6 Alternatives to CRM Email Sequences for Automation
Exploring alternatives to CRM email sequences for automation can unlock new levels of engagement and efficiency. We’ve gathered insights from a growth marketer and a CMO, among others, to bring you six specific strategies. From automating text messages with AI to creating workflows with visual builders, discover innovative methods to enhance your marketing automation.
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Automate Text Messages With AI
Automated text messages and text bots are the next up-and-coming alternative. You can now easily program and automate your text responses using AI.
This is where you can program your text bot to ask specific questions to new leads, assist customers, book appointments on your calendar without going back and forth about times, and much more. GoHighLevel now makes this easy to do.
You can even hook up Facebook Messenger, Instagram messages, and a chat widget on your website the same way. Once you have this up and running, it’s like having your own AI assistant working 24/7 for you.
Andrew Pfund, Growth Marketer, Scale and Prosper
Leverage High-Engagement SMS
Text messaging is an often under-used alternative to email. Text messaging has high open rates and is highly effective for quicker and more personal communication. Plus, with SMS automation, you can send personalized messages, reminders, and updates directly to your constituents’ mobile devices. This method is especially useful for:
- Event reminders and updates
- Donation requests and confirmations
- Volunteer coordination
- Personal connections and check-ins
- Urgent alerts and announcements
If this sounds like more work than email, CRMs with text messaging built-in allow you to segment your audience, schedule messages, and track engagement just like you can with email.
Trigger Actions Based on Behavior
One specific alternative to CRM email sequences for automation is behavioral triggering. This method automates actions based on user behavior, such as sending targeted messages when a user visits a specific page, clicks a link, or fills out a form. Behavioral triggering allows for highly personalized and timely communication, increasing engagement and conversion rates. Various platforms offer robust behavioral-triggering features that can seamlessly integrate with your existing CRM.
Calan Smidt, Data Systems Strategist, Strategic America
Utilize Sales Enablement Tools
The best possible alternative to CRM email sequences and automations is the use of sales enablement tools. Traditional ways of nurturing leads through the sales funnel have always relied upon using strong automations with CRMs like Salesforce (Pardot) and HubSpot.
But these tools are usually extremely expensive, as they charge you hefty sums of money to nurture a large number of leads. Using sales enablement tools like SalesLoft and Outplay, marketers can reach out to a large number of leads using a combination of calls, emails, texts, and LinkedIn messages.
These tools usually integrate with your CRM and pull data from there to nurture them post- and pre-demo. You can set up specific sequences inside these tools for different purposes. A fresh lead that signed up can be segmented and put into a sequence with the goal of getting them to book a demo with the Account Executive. While a lead that has already had a demo can be put into another automated sequence with the goal of converting them into a paying customer.
Sequences can be customized to meet the unique needs of the sales team, and the steps within them can also be A/B tested to determine the best-performing methods.
Rahul Chakraborty, Senior Growth Manager, FirstPrinciples Growth
Engage Customers With Chatbots
One specific alternative to CRM email sequences for automation is using chatbots for customer engagement and communication. Chatbots can handle a variety of tasks, from answering frequently asked questions to guiding users through the sales process, and can be integrated with websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps.
Why Chatbots?
- 24/7 Availability – Unlike email sequences, chatbots can interact with customers at any time, providing instant responses and support.
- Personalization – Chatbots can deliver personalized experiences by using data from previous interactions to tailor responses and recommendations.
- Engagement – They engage users in real-time, making interactions more dynamic compared to waiting for an email response.
- Data Collection – Chatbots can collect valuable customer data during conversations, which can be used to improve marketing strategies and customer service.
- Cost-Effective – Automating customer interactions with chatbots reduces the need for a large customer service team, leading to cost savings.
For instance, an e-commerce company can use a chatbot on their website to help customers find products, answer questions about shipping and returns, and even assist with the checkout process. This not only enhances the customer experience but also streamlines operations by automating repetitive tasks.
While CRM email sequences are effective, chatbots offer a versatile and interactive alternative for automating customer communication. They provide real-time engagement, personalized interactions, and valuable data collection, making them a powerful tool for enhancing customer service and driving sales.
Arslan Abdul-Rehman, Digital Marketer and SEO Expert, Siznam.co
Create Workflows With Visual Builders
As an alternative to complex CRM automations, I highly recommend using a visual workflow builder like Zapier or Integromat. These tools connect various apps and let you build customized workflows without any coding.
For example, one client used Integromat to automatically add new leads from their website form to a Mailchimp list. This saved them hours of manual data entry and increased revenue that quarter. Another client notified their team in Slack whenever they received a new order. Response times improved, and repeat customers increased.
With over 1,500 connected apps, you can build automations to solve almost any small business problem. Start with one workflow, see the time savings, and build more. Visual workflow builders are a simple yet effective alternative to robust CRM automation.
Chase Chappell, Founder, Sirge
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