sales and marketing strategy. For example, you can run an automatic email sequence that seamlessly guides prospects to your sales funnel with no manual process required. Hence, a CRM platform has the potential to save you a lot of time and money which can prove invaluable for growing your business.
Choosing the right CRM for your business
As you might have already realized, choosing a CRM is a big decision for any business and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all, a CRM platform is a sizeable long-term investment, and once you’ve settled for one, it can be tough (and expensive) to switch to another platform.
Now we delve into the core of this article, a comparison between Infusionsoft and ActiveCampaign — two of the more popular CRM platforms in the market. We’ll run each one through the following criteria:
Features
Infusionsoft offers all the essential features that one would expect from a CRM platform. This includes automated messaging, emails, sales, marketing automation, plus some additional features that you typically wouldn’t find in most other CRMs. One good example is an integrated feature that enables users to send quotes and invoices to customers directly from the app. They also have a robust scheduling function that enables clients to book and reschedule reservations.
ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, is an equally capable CRM platform. While it does not have as many features as Infusionsoft, most CRM users would agree that they make up for it by covering all of the essential elements and making them extremely easy to implement. One notable example is their automated email and ad creation tool that enables businesses to touch base with customers and prospects easily at any time.
Want to get in touch with your customers directly? ActiveCampaign keeps things as simple as possible by integrating with your preferred email service provider and automatically tracking customer interactions. They offer a powerful messaging feature that enables users to get in touch with their audience via multiple channels — SMS, emails, Facebook ads, and native website messages. ActiveCampaign is also compatible with most apps that businesses use for monitoring the customer lifecycle.
User Experience
Perhaps the most significant difference between ActiveCampaign and Infusionsoft is the quality of user experience that they provide. While ease of use can be very subjective, ActiveCampaign is generally perceived as the more user-friendly option between the two.
If you’re new to CRMs, then you might want to consider opting for the latter is they do an excellent job of guiding new users in setting up every function that their CRM platform has to offer. Conversely, if you’re an advanced user who has been working with CRMs for some time, then you might find ActiveCampaign’s features lacking as they don’t offer many options for customization.
Infusionsoft, on the other hand, is more suitable for experienced users. It can take some time to learn how to use their CRM platforms but offers plenty of room for running personalized marketing campaigns. As a result, just about any marketing process can be implemented through Infusionsoft. Of course, they do provide training resources, but new users can expect a precipitous learning curve before one can become proficient with their CRM platform.
Cost
Of course, the price will always be a factor when it comes to choosing just about any marketing tool. CRM platforms are no different. ActiveCampaign happens to be the more affordable of the two, while Infusionsoft justifies a higher asking price by offering more advanced features upfront.
For just $9 a month, ActiveCampaign gives you access to all the essential features and room for up to 500 contacts. This makes it an ideal jump-off point for new businesses looking to get started with a CRM for as little cost as possible. Of course, the price rises as you add more contacts to your Campaign and gain access to more advanced features. On the upside, ActiveCampaign offers a migration service for moving customer data from other platforms at no cost to new users.
In comparison, Infusionsoft’s entry price is much steeper at $199 per month, including migration. That said, many businesses see it as a viable long term investment for future-proofing their marketing campaigns. For one thing, Infusionsoft guarantees that they have all the features that marketers could ever want or need. New users also get access to a wealth of training materials for making the most out of their CRM platform.
Whichever CRM platform you choose, both represent some of your best choices on the market today. Both also come with a free trial period enabling new users to test them out with zero risks.
Conclusion
So there you have it — a brief comparison between ActiveCampaign and Infusionsoft. As you may have already realized, both platforms are a viable resource for automating one’s marketing and sales process. If you’re looking to expand and scale your business efficiently, then you can’t go wrong with either of the two.
To sum up everything, here is a list of pros and cons for each CRM platform:
ActiveCampaign
The Pros:
- Easy to use and a good jump-off point for beginners
- Affordable monthly cost
- Users can cancel their subscription at any time
The Cons:
- Limited customization options
- No support for payment processing
- No landing page builder
- Can get very expensive over time
InfusionSoft
The Pros:
- Packed with powerful and useful features
- Nearly unlimited options for customization
The Cons:
- Costly upfront
- New users must signup for a 1-year contract
Which CRM platform you choose will ultimately depend on your business requirements and marketing goals. While you wouldn’t want to spend any more than you have to for your CRM platform, it is likewise essential to ensure that you have all the resources you need to take your business to the next level. We hope this article has proven useful in helping you choose the right CRM platform for your business.
