Numerous reports quote analysts and other pundits as saying that once businesses have cut all the costs they can, most focus next on investments in solutions that can help them to generate and grow revenues and profits. Focus believes that improving the speed and effectiveness with which those businesses can acquire, nurture and convert leads into prospects and customers is critical to success in those efforts. Focus also believes that “social marketing automation” solutions such as those from Genius.com can help many businesses to improve their ability to nurture and leverage leads and to grow revenues and profits.

This analysis is presented to align with the key solution and vendor characteristics identified as critical to buyers in the Focus Research Methodology. These include product, cost and vendor considerations.

Product Considerations: Genius Pro is primarily a business-to-business (B2B) e-mail marketing solution that supports sales and marketing e-mail creation, e-mail and Web site tracking and other features. Genius Enterprise includes all of the features of Genius Pro as well as marketing automation features, including lead scoring, multi-step drip campaign support and automated lead nurturing. Both offerings also support real-time sales alerts and full replays of prospect Web site visits, as well as high levels of integration with Salesforce.com’s CRM solution. Focus believes the features of the Genius.com solutions are closely aligned with the needs of many users pursuing or considering lead nurturing and/or marketing automation initiatives.

Some users may like the Genius.com products but require features those products do not support, such as creation of micro-sites or landing pages. Such users may find their needs met by a combination of the integration of Genius products with Salesforce.com and additional solutions available from the Salesforce.com AppExchange. However, users must weigh carefully the features and costs of such combined solutions against their aggregate complexity and competitive alternatives.

Cost Considerations: Pricing for Genius Enterprise begins at approximately $1,500 per month or $18,000 per year for five seats, according to published reports. Focus believes this pricing is competitive when compared to that of other relevant solutions. Trials are available to qualifying companies.

Vendor Considerations: The company recently raised $7 million in additional funding, money the company plans to use to expand sales, marketing and product development. The new funding was led by a new investor, but all of the company’s previous investors also participated, indicating sustained confidence in company management and its strategy. In addition, after meeting with senior Genius.com executives, Focus believes the company’s strategic direction is closely aligned with the evolving needs of business users seeking to leverage and nurture leads more effectively.

The Focus Research Methodology has identified three basic Buyer Types for solutions such as demand generation and lead nurturing tools. These are Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Buyers, differentiated by characteristics including company size, available relevant expertise and complexity of the business challenge.

Focus believes that all active and prospective buyers of solutions such as those offered by Genius.com should make a careful assessment of business needs a first step of their buying processes. Focus Market and Comparison Guides are designed to aid in efforts to assess and prioritize business needs, and to use these to evaluate candidate solutions and vendors. Assessment of needs and resources can also help you to decide the Focus Buyer Type that most accurately describes your company.

Basic Buyers who are new to or just getting started with SFA or marketing automation solutions should take a look at Genius Pro and apply for a free trial. This will help those users to figure out if Genius can help their sales and marketing efforts under “real-life” conditions for minimal cost and at minimal risk.

Intermediate Buyers, especially those using Salesforce.com CRM tools, should compare the features of Genius Pro and Genius Enterprise, and apply for a trial of the solution that matches their specific needs most closely. Some Intermediate Buyers may find that they need functionality beyond that offered by Genius.com solutions. In such cases, Salesforce.com may prove to be a useful bridge to other solutions, especially via the Salesforce.com AppExchange.

Advanced Buyers already using alternative lead nurturing and/or demand generation solutions should compare the features of those incumbent solutions to those offered by Genius.com, and to business needs and goals. If incumbent solutions and vendors are meeting current and anticipated business needs effectively and economically, Advanced Buyers should stick with what’s working. If the features, pricing and/or vendor support offered by Genius.com solutions warrant further consideration, Advanced Buyers should apply for a trial of Genius Enterprise.