SharpSpring: All-in-one marketing automation platform and CRM

What is SharpSpring?

SharpSpring, recognized for its platform of Marketing automation And of CRM, is now an integral part of Constant Contact, a leader in email marketing solutions.

This merger marks a strategic turning point aimed at enriching Constant Contact's service offering and offering a more complete suite of digital marketing tools.

Founded in 2012, SharpSpring quickly evolved to become a solution of choice for digital marketing agencies thanks to its flexible and affordable marketing automation platform. With a focus on innovation and ease of use, SharpSpring was able to stand out in a competitive marketplace.

The acquisition by Constant Contact in 2021 broadened SharpSpring's horizons, integrating it into a larger ecosystem of marketing solutions.

SharpSpring Users

The platform is ideal for:

• Marketing agencies : Offering tools to manage and prove added value to customers.
• SMEs : Solutions adapted to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses in terms of digital marketing.
• Growing Businesses : Scalable features to support business expansion.

SharpSpring has built a solid base of loyal users. With the support of Constant Contact, it is imperative to continue to meet their needs while attracting new customers in an ever-changing market.

Features

SharpSpring is presented as a comprehensive marketing automation suite, offering a broad range of features to transform the way businesses engage customers.

Let's discover together how SharpSpring can revolutionize your marketing strategy with its innovative tools.

1. Marketing automation

Marketing automation is the core of SharpSpring, allowing custom automations to be created to guide contacts through the buying process.

• Creating Visual Workflows: Build custom customer journeys with an intuitive editor.
• Lead Scoring and Attribution: Automatically assign scores to new leads and integrate them into workflows based on predefined conditions.

When everything is working properly, SharpSpring's Workflow Editor is a powerful and enjoyable tool. However, occasional bugs can hinder the user experience, sometimes requiring you to start over.

2. Behavioral Email Marketing

Email marketing remains a mainstay of automation, and SharpSpring provides all the essential tools for success.

• Email Template Library: Access a variety of templates to get started quickly.
• Content Customization: Adapt your messages to increase relevance and engagement.

Combined with automation, SharpSpring makes it possible to create effective email campaigns. However, campaign personalization and optimization could be improved for a richer experience.

3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

SharpSpring's integrated CRM offers detailed contact management throughout the sales cycle.

• Individual Contact Management: Track and manage each contact accurately.
• CRM Workflow Automation: Integrate personalized messages into your automations.

SharpSpring offers a competent CRM, but its lack of intuitiveness can slow down operations. Improvements in fluidity and bug resolution would be beneficial.

4. Analytics and Reporting

SharpSpring integrates a multitude of analytical and reporting capabilities for a complete view of your marketing actions.

• Complete Campaign Tracking: Evaluate the effectiveness of each campaign with detailed reports.
• ROI analysis and custom reports: Measure the return on investment and create reports tailored to your needs.

While SharpSpring offers a wide range of reports, the depth and segmentation of the data could be improved for deeper analysis and more meaningful insights.

SharpSpring stands out for its comprehensive suite of marketing automation tools, designed to optimize business marketing strategies.

Despite some technical challenges, the platform offers robust and innovative functionalities.

For marketers looking for an all-in-one solution, SharpSpring deserves consideration, while remaining alert to future updates and enhancements that could further enrich the user experience and the overall performance of the tools.

Customer Support

SharpSpring, under the umbrella of Constant Contact, continues to provide exceptional customer support:

• Phone and email support : Responsive support to solve problems quickly.
• Training resources : An extensive library of videos and documents to help users get the most out of the platform.

Customer support remains a pillar of the user experience at SharpSpring. It is essential that Constant Contact maintains this commitment to quality customer service to ensure user satisfaction and success.

Pricing

SharpSpring's pricing structure is designed to adapt to businesses of various sizes, focusing on the number of contacts rather than the number of users. Here is a simplified summary of their price levels:

• 1,500 contacts : $550/month
• 10,000 contacts : $850/month
• 20,000 contacts : $1,250/month
• Customized plans : Available for agencies and businesses with a higher number of contacts.

At first glance, these numbers may seem high, but SharpSpring's model offers a cost-effective, long-term solution. Unlike many competitors that charge per user, SharpSpring allows unlimited users for all plans. This can lead to significant savings, especially for larger teams.

Let's take the example of an agency with 30 employees. With a competitor charging $25/month per user, the costs could be as high as $750/month, not including potential new hires. SharpSpring avoids this problem, allowing businesses to grow based on the number of contacts, not the size of the team.

Transparency is another benefit of SharpSpring pricing. Competitors may have hidden fees or charge extra for features that are included in all SharpSpring plans. With SharpSpring, each plan provides access to the full suite of services at no additional cost.

The main downside is that for small teams or new agencies, the investment may seem like a lot at the start. However, the value becomes clear as your team and contact list grow.

For those who are hesitant, SharpSpring offers a demo to experience the platform firsthand and assess its suitability for your business needs.

SharpSpring Alternatives

1. HubSpot Marketing Hub

HubSpot Marketing Hub is a comprehensive marketing automation platform that helps businesses attract visitors, convert leads, and prove the ROI of their marketing campaigns. Recognized for its ease of use and tight integration with other HubSpot products, it offers an all-in-one solution for marketing teams.

Features

• Marketing automation and email tracking
• Social media and content management
• SEO tools and landing page creation
• Integrated CRM and advanced analytics

Pricing

• Free plan with basic features
• Starter plan starting at $45/month
• Professional plan starting at $800/month
• Enterprise plan starting at $3,200/month

HubSpot Marketing Hub is distinguished by its user-centric approach and its ecosystem of interconnected products. While the cost may be high for more advanced plans, the investment can be justified by the quality and range of tools offered.

2. Marketo Engage

Marketo Engage, acquired by Adobe, is a marketing automation platform that is primarily aimed at medium and large businesses. She specializes in creating personalized customer relationships on a large scale.

Features

• Marketing automation and lead scoring
• Targeted campaigns and event management
• Adobe Experience Cloud integration
• Analytics and revenue attribution

Pricing

• Prices are not published publicly and are available upon request.
• Customized plans based on business needs

Marketo Engage is a robust solution for businesses looking to closely integrate their marketing efforts with the Adobe ecosystem. However, the lack of transparent pricing can be a barrier for small businesses.

3. Pardot by Salesforce

Pardot is Salesforce's marketing automation solution designed for B2B businesses. It offers advanced features for sales automation and marketing, with deep integration into the Salesforce ecosystem.

Features

• B2B marketing automation and lead nurturing
• Sales and Marketing Alignment with Salesforce CRM
• Lead generation and campaign management
• Predictive analytics and reporting

Pricing

• Growth plan starting at $1,250/month
• Plus plan starting at $2,500/month
• Advanced plan starting at $4,000 per month

Pardot is ideal for businesses that are already using Salesforce and want to maximize their marketing effectiveness. Pricing can be prohibitive for small businesses, but the advanced features make the investment worth the investment for larger organizations.

These SharpSpring alternatives each offer unique benefits and are designed to meet different needs and budgets. It's critical to consider the specific goals of your business and choose the platform that best aligns with your overall marketing strategy.

Final Verdict

SharpSpring, now under the Constant Contact banner, remains a powerful player in marketing automation.

However, the transition to Constant Contact could involve significant changes.

Users should therefore remain alert to future updates and integrations that could influence their daily use of the platform.

With a solid history and a clear vision for the future, SharpSpring has the potential to continue to offer leading digital marketing solutions, while benefiting from the resources and expertise of Constant Contact.