Lead Generation
Budgeting functionality
Can I create, modify or view marketing budgets and actuals?
Project/task management
Can I manage my schedule and to-do's for different projects and in aggregate?
workflow management
Includes workflow processes for budgets, approvals, and collaboration
Version control
Is there a way to ensure that all instances of a marketing document get updated no matter where they're located?
Asset management
Centralized control of branding, logos, value propositions, etc.
Campaign management
Can I merge lists with campaigns (fax, direct-mail, e-mail)?
integrates off-line and on-line campaigns
Ability to track recipients/responders & results electronically, even for off-line campaigns
e-mail marketing
Opt-in, Opt-out
rich media marketing
Voice/video
partner campaign integration management
Provisions for customization of marketing material for channel partners (Campaign Syndication)
PPC (Pay per Click)
Implementation and analysis
Event Management
Off-line and/or on-line events
Event planning & follow-up
Tools to manage the process and follow-up
Campaign ROI/Analytics
Metrics such as response rate, conversion rate
Customizable dashboards
For a quick visual update on results
Customizable reports
For in-depth analysis
Segmentation analysis
What are the characteristics of those responding to campaigns?
E-mail marketing
accessible by sales for personalization
Can a rep select a campaign, personalize the e-mail and send it off? And/or, can marketing campaigns be sent "on-behalf-of" sales reps?
campaign synchronization with CRM data?
Can sales easily see who was sent each campaign, and how they responded? If Sales sent the e-mail, will marketing know?
Analysis
Can I see who opened, can I see who "converted" i.e. clicked on a link, signed up for newsletter? Real-time?
Web Content Management
Is it easy for marketing to update the web-site, and add landing pages
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) analysis
Will that content be optimized for key words?
Self-service survey creation/editing capability
Needs no IT involvement
Self-service editing of Registration pages
Needs no IT involvement
Web Analytics
Site visitors, conversions, search terms
Collateral management
version control
Automatic updates on all locations
fully accessible by sales
For viewing, printing, linking, attaching
Template development
Can I make templates available for lead follow-up by sales reps?
based on lead type
Can I categorize templates in different ways?
based on information requested
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Database management & maintenance
Contact and prospect lists
proprietary
Is it provided? (no = I use my own)?
compatible w/other CRM/SFA systems (which ones)
If provided, is it compatible or portable
hooks to back-end databases
Can the database be synched with our centralized database?
Database rejuvenation tools
Research company URLs for real-time contacts
List development/lead searching
Does it help me develop lead lists?
Trade-show/directory mining
Is there a tool for capturing names from on-line directories?
on-line list extractions
Includes ability to find companies meeting certain criterion and to extract names, and contact details from online directories
Paid databases
Do you provide leads for us?
Target company list generation tools
Tools to research companies/contacts in niche markets or verticals
Real-time web-mining
Deep web-search and extraction tools
Customer analysis
Do you have tools for us to perform analysis on our client or prospect base?
Market segmentation
Competitive Analysis & comparisons
Are there specific tools for this?
Reference management
Processes for requesting, obtaining, making available to and tracking usage by reps
Testimonial management
Processes for requesting testimonial's and tracking their usage
Lead Management
Rules-based automated response follow-up
Can I create a detailed list of steps in the prospecting process?
Automated Web-to-lead distribution
Including entry into a CRM or SFA system
Lead activity tracking and notification
Has the prospect opened an e-mail, clicked on a link or performed some other desired action?
Lead history tracking
What campaigns have they received, what have they responded to?
Lead routing
Will leads get distributed automatically to my sales reps
Round Robin
Can they be distributed to reps sequentially?
Ratio-based
Can they be distributed to reps based on how many leads they currently have in the pipeline?
Rules-based
Can I modify or customize the way leads are routed?
Lead scoring
Can we define when a lead gets passed to sales based on scoring different attributes of the lead?
Automated, rules-base
Is the lead scoring pre-defined or customizable?
Partner Relationship management
Provisions for channel partner lead routing, knowledgebase access etc.
Lead Conversion
In-bound call routing and handling
Will calls get routed to sales reps?
Out-bound call dialing & handling
Is there a provision for out-bound calling campaigns?
Conversion tagging & notification (automatic or manual)
Conversion from one lead stage to another or from one call-to-action to the next?
Quote management (product/pricing/availability)
Will reps get access to product pricing information and perhaps inventory levels?
Proposal management
Ability to create, file, and convert to orders
Document Generation
Can we use wordprocessing, spreadsheets and other document types?
Cultivating campaigns
For those leads that have been converted to "opportunities" can marketing create separate campaigns? Can Reps have access?
Competitive knowledgebase
Wiki, blog, or other style of collecting and sharing knowledge on competitors
Sales Knowledgebase/resources
Wiki, blog, or other style of collecting and sharing sales knowledge and tips
KPI Analysis (key performance indicators)
Lead Aging, Cost per Lead, Leads by Lead Status, Leads by Lead Source, Leads by Country, Leads by Campaign, Opportunity Aging, Cost per Opportunity, Opportunity by
Campaign Source, Opportunity by Country, Opportunity by Campaign, Closed Deals by Campaign