This report will guide marketing automation software buyers by revealing the top reasons their peers seek these types of systems, the functionality they desire most and other important factors that affect the selection process.

1. Software Advice BuyerView:
Marketing Automation Software Report
Insight into today’s SMB software buyer

2. Marketing automation software can help align marketing and sales teams and
streamline their interactions. This can be particularly advantageous for small
businesses, for which driving revenue and profitability is often one of the biggest
challenges.
To learn more about what functionality is most important to prospective
marketing automation software buyers and highlight the primary pain points
individuals have with their current methods, Software Advice analyzed a random
sample of buyer interactions.
Key findings:
• Nearly all buyers (98 percent) are looking for dedicated marketing automation
software for the first time, and nearly half (47 percent) are still using manual
methods.
• A combined 73 percent of buyers want either email marketing or drip campaign
functionality, while only 4 percent request social media marketing.
• Real estate is the most represented industry segment (37 percent of buyers).
The highest percentage of these buyers (31 percent) use industry-specific
software.
Abstract

3. Percent of sample
Nearly half of buyers still rely on manual marketing methods, such as pen and
paper, spreadsheets and one-off emails.
Many Still Use Manual Methods
Manual methods
Industry-specific software
CRM software
Nothing
Email marketing software
Proprietary software
Marketing automation
Other
0% 13% 25% 38% 50%
11%
2%
8%
8%
9%
15%
17%
47%
2%

4. Improve lead management
Unhappy with current system
Need better/more features
Company growth
Need better integration
Need to automate processes
Time to upgrade/update
Other/not specified
0% 8% 15% 23% 30%
13%
4%
8%
9%
10%
13%
15%
27%
Percent of sample
Many buyers say they are overwhelmed with managing clients, contacts and leads,
and are primarily seeking software to improve lead management (27 percent).
Many Want to Improve Lead Management

5. Contact management
Email marketing
Lead tracking
Drip marketing campaigns
Follow-up management
Reporting/analytics
Lead nurturing
Sales pipeline management
Social media marketing
Other
0% 19% 38% 56% 75%
54%
4%
11%
15%
24%
38%
39%
43%
55%
74%
Percent of sample
Three-quarters of buyers request email marketing and/or drip campaign
functionality (73 percent, combined) while only 4 percent request social media.
Traditional Marketing Trumps Social Media

6. Real estate
Consulting
Manufacturing
Mortgage
Maintenance/field service
Retail
Insurance
Software/IT
Health care
Other
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
24%
3%
3%
4%
4%
4%
4%
5%
11%
37%
Percent of sample
The highest percentage of buyers in our sample (37 percent) work in the real
estate industry.
Many Buyers in Real Estate

7. More Real Estate Buyers Using Industry-Specific Software
Manual methods
Industry-specific software
Proprietary software
Nothing
CRM software
Email marketing software
Marketing automation
Other
0% 13% 25% 38% 50%
14%
2%
9%
19%
9%
6%
9%
49%
5%
1%
5%
7%
10%
11%
31%
43%
1%
Real estate Other industries
When compared to other industries, more real estate buyers are using industry-
specific software.

8. Read the full report
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9. Software Advice™ is a trusted resource for software buyers. We provide detailed
reviews and research on thousands of software applications. Our team of software
advisors provides free telephone consultations to help buyers build a shortlist of
systems that will meet their needs. For more information, visit softwareadvice.com.
Software Advice is a Gartner company. Gartner (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading
information technology research and advisory company. For more information, visit
gartner.com.
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