Websites using SharpSpring

Okay, let s break down SharpSpring, covering its overview, revenue, alternatives, pricing, and customer care.

SharpSpring Overview

SharpSpring is a marketing automation platform designed primarily for marketing agencies and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It provides tools to help businesses automate their marketing processes, nurture leads, and track campaign performance. Think of it as a suite of software to manage and automate various marketing tasks.

Key Features:

• Marketing Automation: Automating tasks like email follow-ups, lead nurturing, and campaign triggers based on user behavior.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Basic CRM functionalities to manage and track customer interactions and data.
• Email Marketing: Creating and sending targeted email campaigns, tracking performance, and using dynamic content.
• Landing Pages & Forms: Building responsive landing pages and web forms to capture leads.
• Visitor Tracking: Monitoring website visitor behavior and engagement.
• Lead Scoring: Assigning scores to leads based on their interactions to identify the most promising prospects.
• Social Media Management: Scheduling and publishing content on social media platforms.
• Reporting & Analytics: Tracking campaign performance, ROI, and other key marketing metrics.
• Dynamic Content: Tailoring content based on visitor behavior, location, and other factors.
• Agency Focused Features: Often includes features like white labeling and multi-account management.

Target Audience:

• Marketing Agencies: A significant portion of SharpSpring s user base is marketing agencies looking to provide automation services to their clients.
• SMBs: Small to medium-sized businesses that want a robust marketing automation platform without the complexity and cost of enterprise-level solutions.

Revenue:

• SharpSpring was acquired by Constant Contact in 2021 and is now part of their portfolio. As such, specific standalone revenue figures for SharpSpring are not publicly reported anymore. Instead, their financial performance is combined within Constant Contact s overall results.
• Before the acquisition, SharpSpring s revenue was typically in the tens of millions of dollars annually, with strong growth.

Alternatives to SharpSpring

There are many marketing automation platforms available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here are some notable alternatives to SharpSpring:

• HubSpot: A very popular and comprehensive platform, offering free versions and paid tiers. HubSpot is generally known for its user-friendly interface and extensive ecosystem.
• ActiveCampaign: Focused heavily on email marketing and automation, with a strong emphasis on segmentation and dynamic content. It s often considered more feature-rich than SharpSpring but may require a steeper learning curve.
• Pardot (Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement): A more enterprise-focused platform ideal for larger companies. It integrates tightly with Salesforce CRM.
• Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): Another enterprise solution with robust features for complex marketing campaigns.
• Mailchimp: Initially email-focused, Mailchimp has expanded into a more comprehensive marketing platform, suitable for small businesses.
• GetResponse: An all-in-one platform providing email marketing, automation, landing pages, and more.
• Infusionsoft/Keap: Targeted towards SMBs, especially service-based businesses, with a focus on sales and marketing automation.
• Moosend: An email marketing and automation platform known for its user-friendly interface and affordability.
• Omnisend: Specializing in e-commerce marketing automation, particularly for those who use Shopify and other e-commerce platforms.

Pricing

• SharpSpring s pricing is not publicly available on their website. It is typically quote-based and dependent on the number of contacts or leads in your database. SharpSpring s pricing approach may be tailored towards agencies, often using a minimum of contacts.
• Pricing Structure:
  • Subscription-based, usually billed monthly or annually.
  • Tiers typically based on the number of contacts, which can make it more expensive as your contact database grows.
  • There may be add-ons for specific features or increased functionality.
• Because it was designed for agencies, it s not uncommon to see that many providers, such as HubSpot, can be cheaper for similar contact and functionality requirements

Key Consideration: When evaluating SharpSpring s pricing compared to its alternatives, compare the pricing structure as well as feature requirements. While SharpSpring may be a suitable solution for an agency, it may be a more expensive solution for an individual SMB.

Customer Care Details

• Support Channels:
  • Email Support: Standard email support for technical issues and questions.
  • Phone Support: Phone support options may vary depending on the subscription plan.
  • Knowledge Base: A collection of articles, FAQs, and tutorials to help users troubleshoot issues and understand the platform.
  • Chat Support: Often available for real-time assistance with more basic queries.
• Community Forums: SharpSpring may have community forums where users can interact with each other and share experiences.
• Training and Onboarding:
  • Onboarding help, which often includes tutorials and training sessions to set up a new account
  • Dedicated onboarding or account managers, depending on your subscription plan.
• Customer Service Reputation: While SharpSpring is recognized for its powerful automation capabilities, there have been mixed reviews in some places about customer support. Some users report good experiences with responsive and helpful support agents, while others have found the support less effective.

Key Takeaways:

• SharpSpring is a strong marketing automation platform designed particularly for marketing agencies and SMBs.
• It provides a wide range of features to automate marketing tasks, manage customer relationships, and track campaign performance.
• Revenue is no longer separately reported.
• Alternatives exist, and depending on your needs and budget, they may be more suitable.
• Pricing is quote-based and based on the size of your database.
• Customer care has some mixed reviews. Consider the support channels available and the type of support you ll need.

Recommendation:

If you re a marketing agency or an SMB looking for a robust marketing automation platform, SharpSpring is definitely worth considering. Be sure to compare it carefully with its alternatives, taking into account your budget, feature requirements, and desired level of customer support. Request a demo and pricing information to make an informed decision.