Is Pardot a CRM? (& Other Implementation Questions)
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 4:42 am
With so many automation and customer management technologies available to marketers these days, it’s no surprise that some get confused between marketing automation software versus customer relationship management (CRM) software versus others. If you’re just starting down the Pardot (aka MCAE) implementation road, perhaps you find yourself asking;
Is Pardot a CRM?
Do I need both Pardot and a CRM?
And you’re not alone in pondering number phone in cambodia these questions. So let’s answer them.
Is Pardot a CRM?
No, Pardot is not classed as a CRM.
I’ve definitely come across businesses attempting to use it as their sole customer relationship management tool but ultimately, this is rarely effective because Pardot is not designed for sales and customer management (not to be confused with customer nurturing which involves sending emails to customers with brand evangelism in mind, or for cross/upsell campaigns).
The power of Pardot is in its lead generation and lead nurturing capabilities. The purpose of the platform is to grow and manage a database of prospects and leads to the point that they are ready to be handballed to the sales team for purchase or upsell.
This is why you won’t find common CRM features such as quotes or proposal management or the ability to schedule and manage meetings.
Pardot features include lead scoring and grading, email campaign automation, and marketing assets such as forms and landing pages, among others. Its focus is on enabling marketers to attract and convert potential new clients, not to manage the one-to-one sales process (although you can make your emails look one-to-one!).
Do I need both Pardot and CRM software?
The short answer is yes, and it must be Salesforce Sales Cloud.
Previously, it was possible to purchase individual Pardot licenses but these days, Salesforce literally cannot sell Pardot without a Sales Cloud license.
Pardot is most effective when marketers can tie the activity to precise sales and revenue, allowing them to demonstrate ROI, and this requires integrated CRM software. Salesforce is well aware of this so the two products come hand-in-hand.
Although, for the record, it is possible to set up users who can only access Pardot (via Salesforce Identity Licenses) and you can read more about user licenses and the like here.
Is Pardot a CRM?
Do I need both Pardot and a CRM?
And you’re not alone in pondering number phone in cambodia these questions. So let’s answer them.
Is Pardot a CRM?
No, Pardot is not classed as a CRM.
I’ve definitely come across businesses attempting to use it as their sole customer relationship management tool but ultimately, this is rarely effective because Pardot is not designed for sales and customer management (not to be confused with customer nurturing which involves sending emails to customers with brand evangelism in mind, or for cross/upsell campaigns).
The power of Pardot is in its lead generation and lead nurturing capabilities. The purpose of the platform is to grow and manage a database of prospects and leads to the point that they are ready to be handballed to the sales team for purchase or upsell.
This is why you won’t find common CRM features such as quotes or proposal management or the ability to schedule and manage meetings.
Pardot features include lead scoring and grading, email campaign automation, and marketing assets such as forms and landing pages, among others. Its focus is on enabling marketers to attract and convert potential new clients, not to manage the one-to-one sales process (although you can make your emails look one-to-one!).
Do I need both Pardot and CRM software?
The short answer is yes, and it must be Salesforce Sales Cloud.
Previously, it was possible to purchase individual Pardot licenses but these days, Salesforce literally cannot sell Pardot without a Sales Cloud license.
Pardot is most effective when marketers can tie the activity to precise sales and revenue, allowing them to demonstrate ROI, and this requires integrated CRM software. Salesforce is well aware of this so the two products come hand-in-hand.
Although, for the record, it is possible to set up users who can only access Pardot (via Salesforce Identity Licenses) and you can read more about user licenses and the like here.