In recent posts we have been reviewing how to use the marketing features that are built into SugarCRM. Today we will look at third party marketing tools and how to determine if you should be using one.

A wide variety of third-party marketing tools are available to add on to the functionality available in SugarCRM. Most of them include prebuilt integrations with SugarCRM, with varying degrees of integration. The integrations should allow you to export your contacts and leads from SugarCRM to the marketing tool, and may also allow you to send back analytics from campaign responses.

There are two major reasons to consider adding on a third party marketing tool.

1. Avoid being blacklisted

Blacklists are lists of IP addresses which have been identified as spammers or phishers, designed to reduce spam. Ending up on a blacklist can drastically harm your email marketing efforts, given that as much as 80 percent of your emails may be blocked after being blacklisted.

Email marketing providers provide you with an extra layer of blacklist protection. You will still need to follow some standard precautions, but sending mass emails through an email marketing provider will factor into the formulas that determine which IPs get blacklisted.

2. Use additional features

Third party tools will likely add additional features when compared to what is available in SugarCRM. This might include text-message marketing, social media marketing, event registrations, professionally designed templates, mobile-optimized templates, previewing in multiple email clients, advanced analytics, and customer support. Web marketing tools that assist with SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Pay-Per-Click (PPC), website analytics, and other internet marketing techniques may also be packaged with email marketing tools. If you would like to do more than the basic email marketing available in SugarCRM, look for a third-party tool that has the features you need.

If you are interested in integrating SugarCRM with a third party marketing tool, Technology Advisors would be happy to help. We have partnerships with Act-On and Salesfusion, and have also worked with many other e-marketing providers. Contact us and let us know what you’re looking for or send us an email at sales@techadv.com.