What InfusionSoft Has In Common with Apple

Forbes ^ | March 28, 2013 | Eric T. Wagner

[AZLiberty]

Perched high above the Arizona desert in my hotel room — it’s another perfect day in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Below I watch hundreds of entrepreneurs scurrying about as they make their way to the annual InfusionCon conference held by InfusionSoft, a maker of CRM and marketing automation software geared toward small business owners.

[AZLiberty]

In brief:

1. Teaching sells
2. Core values and culture
3. Fanatic followers

I attended this conference with over 2,000 other InfusionSoft users. In the likely event that you've never heard of it, InfusionSoft is web-based software that helps a small business automate the sales process. As you capture contacts from your website or social media such as Twitter and Facebook, InfusionSoft automates the flow of an individualized sequence of emails and information sources to the potential (or existing) customer, educating the customer and maintaining constant contact (better than Constant Contact). Something that the author didn't mention: InfusionSoft is developing an ecosystem of consultants, partners and apps that enhance what is already a powerful product.

We began using the product in November, for one small aspect of our business, but we have already started on five more uses, all more strategic than the original one.

At the conference, I felt like I was at the center of the "new capitalism". Here were a bunch of hard-working entrepreneurs who were working night and day to bring value to their customers so they could support their families. The feeling was widespread that InfusionSoft was helping them serve more customers, better, while having more time to spend with their families.

[glorgau]

InfusionSoft automates the flow of an individualized sequence of emails and information sources to the potential (or existing) customer, educating the customer and maintaining constant contact (better than Constant Contact).

i.e. spam.

[harpu]

"i.e. spam."

Ah yes, I love the aroma of cynicism in the morning!

[BushCountry]

No busy manager or owner (who hasn’t even purchased the product)is going to appreciate an automated flow of an individualized sequence of emails and information sources, educating him and maintaining constant contact.

It would be safe to assume the vast, vast majority of emails sent by this software are immediately trashed or sent to the spam filter. It would be also safe to assume when the default option on your web site is to send emails updates the purchaser doesn’t want the email they are going to be flooded with. Walk up to anyone with purchasing power at a company and ask them if they want emails promoting products after their purchases. 99 out of 100 will say no, yet 99 out of hundred get them.

[Izzy Dunne]

automates the flow of an individualized sequence of emails

Looks like I'm not the only one to turn this barrel of buzzwords into what I suspect it is.

[Atlas Sneezed]

i.e. spam.

---

This is about managing those who voluntarily sign up for the communication. They’re subscribers, and these systems are very strict about preventing unwanted spam.

[Atlas Sneezed]

It would be safe to assume the vast, vast majority of emails sent by this software are immediately trashed or sent to the spam filter. It would be also safe to assume when the default option on your web site is to send emails updates the purchaser doesn’t want the email they are going to be flooded with.

---

I have extensive experience with this type of system, and your assumptions are wrong.

[harpu]

I have a cigar shop...we started sending out emails (about 250/week) starting the first of the year.

Our new business and returning business (for new arrivals and specials) clearly has 'something' to do with our business being UP 38% over last year's numbers for the same period.

BOTTOM LINE...emailing works, if and when done properly.

[Mr. Jeeves]

It's getting much harder to come up with genuinely new ideas for entrepreneurial ventures, especially with government regulation doing such a great job of indemnifying established political contributors against the consequences of free market competition. Thus we see well-worn ideas in the Internet marketing space constantly rehashed and retried and relabeled as the "next big thing" - because new ideas in manufacturing or mining or oil and gas are quickly squashed by government.

Does e-mail marketing work? Yes - with qualifications. Many people don't bother unsubscribing from lists they have opted into long ago - they just ignore the e-mails. In fact, their eyes have been trained to skip right over them. It's very easy for companies to overestimate the value of their e-mail marketing tools, just because their list keeps getting bigger.

I don't know much about InfusionSoft itself, except that at their price points there are much cheaper and equally effective e-mail options for small businesses. Constant Contact is very capable and much cheaper option. And the article seems to suggest that the company has adopted that rah-rah, pyramid scam sales culture - which gives me pause right away.

[AZLiberty]

It would be safe to assume the vast, vast majority of emails sent by this software are immediately trashed or sent to the spam filter. It would be also safe to assume when the default option on your web site is to send emails updates the purchaser doesn’t want the email they are going to be flooded with. Walk up to anyone with purchasing power at a company and ask them if they want emails promoting products after their purchases. 99 out of 100 will say no, yet 99 out of hundred get them.

FWIW there's a functional opt-out link on every email. In addition, the email flow is customized to the individual's history and responses (with effort, of course).