Ontraport Review 2024: 🥇 Your Top Choice for CRM & Marketing

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Ontraport Review: Automating Your Marketing Efforts

Most people love to buy but dislike selling to others. The discomfort of being “sold to” often leads us to resist sales pitches. As a result, many are turning to automated customer software that removes the awkwardness of traditional sales and fosters a more friendly and helpful environment.

Ontraport is one of the leading marketing automation tools available today. Launched in 2006 from a backyard yurt, Ontraport has grown into a robust platform that offers a full-featured email marketing service, extensive marketing automation capabilities, and a built-in CRM. With over $10 million in annual revenue and a thriving user base, Ontraport competes with other popular platforms like HubSpot and ActiveCampaign, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for connecting with, selling to, and engaging customers.

Features Overview

Ontraport offers extensive functionality for creating signup forms, landing pages, and multiple forms of marketing communication, including email, SMS, and physical postcards. However, these features come with a cost, and the monthly fees may be steep for small businesses.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Visual Marketing Automation: Ontraport’s Campaign Builder allows you to design campaigns visually, mapping out customer journeys and automating communications effectively.
• Powerful CRM: The integrated CRM tool keeps customer information organized and accessible, enabling personalized interactions based on behavioral data.
• Effective Email Marketing: Ontraport offers a range of email marketing features, including automation, A/B testing, and customizable templates.
• Connected Calendar Scheduling: Integration with online calendars simplifies appointment management, streamlining your workflow.
• Customizable Landing Pages: Create mobile-responsive landing pages using drag-and-drop functionality without needing technical skills.
• Built-In Membership Sites: Easily set up membership sites for customers with minimal technical expertise.
• Extensive Support Resources: Ontraport provides friendly customer support, a comprehensive knowledge base, and an active community for assistance.

Cons:

• Basic Reporting: The reporting features are somewhat limited and lack the visual depth found in other tools, making it hard to analyze trends effectively.
• Steep Learning Curve: The comprehensive nature of the platform can be overwhelming for new users, especially those seeking simple tools.
• Higher Costs: The starting price of $79/month may be prohibitive for some small businesses, with steep increases as contact numbers grow.

In-Depth Look at Key Features

Masterful Marketing Automation

Ontraport’s core feature, the Campaign Builder, allows users to visually map customer journeys, creating campaigns for lead generation, product delivery, upselling, and referrals. Prebuilt templates are available in the Ontraport Marketplace, enabling quick customization to suit specific needs. Once a campaign is launched, real-time performance metrics help identify areas for improvement.

Integrated CRM Tools

Managing customer details becomes seamless with Ontraport’s CRM. Each contact’s card stores crucial information such as name, email, purchase history, and behavioral data, allowing for effective segmentation and personalized interactions. The visual card view format makes it easy to manage customer processes and permissions.

Effective Email Marketing

Despite some perceiving email as outdated, Ontraport demonstrates its ongoing value. Users can send personalized emails manually or automate responses based on interactions. A/B testing tools and an extensive template library enhance the effectiveness of campaigns.

Calendar Integration

Ontraport integrates with popular calendar tools, such as Acuity Scheduling and Google Calendar, allowing businesses to manage appointments and follow-ups seamlessly.

Customizable Landing Pages

Like platforms such as ClickFunnels, Ontraport enables users to create tailored landing pages using drag-and-drop functionality. All templates are mobile-responsive, ensuring a smooth experience across devices.

Membership Sites and SEO Tools

Ontraport allows for the creation of membership sites, facilitating customer subscriptions and automated password recovery. Additionally, SEO tools help improve search engine visibility, further enhancing marketing efforts.

Support and Community

Ontraport offers extensive support, including live chat and scheduled screen shares with support staff. Their comprehensive knowledge base and active user community provide ongoing assistance and resources.

Pricing and Plans

Ontraport’s pricing starts at $79/month for up to 1,000 contacts, with significant jumps for larger databases. The Plus plan costs $147/month for up to 2,500 contacts, while the Pro plan, accommodating up to 10,000 contacts, costs $297/month. The limited 14-day trial may not be sufficient for businesses to fully explore the platform’s capabilities.

Ontraport Plans FAQs

Q. What features are covered in Ontraport free trial?

All the features that are offered by Ontraport are available in the free trial.

Q. Can I upgrade my plan on Ontraport later?

Yes, you can anytime upgrade/downgrade your plan on your account dashboard as per your needs.

Q. Can I cancel my free trial in case I don’t want to continue with Ontraport?

Yes, you can cancel your free trial if you don’t want to continue with Ontraport. Since they don’t ask for credit card details in the free trial, so you won’t be charged.

Q. What will happen if I exceed the contacts limit of the selected plan?

If you exceed the contacts limit then Ontraport automatically upgrades your account to the next level. You’ll receive a notification from them. If you remove the extra contacts then you can downgrade your account.

Q. Can I migrate my data from another software that I was using to Ontraport?

Yes, Ontraport representatives will help you to migrate your data from other software in the free account setup calls. (This feature is not available in the basic plan)

Q. Does Ontraport offer a money back guarantee?

Yes, Ontraport offers a 30 days money back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied then you can cancel your account and contact Ontraport team for the full refund.

Conclusion

Ontraport is a flexible marketing automation tool suitable for a variety of business models, particularly those in education or membership sectors. With robust CRM capabilities and integrated email and text message marketing, Ontraport provides significant advantages over using separate tools.

The onboarding process is comprehensive, and the support team is responsive, making it easier for new users to navigate the platform’s complexities. Although the initial investment and learning curve can be steep, the potential for increased efficiency and customer engagement makes Ontraport a worthwhile consideration for businesses ready to enhance their marketing efforts.