Act-On helps our marketing team be successful
October 08, 2014
Act-On helps our marketing team be successful
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Original version and beta version
Modules Used
- List management, scoring rules, email campaigns, web forms (including web to lead functionality with salesforce.com), landing pages and automated programs
Overall Satisfaction with Act-On
We use Act-On for web to lead logistics, various types of marketing email campaigns, sales email communications (marketing template usage and prospect/customer outreach), internal communications, customer notifications and more. We utilize the reporting in conjunction with salesforce.com reporting to validate the effectiveness of our marketing activities and show ROI to the business. Currently it is utilized primarily by marketing but also some sales teams. We've utilized automation programs for nurture campaigns as well.
It allows us to show metrics associated with marketing activities and assess the success/failure of individual project/programs. It allows us to provide email notification to sales reps about web form submissions when an existing salesforce lead has interacted with us via our website. The reporting and website visitor module also provide sales team members with visibility into the actions of leads to determine how serious the prospect/customer is about purchasing.
It allows us to show metrics associated with marketing activities and assess the success/failure of individual project/programs. It allows us to provide email notification to sales reps about web form submissions when an existing salesforce lead has interacted with us via our website. The reporting and website visitor module also provide sales team members with visibility into the actions of leads to determine how serious the prospect/customer is about purchasing.
- Act-On is very intuitive and user friendly. Sales and marketing users are able to utilize the basic functionality with limited training and support.
- Act-On provides the "tools" to create programs as simple or complex as needed. If a simple email campaign or web form is needed, it can be created very quickly. For highly complex campaigns combining email messages, landing pages, web forms, web to lead functionality, post submission communications, etc., that require much more strategic vision and logistical planning, they are able to help in any way needed, as well as troubleshoot when any issues arise.
- Jacob Monserrat is an outstanding Customer Success Manager. He is very knowledgeable and understands the logistics between Act-On and Salesforce as well as marketing automation programs. If he doesn't have an answer about something, he will let me know and then find someone who does.
- When I used Act-On, the reporting for automated programs could have been improved. It was provided in a separate report with different data points than what was provided in normal message reporting. Roll up reports there would have been useful as well.
- The sales users had visibility into all marketing user activity through their view in Salesforce and it would have been useful for marketing to be able to limit it as desired.
- I would have liked more granular options for assigning privileges to Marketing users. While I was the Act-On administrator they did add more (I believe it was based, at least in part, on my feedback), but there is still room for improvement.
- Act-On has allowed marketing to better support the sales team with email campaign templates, visibility into their customers/prospects activities, campaigns sent on their behalf where responses will go directly to them, etc. Also, our ability to have email alerts sent immediately to the Salesforce owner when their customer/prospect has submitted a lead form has allowed them to follow up without delay. They can also see which campaign they're associated with and how much activity they've had with us via the profile in Salesforce.
- Web form report URLs have allowed marketing to provide the business owners and stakeholders with reporting by specific campaign without needing an Act-On license.
- In conjunction with Salesforce, we are able to report to the business on the success/failure of marketing activities and associate them with revenue, when applicable. We are also able to use this reporting to ensure we focus on successful campaigns and adjust or stop running unsuccessful ones.
It's been years since my product evaluation prior to selecting Act-On, but we do use Salesfusion, which is a marketing automation tool for SalesLogix. Act-On is much more intuitive and user friendly. The pieces tie in together better. I believe there may be more functionality with Salesfusion but it's very difficult to navigate. Also, the sales users find it much harder to utilize the templates, reporting and general functionality provided to them with Salesfusion.