Gartner defines email marketing as the use of the email channel to deliver and optimize marketing messages — such as brand newsletters or contextually relevant, real-time and personalized communications — in support of engagement across the customer journey. Email service providers often bolster their technology platforms with supplementary managed services to improve the value and scalability of the email channel. Email marketing helps marketers deliver information to their audiences after obtaining an email address. This can take the form of product or service updates, new promotions, transaction updates and more. As a relatively inexpensive method for communicating at scale with contacts, email provides value for different use cases across the full customer-engagement life span. Email is the most effective channel for several marketing objectives, including demand generation, conversion to sales, and customer loyalty and advocacy.
Sales force automation (SFA) platforms are AI-enhanced tools that streamline sales tasks, helping teams manage buyer interactions across various channels. By using AI, these platforms optimize sales activities with advanced analytics and actionable insights, improving contact, pipeline and opportunity management. AI features like machine learning and natural language processing enable platforms to predict customer needs, personalize strategies and guide sellers through complex processes. AI-driven tools aid in forecasting and decision making, allowing teams to anticipate market trends and customer behaviors. SFA platforms enhance the user experience for sellers, ensuring scalability and facilitating seamless buyer-seller interactions and shared customer experiences, and providing leaders with visibility. SFA is a foundational sales platform implemented to automate and augment an organization’s core sales processes while utilizing AI and advanced analytics. It enhances the seller’s ability to engage with customers on all interaction touchpoints and devices. It not only optimizes sales-relevant tasks but also provides actionable next best actions for improved sales contact, pipeline and opportunity management.