So, what is marketing automation systems anyway? Just another buzzword?

 If your company has failed to step into the 21st century and update your marketing methods, it's most likely that they don't know what marketing automation is.

Marketing automation refers to software platforms that have been designed and implemented to make the life of marketing professionals a lot easier (and fun, I promise). These software systems have the capabilities to allow marketing departments across the world to automate different tasks.

Many companies today utilize these systems and benefit by specifying certain criteria for processes that are then stored, analyzed and executed by the software. So if you're in a current position where your company has a marketing budget to work with and a need to grow, now is the time to consider switching over to a marketing automation system. Not only will utilizing marketing automation software create consistency throughout your department, it will greater your company's chances of one thing: generating more leads and turning those leads into paying customers.

The above grid shows the comparison of automation systems within the industry. However, the top 5 marketing automation systems have been determined as industry leaders through customer satisfaction and market share.

Check this out: So, What is HubSpot?

 Determining which automation software is right for your company is a tricky process. It takes careful research and analysis because it can be quite an investment. However, don't worry, if you have convinced your boss that it is in fact worth the investment, then you've already taken a step in the right direction.

In the meantime, we have provided you with a list of the top 5 automation software systems to make your search a little easier.

1. Marketo

Based on user reviews, the majority of Marketo customers work at a mid-market size company with between 51-1000 employees.  

Product Profile: This software allows marketers to attract the right customer, engage them over time, maximize marketing investments and plan and coordinate all tasks across your department. Sign up for a free video demo of this software system to get a more detailed look at some of the features that this software offers. 

Pricing: This software offers four different pricing options. 

• MA Spark: $895/Month
• MA Standard: $1,795/Month
• MA Select: $3,195/Month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

View Marketo's pricing details here.

According to customer reviews, this system received 4.1 stars out of 5.

2. Salesforce Pardot

Salesforce is a great platform with a majority of their customer base being small businesses (39.4%) and mid-market sized businesses (52.5%). Pardot is a powerful B2B automation system that features lead scoring, nurturing, email marketing and more.

Product Profile: This software is targeted particularly towards B2B companies that want to maximize efficiency and increase revenue. Some of the platform's key features include:

• Lead generation
• Email marketing
• Lead management
• ROI reporting
• Sales intelligence
• Social marketing

Pricing: This platform offers three great pricing options depending on what your particular needs are. Weigh your options and see what plan would be best for your company.

According to user reviews, this systems received 4.3 stars out of 5.

3. Act-On

The Act-On integrated marketing platform is the foundation of successful marketing departments in organizations of any size. What makes this automation system unique is that it caters to businesses of all sizes. However, small businesses make up just over fifty percent of their customer base.

Product Profile: Act-On is a cloud based integrated marketing automation platform. It allows marketers to integrate inbound, outbound and lead nurturing programs together to maximize revenue.

Pricing: This software offers very competitive pricing compared to the previous platforms. 

• Professional: $600/Month
• Enterprise: $2,200/Month

This systems claims that it is extremely user-friendly stating that the system is "built for marketers, not engineers." Take a look at more features.

According to user reviews, this system has received 4.4 stars out of 5.

4. Oracle Eloqua

The Oracle Eloqua platform is more targeted for larger companies. The majority of their customer base is comprised of Enterprise companies (43.9%) with more than 1000 employees.

Product Profile: Eloqua is Oracle's B2B marketing automation solution. This software allows users to plan and execute campaigns flawlessly while offering a personalized experience for their customers. Some of the features of this system include:

• Targeting & Segmentation 
• Marketing Measurement
• Social Marketing
• Campaign Measurement 
• Sales Enablement
• Customer Lifecycle Marketing
• Lead Management

Pricing: In order to figure out what Eloqua's pricing structure is, you must get in contact with one of their customer service reps. Find more information here.

According to user reviews, this platform received 3.9 stars out of 5.

5. HubSpot

Although I may be a little biased, my favorite marketing automation platform is HubSpot. This platform is great for small businesses which make up 56.1% of their customer base. 

Product Profile: HubSpot is a great all-in-one marketing software system. From attracting visitors to closing customers, this system will bring your entire marketing funnel together. This system offers the tools you need for:

• Blogging
• SEO
• Social Media
• Website
• Landing Pages
• Calls-to-Action
• Email
• Analytics

• Basic: $200/Month
• Pro: $800/Month
• Enterprise: $2400/Month

View more details on the HubSpot pricing system.

According to user reviews, this system received 4.6 stars out of 5.

Why should my boss invest in one of these top 5 marketing automation systems?

If you're marketing department is operating off of what we like to call a "frankensystem" or an automation system comprised of a handful of different softwares, your boss should invest in a new automation system. Your company is missing out on so many potential leads due to the inefficiency of your system/process. In order to make money you must spend money. 

Investing in a marketing automation system will allow your marketing and sales departments to communicate more efficiently, converting leads into paying customers and ultimately increasing your revenue. 

Have an opinion of a system that we covered above? Talk to us, we'd love to hear from you!