THE BOTTOM LINE

Marketing automation is often the last CRM investment companies make, because the returns from sales force automation and customer service applications are often more readily apparent. However, as marketing automation has evolved, so has the ability of users to gain measurable benefit. In their review of Marketo, Nucleus analysts found benefits included increased productivity, increased sales, and reduced costs. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) model also delivered faster time-to-value and greater flexibility.