Study Finds Marketing Automation Platforms (MAP) Improve Sales and Marketing Alignment

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - May 11, 2016) - Salesfusion, the leading marketing automation platform for small and mid-sized businesses, reported new survey results that detail the value that marketing automation delivers. The study commissioned by Salesfusion and executed by Learn Marketing Automation surveyed nearly 700 B2B marketers from small to medium-size businesses (SMB) with less than 100 million dollars in revenue and found that marketers with a MAP and supporting processes are nearly three times more likely to have strong communications with sales. The company also published an eBook, The SMB Marketing Automation Blue Book detailing these findings, available here.

It's All About Leads

While there are a number of reasons indicated that companies choose marketing automation, leads are top of mind with more than two-thirds of respondents stating that the ability to nurture leads is the number one reason to invest in a MAP. Marketers listed the following areas as primary reasons to invest in a solution:

• 68 percent say the ability to nurture leads;
• 63 percent want to Increase lead volume;
• 59 percent expect to Improve lead quality.

Simply Having Marketing Automation is Not Enough

Overall, the results show that while marketing automation may be all about the leads, simply having a MAP is not enough to improve alignment with sales. Respondents with a MAP in place do indicate improved communications with sales. However, the data shows that the processes surrounding the solution play a key role in the success of aligning sales and marketing.

A big challenge sales and marketing face is communication. To improve communications with sales, a key factor is integration with the CRM and MAP and an established service level agreement that defines marketing qualified and sales accepted leads. With these factors in place, 60 percent report strong or exceptional communications compared to only 22 percent that have a MAP but no supporting processes.

"Implementing a marketing automation platform is only the first step to improve your sales and marketing communication and lead quality," said Malinda Wilkinson, CMO of Salesfusion. "Businesses see greater improvement in communication, efficiency and effectiveness when their MAP is tightly integrated with their CRM and there are specific processes surrounding the two."

Notably, respondents were over two times more likely to be unhappy with their marketing automation solution if it was not integrated with CRM. By integrating the two platforms businesses can create a seamless process that ensures leads pass back and forth between sales and marketing efficiently, more quality leads are being received and no lead is left behind.

For more information and statistics on the value of marketing automation for small to medium-sized businesses, click here to download the SMB Marketing Automation Bluebook.

About Salesfusion

Salesfusion offers a complete and easy-to-use marketing automation solution that enables marketing teams to deliver effective programs. The company's platform includes all the features marketers need to create, manage, and analyze marketing tactics and campaigns -- including email & nurture marketing, lead scoring & management, website tracking & analytics, landing pages & forms, social media management, and marketing dashboards. Salesfusion is built to work the way a marketer thinks with intuitive workflows, native integrates to the world's best CRMs, and tactic- and campaign-level reporting. Appropriate for companies new to marketing technology and those with advanced requirements, Salesfusion is affordably priced and scales to support their growing business. Salesfusion is committed to putting technology to work for marketers. For more information, please visit: www.salesfusion.com.