You’ve probably heard about the new AI guru taking the world by storm. ChatGPT has business owners wondering if they can minimize their marketing teams and copywriters if they keep their jobs.
OpenAI, the developers of ChatGPT, says this about their “Frankenstein’s Monster,” “We’ve trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests.”
We’re impressed by the overall capability of ChatGPT (and a little unsettled?). It’s undoubtedly a fantastic tool to have on hand, but we started wondering if it could replace professional copywriters.
As a team who specializes in consultancy and marketing, we wanted to give ChatGPT a spin. Here’s what happened.
We got straight to the point. After all, ChatGPT is AI, and we didn’t take the time to discuss the weather or future summer vacation plans.
In a nutshell, the AI platform admitted that although it’s excellent, it doesn’t have the human capacity to complete a copywriting project from start to finish. We figured as much, but look at the details—copywriting is a multifaceted skill set. ChatGPT cannot:
Where does this leave marketing teams? We still weren’t sure. ChatGPT was an admitted non-writer, and we wanted to test the waters. Could AI present the same information in various tones of voice?
We chose a topic and asked our AI friend to give us general information on email campaigns. It didn’t disappoint.
Here’s how ChatGPT delivered when given the task:
Although it checked the boxes, the copy is missing tone or any indication it’s being written for a specific audience. So, we took things a step further. We asked ChatGPT to give us copy that was more informal and approachable.
Now, we were getting somewhere. ChatGPT took our commands and created something sounding more human. Was this the proof we needed to ditch our copywriters? Not exactly.
Although ChatGPT considered our notes and had an unbeatable turnaround time, it didn’t create copy for a specific audience. For example, this may be too informal for some. ChatGPT delivered a conversational tone, but fine-tuning would be needed for most of our marketing clients.
We wanted to see how AI would present the same information with different instructions regarding tone. Unfortunately, we had a little too much fun here.
First, we asked ChatGPT to rewrite the information using extreme formality. It immediately went to the task and created copy that was fit for a medieval knight or inner circle of a 1600s royal court.
Then, we experimented on the other side of the spectrum. We asked the AI platform to explain email campaigns with sarcasm. After a good laugh, we called an end to our experimentation so our human writer could get to work on this blog post.
Our team agrees the AI platform is impressive. It’s a significant step in the right direction. The capabilities of ChatGPT will help businesses make strides in marketing.
We appreciate:
When it comes to using ChatGPT in marketing efforts, we’re still wary. In our opinion, the inability to cater copy directly to your ideal client doesn’t make the platform sustainable for all your written content needs. However, we see the value of using ChatGPT sparingly in short-form content such as social media posts or as an assistant in writing speeches or presentations.
The biggest cautionary tip is to use ChatGPT sparingly in your marketing. It’s not near a point of replacing human writers. The copy will still need editing to bring in the human tone to attract clients.
Here are a few tips for implementing ChatGPT into your marketing efforts:
ChatGPT is a considerable breakthrough in AI, and we love it. We had fun experimenting with the various tones and giving the platform instructions to prove the world still needs writers. However, even the best style implementation with ChatGPT doesn’t consider your client’s pain points. Contact our team if you’re looking for a group of humans to help with your copywriting and content writing. Our friends at Lucent Creative partner with us to give business owners like you personable written content that speaks directly to your ideal and converts them into loyal customers.
Your website acts as the first impression for customers and clients. In part one, we gave you the rundown on web design statistics and a few pointers on creating an epic design. If you missed that post, check it out here.
You may not be designing your site from the ground up, but we encourage you to audit your existing site against today’s tips. What checks out and how can you make improvements? A well-designed website doesn’t mean it has to be a robust or high-tech site. Really, a lot of intentionality and attention to detail will result in a website that puts the user’s needs front and center.
Let’s get straight to today’s tips!
There are multiple reasons to give site visitors value straight out of the gate.
Here are just a few:
So, how do you provide value on your website? We discussed social proof in last week’s post and how it elevates your brand’s expertise. There are multiple ways to pique visitors’ interest and get them to stick around.
Three ways to provide value to your customers:
Integrate a chatbot into your web design. Customers need a place to get answers to their questions. Enter chatbots. They provide the customer service element while also adding value to your brand. Customize your chatbot to fit your brand to create a memorable customer experience.
Have a free resource library. Provide immense value while also capturing emails and building your email list. A free resource library should be more than just one pdf download. We recommend using multiple kinds of media since we’re all unique and retain information differently. Webinars, downloads, audio recordings, and interactive worksheets are all great fits for a resource library. Build a robust library that rivals your competitors and you’ll generate loyal customers!
Our web design partners at Lucent Creative built an epic landing page for a boutique African travel agency. Check out the value that’s offered to customers right away.
Web Design and copywriting rely on each other to create a memorable site for your potential customers/clients. Work with a designer that sees the value of emphasizing your brand’s message. A web designer and copywriter essentially have the same goal–to put your brand on the map and create an uncomplicated journey for your customer to commit to a purchase.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind for optimizing your message through design:
Your design and brand messaging should go hand-in-hand. Our biggest piece of advice would be to have a look at some websites you like and then, pull inspiration for your project. Here’s a round-up of our favorite projects by Lucent Creative. Pay attention to how the design supports the message:
A dog training and pet care services company:
A pizza franchise brand:
An online event:
Search Engine Optimization is a specialty as it should be! It’s a multi-faceted beast and we’re going to go ahead and suggest you hire an SEO expert.
Did you know over 53% of overall website traffic comes from organic search?
The difference between a DIY approach and hiring an SEO guru is that your website will see the light of day! Optimizing your site with SEO means:
As with any strategic marketing move, you’ll want to work with someone who also understands the data. What are your analytics teaching you about your current setup? Where are there areas for improvement?
Our partners at Lucent Creative have an SEO team and we’ve worked closely with them to optimize our site.
We’ve already established your business needs a great website to compete in the online space. It’s not only a great first impression for potential clients, but can also act as an ongoing resource for existing clients.
Whether you need a website refresh or need one from scratch, we’re in the business of helping!
Learn more about our partners at Lucent Creative here.
Contact our team to book a free consultation call.
Don’t forget to catch part one of this series.
Your website is an important lead generation for your business. You can actually think of your company website as your business’ dating app. No really, entertain us for a second. The two platforms have more in common than you may realize.
Both give you a fraction of a second to make a great first impression before the viewer loses interest. Hey, we don’t make the rules.
Here’s a snapshot of website stats to drive the point home:
With numbers like those, it’s no wonder website design is a crucial undertaking for businesses. If you don’t have one yet or are looking to spruce up an existing site, our experts want you to proceed with intention so you make the most of your website design.
Potential customers want to find what they’re looking for quickly. We’ve all landed on a website only to immediately leave it for any of these reasons:
Creating an impressive UX puts your company in the running for capturing leads and growing. There are a few things to remember when creating a website that is easy to use and makes a solid first impression.
Design for your target audience. Your website needs to be visually appealing and formatted to your target audience. For example, if you’re a high-end consultancy firm specializing in AI, your website needs to be technology-forward, robust, and use the jargon AI professionals understand. When people land on your website, they should know exactly what your brand offers.
Design navigation bars to be seamless. Set your business up for success with easy-to-use navigation bars. This can be tricky for brands that offer a vast amount of products or services. Use categories, accordion-style menus, and subcategories to help customers find what they need right away. Include a search bar for more navigation ease.
Our web design partner, Lucent Creative, designed a user-friendly site for a well-known pizzeria franchise. See how the navigation is seamless? The brand’s identity is also obvious and doesn’t leave the site visitor wondering what they offer! 10/10!
Did you know 60.67% of website traffic comes from mobile devices? Think of how many times you’ve bailed after landing on a website that wasn’t made for mobile. Create loyal customers/clients by prioritizing a mobile-ready site. A mobile site will:
It’s safe to say optimizing your website for mobile view is essential. Here are a few tips on how:
Use a large, readable font and a simple design. A hectic design on a desktop becomes even more complicated on smaller screens. A mobile-responsive website requires you to keep it simple. Test the parameters on mobile view as you design.
Avoid pop-ups. Businesses use pop-ups for important announcements, but more often for lead generation. They are intrusive on mobile, though, and can disrupt a shopper’s experience. Use a lead capture form in lieu of a pop-up on your mobile site.
Lucent Creative, designed an epic, clean site for a 5 day online event. The design is crisp, decluttered, and keeps the visitor focused.
Most of your website browsers already know what they want and they need to know why you’re the one they should hire. This is where your business gets to show off a bit. All of us rely on social proof to make decisions.
Psychologist Robert Cialdini writes in his bestselling book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, “Whether the question is what to do with an empty popcorn box in a movie theater, how fast to drive on a certain stretch of highway, or how to eat the chicken at a dinner party, the actions of those around us will be important in defining the answer.”
There are several ways to provide social proof for clients, but here are specific tips on how to prioritize it in your web design:
Leverage client testimonials. Draw attention to raving fans with testimonials. Use brand colors, larger fonts, or an interactive layout (accordion-style drop-downs or scrolling banners) to draw the reader’s attention to testimonials. Testimonials are massive sources of social proof for clients that are still on the fence about hiring your team.
Offer excellent social proof with case studies. Case studies can fit in naturally with a blog section of your new website design. They also make great opt-ins for email capture. Make sure you keep simplicity and readability at the center of your case study designs. Although they’re typically dense with information, use graphs or other designs to make them easy to scan.
Our web design gurus built this website, with an array of case studies and blogs, for a dog training and pet care services company. The design provides proof of the brand’s expertise without clutter.
We’re partnered with a small web design agency, Lucent Creative, that throws a major punch! If your business needs a website upgrade or one from scratch, we couldn’t recommend our partners enough.
Stay tuned for part two of our guide to designing an epic website.
Ready to level up in your business? Book a free consultation.
In the world of remote work, we’ve all adjusted to sending files in a flash and requesting e-signatures. It’s the age of celebrity-grade autographs, but for everyday business owners like us (lucky!).
If you’re reading this and wondering how you can “Marie Kondo” your inbox to spark more joy, we have good news! We’ve put two of the e-signature platforms head-to-head in the ring and we have a winner!
Imagine it.
You’ve been in the online space for a hot second and are finding your document management isn’t working so great.
Important documents aren’t being signed on time, are being stored all over your desktop (next to solitaire, of course, because it never ages), and your business is on the ‘Hot Mess Express’.
Here’s our breakdown of Docusign and Zoho Sign to get you out of an organizational funk and into streamlined bliss.
DocuSign is one of the more popular signing services you have probably heard of. Here’s a quick overview of their features found directly on their website:
DocuSign connects with other applications like Microsoft, Google, Salesforce and Workday which is a huge win. As one of the largest e-signing platforms, DocuSign has a lot of grit and a great reputation.
Although DocuSign has been around for a while, we wish they had a free option for business owners to try before they buy.
As Zoho fans, we’re biased and aren’t afraid to admit it. Here’s how DocuSign stacks up against Zoho Sign. Hey, we don’t have favorites without good reason!
We’re going to go through Zoho Sign’s features and do a side-by-side comparison for you with DocuSign. When you’re using a platform in your daily business operations, it’s important to know the ins and outs of features.
Let’s start with the area that matters most to business owners–cost analysis.
Zoho Sign offers more bang for your buck, especially if you’re already a true fan and user of Zoho products.
Here’s the breakdown!
Zoho Sign offers a free version while DocuSign doesn’t. This is perfect for those wanting to take ZohoSign for a test drive, or ultimately stick to that free version with no strings attached!
Sure thing! Zoho Sign is a stand alone platform. You may use it solo or in tandem with your other Zoho platforms. We recently wrote an entire blog about Zoho Sign as a solo platform and you can catch that here.
Zoho’s support team is unmatched! It’s one of the many reasons we’re such fans. Getting timely support keeps your business on track and we’ve had several SOS calls with Zoho support over the years. The truth is–they always pull through! Always.
Here are a few perks of going with Zoho Sign vs. Docusign.
They’re on call and they’re basically the batman of business support!
Biweekly webinars walk new customers through learning the application and integrations quickly and easily. We love this!
Yes! You can take Zoho Sign on a test drive for 14 days. That’s two whole weeks for your team to taste test Zoho Sign’s perks for two weeks. If you don’t fall in love with the efficient platform then you can bail without being charged a dime.
We’re huge fans of Zoho. Zoho Sign can help you reduce your business's carbon footprint. Signing online and e-signatures helps your team save loads of time, too! Having all of your signed documents in one space checks the boxes for efficiency and cohesive business operations!
Here are just a few areas your business can thrive with Zoho Sign:
Do any of these ring a bell? Of course, the sky's the limit!
We’re advocates for business owners and our consensus is this–Zoho is an incredible asset to any business in one form or another! Zoho Sign is an asset to your business that you can’t afford to skip. E-signatures have never been so easy. With a free 14 day trial and a free-forever version, what’s not to love? Click here to try it today!
We’re Zoho Partners and experts. We’re happy to book a free consultation with you and your team to see how we can get sustainable solutions in place for your biggest business headaches. You can book your free consultation here!
Take a deep dive into Zoho’s offers in our recent blog posts to see Zoho’s numerous offers!
Are last-minute missing signatures throwing a wrench in your projects?
Don’t worry, this isn’t an intro to an ill-lit infomercial.
A robust CRM (client relationship management being the “scientific” term) allows you and your organization to collaborate, keep tabs on important data, and you guessed it–manage your relationship with clients.
Now, if we were to splurge and use our entire marketing budget on an infomercial, I’d point at the camera now and declare, “Zoho Sign is the final sign-off you need to run a successful business!”.
I would be getting ahead of myself because it’s important to know what Zoho Sign actually is and why it’s your business’ next best move.
E-signatures (probably shouldn’t call them “e-sigs” for short?) are more common than they have been in the past. Technology advancements and the shifts in remote work have made electronic signatures a common task in daily business. Everything from mortgages to consent for travel insurance have us all signing off on a screen.
Zoho Sign is pretty straightforward– the plugin allows you to send important documents over for signature straight from your CRM!
In a nutshell, we’re super fans because Zoho Sign allows business owners to manage customer relations without missing a beat.
Using a separate web-based e-signature platform from your CRM proposes a few issues:
Anything that needs written consent is too important to fall through the cracks. Zoho Sign integrates with your CRM to seamlessly keep documents moving down the pipeline.
Which brings us to scene two of our infomercial.
Yes, you can use it even if you’re not using Zoho CRM.
In this part of the infomercial, a diagram would pop onto the screen and show you the user demographics of Zoho Sign.
You’d see some of these leaders in CRM:
Now, we’re fans of keeping our Zoho platforms together for effortless usability and because they’re just that great.
Zoho shares a few perks of Zoho Sign being used alongside its bestie Zoho CRM in their blog post :
Read more: Hey, if you’re not already a Zoho CRM user, take a look at our recent blog post Zoho CRM vs. Hubspot.
You bet! See, we told you we’re Zoho fans.
Zoho Sign has a free option which can be used by anyone anywhere regardless of “CRM status”. If you don’t need a robust e-signature platform (you sign fewer than five documents a month), the free plan is an amazing option. We encourage clients to test drive the platform by opening a free account.
Using Zoho Sign as a stand alone platform doesn’t disappoint. Have a look below at the benefits you get even if you don’t need to integrate it with a CRM.
Zoho Sign’s free plan is phenomenal! They don’t skimp on features just because you’re not paying.
Here’s a snapshot of Zoho Sign’s payment structure so you can see what fits your business needs.
Get a free 14-day trial, no credit card required. To give Zoho Sign a try, use our link to get started.
Zoho Sign allows you to keep your clients and team informed while also keeping projects rolling. Although we recommend Zoho Sign being used along the Zoho CRM, you can integrate the plugin with your existing CRM.
Remember, you can also use Zoho Sign as a stand alone platform. Sign, upload, and manage on the go from any device!
Do you need a hand finding the business platforms and apps that work best for your team?
We’re always here for a free consultation. Book here!
As for that infomercial–it’s a wrap!
Email marketing is integral to business growth.
Time and time again, email campaigns outperform social media when it comes to seeing a return on investment (ROI). For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $40.
Who does email campaigns best?
Well, we knew you’d ask so we created this snazzy comparison article for you. We’ll jump in and compare two of the leaders in email marketing campaigns–Zoho Campaigns and MailChimp. First, let’s explore a few tips for choosing an email platform that works for your business.
Not all email campaign platforms are created equally which is a great thing in the long run. You want a platform that will meet your goals and have enough grit to provide the data you need to track performance.
These are three basic tips, but they’ll help you stay focused on picking what works best for your campaign and your business as it grows.
Pro Tip: If you’re curious about the wider world of Zoho, we think you’ll like to read up on these Zoho blog posts.
How Zoho SalesIQ’s Customer-First Approach Can Boost Your Business
As official Zoho Partners, we may seem bias, but the truth is–we’re sold on the benefits of Zoho because we use it every day. These features alone make Zoho Campaigns the better email platform.
Already a fan of Zoho? The fun doesn’t stop there! Connect with a wide range of apps from Zoho suite, bring in more subscribers and see how campaigns perform in real-time.
Observe your marketing’s progress with reports on email opens, clicks, etc. See understanding more detailed reports of a campaigns' performance with campaign-based and list-based reports.
Trigger emails based on customer behavior (click-through, re-engagement emails, welcome emails after opt-ins, etc.). The magic is powerful and saves your team time!
You don’t have to be a graphic designer for Zoho Campaigns. The preset email templates are ready for you to fill in and conquer your email campaign.
Email marketing is worth its weight in gold and you don’t have to be an email campaign expert to get results. You just need a robust platform to automate. Our money is on Zoho Campaigns and many of our clients are tried and true fans, too.
You can get started with Zoho Campaigns today for free!
Want to chat through the benefits with a real person? Book a free consultation with our team!
Consider the RingCentral App your fairy godmother of communication.
Plot twist–you’ll be hanging around RingCentral without caring if you make it to the ball. No need to worry about those designer glass slippers or if you’ll make it home by midnight.
When you can communicate with your team from anywhere–any way you choose–and all from one app, you’ve officially “arrived”.
Please note: RingCentral App apparently doesn’t keep you from stretching a metaphor too thin.
Now, onto the perks of this awesome app!
Teams are an ecosystem in themselves. Typically, they consist of like-minded people who have similar goals, vastly different roles, and unique ways of working to get the job done. Your business may have a preferred way of chatting through project management, but we’re super fans of RingCentral’s App because it allows us to do our jobs better.
We’re in sync (NSYNC on Casual Fridays). Communication is key when keeping a project rolling. How many projects have you dropped the ball on because important details fell through the cracks? We’ve been there, too. Keeping team communication in one spot is 100% guaranteed to boost team efficiency.
Automatic status updates. RingCentral automatically lets your team know when you’re unavailable or in a meeting. Consider this the virtual variation of a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door handle. Small, frequent interruptions during your workday may be costing your project time and money.
Celebrate flexibility! If your team is spread across time zones or all share a cubicle pod, you need an app that will give you flex space. Ring Central allows your team to stay in touch and share files seamlessly.
Use the app to meet via:
These three reasons alone are enough to make us rave (raving fans, not 90s raves). There’s more to love than just the productivity perks.
Did you get the link I sent?
You sent a link?
I sent a link.
To me?
Yep.
*The first Monday email of all time.
Share files: RingCentral App allows you to share files with your team during meetings without glitches, screens blocking the chat window, etc. Basically, this app allows your team to collaborate in real-time without losing time and focus on minimizing screens, switching platforms, and just making a mess of things.
Switch to mobile: Managing a team doesn’t have to be confined to your office desk. We love that RingCentral App makes it easy to switch from desktop to mobile for meetings and phone calls. If your laptop is running out of battery, you can effortlessly switch screens without interrupting the meeting. The folks at RingCentral also did project managers a favor by making scheduling meetings as easy as one click of a button.
Compatible with Google and Office: It’s amazing how much time RingCentral App saves our team and our clients. Having one platform for team and client meetings means we have data, important information, and upcoming events all in one hub when it comes to communications. It integrates with Google Calendar and Office 365 which is a perk!
Find what you need: Keyword search is robust in RingCentral, too! If you “drop” something within RingCentral, it’s not far from the surface. Being able to search meetings, files, and contacts within the app without fail is always a win for our team, too!
You either love client calls or hate them.
You’re either pacing before a meeting or sipping your coffee while exhibiting signs of superhuman chill.
There is no in-between.
Thankfully, we aren’t afraid of a client call or two because our clients are the best (and RingCentral makes client calls less scary).
Here’s what we have experienced and appreciated about RingCentral App:
Tip: If you’re passionate about getting your team set up for success, check out our post 7 Internal Team Issues That Can Be Fixed With the Right Platform.
RingCentral App helps teams keep their s*&%! Together when it comes to collaborating and having crystal clear communication (pun intended because…HD).
Use the app to meet via:
Remember, the app is full of essentials for project managers:
We’re big fans of RingCentral and how they’ve done a solid job of keeping our team on the same page. Clients share their experiences with us all the time and RingCentral App always gets kudos for their easy-to-use app. Want to check it out for yourself? Request a quote here.
Want to find out how we can help you? Schedule a free consultation now!
You may sit blankly staring out a window most days pondering, ‘If only there was a way to streamline my business operations and experience joy again.’ The reality is, your business doesn’t have to merely survive day-to-day. You can put systems in place that allow you to run your company more efficiently and finally feel like the boss you are (both literally and in the 80s lingo).
Enter Zoho, the one-stop shop for business automation goodness.
As official Zoho Partners, we are obviously huge fans of the platform and we see how its integrations improve business operations big and small.
We’ll also show no shame in admitting that Zoho is (beautifully) complex. It’s a platform that takes time to learn and ultimately, conquer.
Enter The Workflow Academy–where Zoho One begins to make a little more sense to the everyday user!
Afterall, every time a bell rings, a Zoho user becomes a Zoho Master (or something like that).
In a nutshell, The Workflow Academy is the superior spot for Zoho training. Whether you’re the team’s Zoho Admin or are all-in hanging out in the deep end of the platform, The Workflow Academy has a course with your name on it.
Have you been on the fence about getting Zoho for your business?
Here’s your sign to go for it!
Oh, and a helpful statistic to drive the benefits home–92% of employees say having technology that helps them do their job efficiently affects their work satisfaction, according to a study by Ultimate Software.
Now that you know you can have an amazing platform to help run your business and learn how to master, what is there to lose?
Go ahead and make your free Zoho One account here.
We’ll wait for you!
[cheesy elevator music]
Congrats! You’re officially in the game with Zoho One now.
Let’s continue to walk through the perks of TWA and get you enrolled in their free course.
At Woggle, we see clients that don’t realize the areas they’re losing valuable leads, revenue, or customer satisfaction until they start using Zoho and see the data roll in.
Spoiler alert: sometimes it’s areas they least expect or think they’re excelling in.
Not only does your business thrive when problem areas are identified and remedied; employees are able to focus on what they do best with a little help from their friend (automation).
So, what does The Workflow Academy help Zoho users perfect?
Here’s what we love about the courses over at The Workflow Academy:
✅Their online courses are free to Zoho users (yes, please!).
✅Learning is made easy to access across all devices.
✅There are so many courses to choose from! (Zoho One, Zoho Books, Zoho Projects, oh my!)
✅Empowering your staff to understand Zoho on a deeper advanced level
✅Get a better understanding of how Zoho works on the backend
✅Learn how to properly architect a solution that will work for your company
✅Diagnose needs and find a partner that will work well with you to create a customized solution
Pro Tip: Read our blog post on why hiring a Zoho consultant is the right move (objectively, of course).
As we mentioned, The Workflow Academy allows your business to pinpoint issues in your workflow that may be damaging customer satisfaction results. All businesses aren’t created equally and learning how to use Zoho will guide you to championing the unique nuances of each aspect of your business.
For example, your ideal client or customer may not need an extensive onboarding process, but setting it on autopilot can still save your company time (and time is money).
Still eager to learn more about how Zoho is an all-inclusive super machine for automation?
Read more about how Zoho SalesIQ’s Customer-First Approach Can Boost Your Business here.
We’ve mentioned (obsessively) how Zoho integrations can skyrocket revenue, customer satisfaction, and daily operations. The real beauty of Zoho is the compatibility it has with both B2B and B2C models.
The Workflow Academy equips your Zoho agency to know every small nuance of the platform as well as how to troubleshoot and personalize it for your unique business needs.
This means you become an expert on all things Zoho including:
The list goes on!
Zoho can feel like a complex beast, but really, it can be tamed! Investing in your knowledge of how your chosen CRM platform works is the best thing you can do for your business!
Read more about Zoho’s magical features like Zoho Surveys and Zoho Social in our other blog post.
The main gist?
Your business can run as efficiently as you’re willing to invest in automation.
The Workflow Academy takes you from out of the loop to expert. Don’t be the person who invests in a phenomenal tool, but doesn’t learn how to use it.
Eager to learn more about The Workflow Academy? Check them out here!
Jump in head-first by opening a free Zoho account.
Now that you’re convinced CRMs are more than worth it for your business, you’ve probably consulted the almighty Google and encountered your worst nightmare: options.
Okay, okay- options are good to have (most of the time). However, when deciding what’s worth paying for and what’s not worth the risk, multiple options can get a bit overwhelming.
Yummy options at the Thanksgiving table? Good. Many restaurant options when deciding where to go for dinner with your partner? Bad (very bad).
Lucky for you, we are here to make one choice a little easier! Recently we took a look at Zoho CRM vs Hubspot’s CRM, and today we are diving into Zoho vs Salesforce Sales Cloud. Who will come out on top? Let’s see!
Salesforce and Zoho have both created CRMs that help your business continuously grow and run smoothly. With that said, their focus over the years has been a little different. Zoho has placed more of an emphasis (and more of their budget) on research and development, while Salesforce focuses more on marketing and promotion.
Zoho has found it important to develop a CRM fit for small/medium businesses all the way to enterprise level. Salesforce has focused more on the enterprise level and gradually worked their way to more mid-market ventures.
While both approaches are absolutely fine, choosing between the two will depend on the size of your business and your goals!
In terms of user-friendliness and how much experience you would need to operate the platform, Zoho CRM seems to be easier. Not that Salesforce is difficult to utilize, but Zoho truly caters to users of all experience levels. We noticed that Salesforce would probably be optimal if operated by a dedicated team.
Both CRMs include a high level of customization capabilities (and you know we like that!) Salesforce’s Lightning App Builder seems to be top notch, allowing users to create custom layouts and records. A similar feature in Zoho would be Canvas. One customizable feature that is exclusive to Zoho CRM would be custom buttons, which is seemingly unavailable in Salesforce.
It’s worthwhile to note that with Salesforce, many of the customization features seem to only be available for higher packages. Customization for Zoho is much more accessible to all user levels.
Lead gathering and nurturing is a huge component behind CRM usage, so both Zoho and Salesforce have solid process building and lead scoring features. In an all out feature battle between Zoho and Salesforce, Zoho seems to have a more comprehensive set of lead tools in their toolbox. Salesforce’s lead tools seem to be more basic, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with perfecting the basics! Again, choosing between the two will largely depend on what you and your business are looking for.
One cool feature to mention? Sales representatives can scan a business card and Zoho CRM will easily convert the information into a contact! Zoho CRM can also create leads from social media platforms, which you cannot do with Salesforce unless you pay for the Social Studio plugin.
Although a little weaker with the social media integrations, Salesforce can generate solid leads by integrating with Outlook and Gmail, which is definitely a convenient tool.
It’s no mystery that Zoho has some excellent integration capabilities (we talk about it constantly)! Unfortunately, this is where Salesforce really fell short for us.
With Zoho CRM, you can seamlessly integrate with over 40 other Zoho products like Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, and Zoho Sign; Salesforce doesn’t have that perk.
One thing that really suffers from this lack of integration power? Team collaboration. Zoho CRM has Workplace, a convenient way to effectively communicate with coworkers and employees. Through apps like Cliq, Meeting, and Workdrive, you can share documents and updates with the click of a button. With Zoho CRM you can also incorporate third party applications like Microsoft Teams and Slack for ultimate team collaboration!
While Zoho users can integrate with third-party applications no matter the CRM edition, Salesforce only allows this in the top packages. You can’t utilize popular applications like ZenDesk, MailChimp or Quickbooks until you pay for the Professional or higher Salesforce Sales Cloud packages.
Ah, the inevitable price discussion. In a side by side comparison, Zoho is indeed cheaper than Salesforce Sales Cloud. Zoho also offers a free version of their CRM (with limited users), whereas Salesforce only has the free trial. Both offer a 30 day free trial.
Both pricing models are centered around standard (essentials), professional, enterprise, and ultimate packages. Each CRM bills you per user, offering monthly or annual subscriptions. So, again, depending on the size of your company and your ultimate goals, either could be the better fit- you’ll just have to decide which one is worth the investment!
So, as an epic entrepreneur, what is your CRM focus? Leads? Integrations? Customization? Don’t worry, we’ll quit asking you questions (eventually)!
Whether you are just starting out or you’re a well-established business, there’s a CRM out there for you. It’s all about finding the one that suits your needs the best! Even though it requires a little bit of research, we are confident one will be a perfect fit.
Let us know if you end up choosing Zoho CRM or Salesforce Sales Cloud- we’d love to hear your opinions on the topic!
Sometimes things seem just too darn good to be true: Why is that priced so low? Why does this guy have so many open appointments? Why is this hotel so much cheaper than the surrounding hotels? Sometimes it saves you time and money to be skeptical (or it might just save you from being the subject of a horror movie down the road).
Well Woggle friends, it just so happens we have done what we always do: tons of research about all the advantages and disadvantages behind a product. But guess what? We found something where we simply could not find a reason not to use it, no matter how deep we went digging! So, today we’d love to introduce you to this bundle of perfection: Zportals!
Zportals gets its name from being aligned with one of our favorite companies: Zoho! We never thought using Zoho could get any easier, then Zportals entered the scene!
Zportals is a web portal plug-in that integrates with Zoho CRM and several other commonly used Zoho applications; it’s a one-stop shop for users to access all their Zoho products in one place. Instead of multiple apps and logins, users can simply go to their website and use Zportals for a unified and consolidated experience.
Although Zportals only currently integrates with 8 Zoho products (plus Google Maps), the options are endless for future integrations! And it’s worth mentioning that Zportals only works with WordPress sites– BUT there are ways around this if your site is not through WordPress. We’d explain this to you further, but to be honest, we just aren’t techy enough for that (so we’ll leave that piece to the experts).
Okay, finally– a con! Zportals would not make a great name for a bandwagon! Anyways, we have compiled some (but certainly not all) advantages of using Zportals:
No need for coding skills here! Zportals makes it easy for you to set-up your portal and customize it to your liking. Set-up is a breeze, and there are a ton of resources on their website (and YouTube) to get you started.
While we are on the topic of customization, we might as well discuss how Zportals allows tons of it! You can customize individual client access and “sub” portals. You can also choose to allow clients to self-register or have to wait for an invite from your CRM.
Your portal can be built to fully match your current website, ensuring brand consistency and avoiding confusion. Create an appealing summary of data for a client’s profile or embed videos. You can even incorporate links within a profile that are unique to that client’s history/information.
Tweak the layout, add banners, adjust the colors- you name it and you can customize it to your preferences. And if you happen to shift your brand around, the portal won’t be a nightmare to fix!
Zoho takes pride in their emphasis on data security, and Zportals is no different. Information is encrypted as it travels between your website and Zoho, plus you don’t have to worry about other data storage options and fees. Zportals customers can control what their clients can access and edit, giving them even more control over information.
There isn’t just one use for Zportals! No matter the type of business you have, you can probably utilize it in some way. Here are some great examples of business types that can benefit:
Marketing firms- Need to access a client’s social media account or other password protected accounts? Skip using something way less secure like emails or texts– Zportals allows secure transfer of sensitive information like this through the use of Zoho Vault. Additionally, the client would be able to access analytics and other valuable insight through their portal.
Subscription-based services (like cleaning services and yard maintenance) - Through the clients portal, a company can share task lists and distribute invoices. The client can also easily manage their payment information and subscription details.
Human resources- Companies can utilize Zportals for training and onboarding, as well as access to documents and getting contracts signed.
Ecommerce- A product-based website can use Zportals to help clients access purchase histories and other information. It can integrate with Zoho Inventory, keeping track of what’s in stock and what to reorder.
Portals can also be used for customers to register product serial numbers for a rebate/coupon. Zoho can determine whether that serial number has already been registered or not and keep track of all information along those lines.
Real estate- If you’ve ever purchased a house, you very well could have utilized a portal through your realtor. A portal like this allows for easy and efficient communication and timely updates on new properties. Plus, being another document-heavy process, a portal could easily make this portion simpler.
Accounting firm/CPA- Avoiding the never-ending paperwork that comes with managing people’s finances? A solution like Zportals may help with this! Integrate with Zoho Books and keep all the numbers easily accessible in one place. Subportals can be created if a client does both their personal taxes and business taxes through the same CPA (because who really wants to sift through that potential mess?)
Who wants to build brand loyalty, increase website traffic and manage all their Zoho products in one place? We certainly do! If that sounds like something that may interest you and your company, you may want to consider Zportals. We can almost guarantee they have a solution that is just what you and your clients need! Check them out today!
Want to find out how we can help you? Book a free consultation with our team, and we’ll see how your business can go from striving to thriving.
