San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/09/2015 --Technology solves many of the biggest challenges of marketing in the 21st Century – notably: How can one secure more leads using less capital? Software systems take in a tremendous amount of information about prospective customers, chart their course along the sales pipeline, and suggest appropriate actions to keep potential buyers engaged. In fact, the marketing automation industry grew 50% in 2014 and is forecasted to reach $1.8 billion by the end of 2015.

Digital Marketing Consultant Mandy McEwen says that she's received a large number of requests of businesses looking for training or guidance on getting started with marketing automation platforms. Two of her most-shared blogs of 2015 were titled, "4 Things Every CEO Should Know About Marketing Automation" and "8 Ways to Use Marketing Automation to Generate Leads."

"One of the first conversations I have with clients looking for better marketing performance is: what marketing automation system are you using and are you regularly reviewing the reports? Most of the time, it's uncharted territory and we're able to achieve truly amazing results for businesses who begin using these systems to nurture sales leads," Mandy McEwen explains. The best part about working with a marketing consultant, she adds, is that CEOs can skip the learning curve of working with these systems and reap the most benefits immediately."

There are eight important ways marketing automation drives leads, McEwen says:

1. Segmented landing pages help marketers increase conversions by 50%.
2. Email drip campaigns educate, promote, re-engage and increase competitiveness.
3. A/B testing lowers bounce rates and leads to more intelligent, high-converting marketing campaigns.
4. Contact lists are more complete to increase the number of solid leads.
5. Captured leads are "warmed up" and ready to make a purchase.
6. Visitor data helps marketers understand how to best connect with new prospects.
7. Reports identify cost-per-lead and reveal the most valuable lead sources.
8. Annual revenue grows by a third or more when sales and marketing department databases are connected.

"The marketing automation industry is still cluttered with players and no clear winners," says McEwen. Popular names that come up in "Best Marketing Automation Software" lists include:

1. Hatchbuck
2. SharpSpring
3. InfusionSoft
4. Hubspot
5. Marketo
6. Oracle-Eloqua
7. Salesforce-Pardot
8. Act-On

Yet, choosing the right platform depends upon business size, objectives, goals, budget, support needs, and other considerations. Mod Girl Marketing provides businesses with guidance in selecting the right system, as well as training on how the system works and even implementation assistance when requested.

"We have some clients who just want the meat-and-potatoes for their next business meetings. We sift through the reports and deliver the most relevant, actionable analytics for them. We help businesses: draw up a written marketing strategy based on the data; create effective, time-saving automated messages to keep more sales in the funnel; improve landing pages or websites based on lead generation results and audience segmenting; and create content that appeals to prospects who are most ready to buy."

To read the full article on the best marketing automation platforms for small and medium sized businesses, please visit: http://www.8waysin8days.com/top-8-marketing-automation-platforms/

About Mod Girl Marketing
Mod Girl Marketing is a full-service, boutique online marketing firm that provides effective search engine optimization, social media management, digital branding, marketing and design services to a variety of businesses. From coast to coast, Mod Girl Marketing has helped numerous businesses transform their digital presence from bland to brilliant. Contact Mod Girl Marketing at 800.388.7732 or by email at info@modgirlmarketing.com. Follow Mod Girl Marketing on Twitter for a fresh flow of Internet marketing ideas.