Last Reviewed: November 13th, 2024

Best Press Release Distribution Software Of 2024

What is Press Release Distribution Software?

Press Release Distribution Software is a tool specifically designed for disseminating press releases to journalists, bloggers, influencers, and news outlets. It's a potent solution for businesses that struggle with reaching a wider audience or getting their news picked up by key channels. The relevance of this software lies in its ability to enhance visibility, improve brand reputation, and reach targeted audiences. Its core functionalities are press release creation, targeted distribution, and performance tracking. The trend of leveraging AI for distributing content to precise demographics is gaining traction. Users of this software primarily include public relations, marketing teams, and communication professionals across all sectors. Considerable limitations include high cost and the potential for distribution to be viewed as spam if not targeted effectively. In summary, Press Release Distribution Software acts as a strategic tool for organizations to get their news out, target specific audiences, and boost their brand visibility.

What Are The Key Benefits of Press Release Distribution Software?

  • Broadens audience reach
  • Boosts brand visibility
  • Improves targeted distribution
  • Simplifies press release creation
  • Facilitates performance tracking
  • Saves time and effort
  • Connects with influencers
  • Ensures timely releases
  • Increases website traffic
  • Aids in crisis management
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Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 149 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Press Release Distribution Software overall:

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Why We Picked Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales and marketing management tool for small and medium businesses. It helps visualize the sales pipeline, track important activities and hold client conversations, with mobile access for greater productivity.

Even with its data exporting difficulties, filter complexity and non-intuitive email integration, the platform overall is easy to use. Integration with third-party software, such as Google Apps, Mailchimp and Zapier, along with a powerful API, increases its usefulness in enhancing business sales processes. Overall, it is a great solution for companies looking to streamline sales processes.

Pros & Cons

  • Sales Pipeline: 80% of reviewers referring to this aspect said the platform is good for keeping a close eye on deals at every stage and tracking individual progress to understand outcomes.
  • User Interface: Of the users mentioning the UI, 60% suggested that it’s functional and easy to use.
  • Mobile Application: 70% of the reviewers mentioning the mobile app stated that it makes Pipedrive easy to use anytime, anywhere.
  • Integrations: The platform helps users work seamlessly, with integrations for customer acquisition, goal achievement, application sync and more, as stated by 40% of reviews about integrations.
  • Data Exporting: Glitches and a lack of control make data querying and extraction slow, according to 50% of those who mentioned the exporting tool.
  • Filters: Filtering is complex, and 40% of users who referenced it stated it could improve in terms of usability and design.
  • Browser Extensions and Email Integration: Email integration, browser extensions and workflow automation are dated and not user-friendly, according to 70% of reviews on these features.
  • Expensive: 60% of users who reviewed pricing suggested that the features are overpriced in comparison to the competition’s products.

Key Features

  • Lead Management: Includes a product catalog, lead import tools and deal probability, in addition to visual pipelines. A color-coded feature called “rotting” uses different colors to represent how hot or cold a lead is, providing visibility into which leads require follow-up or are best to pursue. 
  • Contact Management: Import contacts from a previous CRM or spreadsheets, or sync from Microsoft or Google. Once in the system, contacts are stored as organizations and people, which can be attached to deals. Record and access a history of interactions to clarify where things stand. View contact locations by adding Google Maps integration. 
  • Web Forms: Generate leads via web forms embedded on a company website or shared in emails and on social media channels. Customize fields to capture personal details specific to company needs. Configure where the leads appear (e.g., as a deal or contact). 
  • Leadbooster Chatbot: Collect and qualify leads 24/7. Route leads to a custom destination, such as a stage or sales rep. Calendar syncing lets leads book meetings with sales reps from within the chatbot conversation. 
  • Activity Management: Contains a scheduling tool, reminder notifications and a premade list of activity types, which can be configured based on company needs. 
  • Sales Forecasting: Pursue the best deals and effectively plan strategies for open deals. Access and customize different views: 
    •  Individual views provide in-depth details for sales reps. 
    •  Forecasting views let managers filter deals based on criteria like date started or product. 
  • Integration: Integrates with dozens of other apps, including Asana. Connects with platforms like Zapier and Automate.io, allowing further integration with tools like LinkedIn, Zendesk, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Jira, Salesforce, Dropbox and various G Suite tools like Gmail. 
  • Marketplace: Supports dozens of third-party plugins. Thumbs-up/thumbs-down ratings and user reviews help gauge how an app performed for other users. 
  • User Access Control: Set user permissions and determine how users log in, whether it’s via two-factor authentication or using a single sign-on (SSO) platform. Track the identity and location of anyone who logs in on a dashboard. Receive alerts when an unrecognized device logs in. 
  • Data Security: Features include data encryption, daily backups and GDPR compliance. Also provides a data protection officer and multiple certifications. 
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Why We Picked Salesforce Sales Cloud

Based on our research and user feedback, Salesforce Sales Cloud turned out to be a powerful and flexible CRM solution, capable of accommodating businesses of any size.

Its AI-powered features, especially Einstein, truly set it apart. This tool provides predictive analytics, lead scoring, opportunity scoring and sentiment analysis to improve sales efficiency.

We found the mobile app to be feature-rich, offering full functionality for sales teams on the move, including forecasting and account management.

Yet, some users reported a learning curve for advanced features. While the basic functionalities are user-friendly, leveraging the full potential of Sales Cloud may require proper training. Additionally, smaller organizations might find the pricing structure challenging, as costs can accumulate quickly with add-ons and advanced features.

Integration capabilities are generally strong, but we observed that some key functionalities, such as event tracking and eCommerce integrations, rely on third-party providers. This could add complexity and cost for businesses requiring these features.

Overall, Salesforce Sales Cloud is well-suited for organizations seeking a reliable, AI-enhanced CRM with extensive customization options and analytical capabilities. It's particularly valuable for businesses expecting growth, as the platform can scale effectively. However, potential users should carefully consider their budget, required features and available resources for implementation and management when assessing this CRM.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy To Use: Many users report that Salesforce has a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users.
  • Good Vendor Support: Salesforce offers quality support. Users often mention that the company treats them more like partners than just customers.
  • Highly Customizable: Developers find that the level of customization provided by Sales Cloud helps them extend Salesforce's features effectively.
  • Scalability: Salesforce is suitable for companies of all sizes. It's a long-term solution that can adapt to evolving organizational needs.
  • Learning Curve: While the interface is user-friendly, users need proper training to use Salesforce efficiently, especially for more advanced features.
  • Cost: Several users, particularly from smaller organizations, point out that the overall price can be a concern for businesses with limited budgets.
  • Resource Intensive: While Salesforce can do almost anything, it often requires a dedicated team and skilled resources to manage it effectively.

Key Features

  • Sales Forecasting: You can build accurate sales projections and custom forecast types based on various data points, measures and dates to get a clear picture of your future sales performance.
  • Lead Management: With Sales Cloud, it’s easy to capture leads, manage campaigns and convert opportunities into sales. You can create forms on your website, use LinkedIn ads or have AI chatbots talk to potential customers.
    • AI-based Lead Conversion: The Einstein Lead Scoring tool analyzes past conversion patterns to predict which current leads are most likely to convert, helping you prioritize the most promising prospects.
  • Integration Capabilities: Connect Salesforce with your favorite tools and platforms. A wide range of plugins is available, enabling you to create a smooth workflow across all your applications.
  • Reporting and Analytics: While the reporting system is user-friendly, quick and can generate real-time reports, it also offers flexibility for more advanced users who want to customize their reports. You can also create reports for territories and collaborative forecasts.
  • Mobile App: Salesforce’s mobile app lets you create, edit and view records for accounts, campaigns, cases, contacts, forecasts and leads. Additionally, you can use Salesforce Chatter to see feeds, groups and people. What data you can access depends on your organization's settings.

Pricing

License/Subscription Cost
  • Based on a recurring subscription-based model: per user, per month (billed annually)
  • All products require an annual contract
  • Cost varies depending on the package selected — Lightning Essentials, Lightning Professional, Lightning Enterprise or Lightning Unlimited (refer to the pricing section for details)
Maintenance Cost
  • Included in the subscription cost
  • Users aren’t required to pay server fees or annual maintenance charges
  • Provides technical support and Help Center to resolve issues.
  • Streamlines the implementation process through videos, training and certification, a customer community, documentation, interactive tutorials, and webinars
Installation/Implementation Cost
  • The cost is over and above the subscription cost
  • Salesforce implementation can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $20,000, delivered within 2-3 weeks or 2 months
  • Salesforce implementation partners/contractors handle implementation, charging anywhere from $16/hour to over $190/hour
Customization Cost
  • Cost varies depending on the selected plan and any functional requirements added to the basic business requirements
  • Add-on charges include $50/user/month for knowledge base access and $250/GB/month for additional data storage capacity
Data Migration Cost/Change Management/Upfront Switching Cost
  • Cost varies depending on the amount of CRM data to be migrated, such as opportunities, cases, activities, contracts, orders, invoices, data duplication, data archiving and restoration
Recurring/Renewal Costs
  • Renewal cost is included in the subscription fee
  • Users may incur additional costs for premium support services, application administration, data archiving and restoration services chosen, if any
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Why We Picked Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM solution that serves businesses of all sizes and across various industries. It provides users with real-time data analysis, AI-powered sales performance optimization and extensive automation and customization. You can streamline workflows and improve sales efficiency with lead nurturing, deal management, and third-party integrations.

During our test run of their free trial, we loved working with standout features like the customizable dashboard, automated lead creation via the email parser and drop-down linking for account, product, lead and quote creation.

However, users report a learning curve associated with full feature utilization and customization. Additionally, some advanced features and functionalities require upgrades to higher tiers making it expensive for smaller teams. Overall, Zoho CRM offers an interoperable solution for businesses looking for a customizable, affordable CRM platform.

Pros & Cons

  • Work Offline: Users who mention this feature say the platform functions well even when used in offline mode.
  • Business Management: The system monitors business performance, populates the website with suitable visitors and keeps a tab on productivity and output, eliminating unmatched customers and removing hassle according to users who mention this aspect.
  • Affordable: Users said the software is budget-friendly as compared to other CRM systems and has considerably more adaptive features for the price.
  • Integrations: Reviewers appreciated Zoho’s integration with in-house tools that support unified workflows, flexibility and email functionality.
  • Learning Curve: Users mentioned some features and customization requires additional time and learning to implement.
  • Customer Support: Zoho’s customer support and inquiry resolution isn’t very responsive, according to users who refer to support. However, the chat support is comparatively better.
  • Lags and Delays: Reviewers noted there is sometimes a lag in notifications for email tracking and updates.

Key Features

  • Sales Force Automation: Automate tedious sales tasks such as lead generation and routing, data entry, email notifications, field updates and more. Optimize lead management, deal management, account management, contact management, and manage workflow and assignment rules.
  • Process Management: Enable your sales team to follow a standardized sales strategy. Use the blueprint feature to log offline processes such as order management or deal closure, ensuring consistent execution. Create automated approvals for common activities such as vacation time requests, capital expense reports and pricing discount requests. Additionally, you can set rules for assigning leads, escalating cases and validating CRM data.
  • Opportunity Management: Keep everyone’s antennas tuned to the same channel with Zoho’s activity tracking for all customer interactions like emails, calls, tasks and notes. Create deals and associate them with campaigns with drop-down fields and generate multiple pipelines using the standard template or your own personalized fields You can create a custom Kanban view using dropdown options and fields.
  • Multichannel Support: Connect with your email platform to send emails directly from the CRM. Connect your brand’s social media channel to respond in real-time, follow relevant conversations and automate lead generation. Use the Phonebridge integration to enable sales reps to easily log and track information from calls. You can also embed live chat and lead capture forms on your website to facilitate sales, marketing and customer service efforts.
  • Sales Enablement: Aid sales reps in their daily jobs using features like quotes and purchase orders (via integration with Zoho’s Finance Suite), a documents library, integration with Zoho’s presentation and document creation applications, and external-facing portals for partners and vendors. It also offers a calendar, a feature called SalesInbox for prioritizing the most lucrative emails, a web meeting platform through the Zoho Meeting integration, real-time notifications, collaboration feeds and more.
  • Performance Management: Gauge how a product, team or region is performing with forecasting tools. Group customers based on shared attributes (region, product, etc.) with territory management and gamify elements to encourage friendly competition that boosts performance among sales reps. Zia can also help improve performance by helping you target leads that are most likely to generate revenue. Your sales reps can engage with website visitors via chatbots for web and mobile, so every query receives attention even if they’re away from their desks.
  • Marketing Automation: Streamline marketing efforts by segmenting customers using a range of criteria, automating lead nurturing follow-ups, creating code-free web forms to gather customer information, scanning and uploading business cards, and analyzing campaign spending. Use capabilities like end-to-end event management, email campaign capabilities, surveys, and marketing details like budgets and performance metrics. A hierarchy feature lets you hook sub-campaigns to related main campaigns.
  • Team Collaboration: Use Feeds as a central location for collaborating, sharing announcements and offering advice. You can integrate chat functionality to facilitate everyday tasks and automatically send real-time sales updates. Users can leave notes on records or activities and tag other team members. Other features include groups for collaborating around specific events or for specific purposes, as well as project management tools via integration with Zoho Projects.
  • Third-Party Integrations: Connect with more than 50 third-party apps for collaboration, document management, live chat, telephony, messaging, events and meetings, quote management, document signing, lead management, marketing automation, social media, storage and more. Integrations include G Suite, Office 365, Slack, Shopify, Mailchimp, Facebook Ads, QuickBooks, GoToWebinar, DocuSign, Dropbox and Zapier.
  • Security: Store critical business data in secure vaults, choose where you want your data stored (U.S. and EU data centers) and encrypt data fields. Use audit logs to track activity, enable two-factor authentication and designate which IP addresses users can use to log in. Real-time backups on multiple servers ensure you won’t lose data due to a system-based or natural disaster.
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Why We Picked Dynamics 365 CRM

A mix of praise and critique defines 2023 user reviews for Dynamics 365 CRM. Fans champion its robust customization, enabling precise tailoring to diverse business needs, like adding fields to track specific equipment rentals or crafting workflows for complex approval processes. This flexibility, some say, surpasses competitors like Salesforce, where out-of-the-box options might constrain unique workflows. Yet, this very strength can be a double-edged sword. Detractors find the customization curve steep, requiring significant IT expertise or costly consultant guidance, unlike the more user-friendly setup of HubSpot. Integration shines as a clear win for Dynamics 365. Seamlessly blending with Microsoft's ecosystem, including Outlook and Teams, streamlines communication and boosts collaboration. Imagine pulling CRM data directly into an email or setting up team meetings from contact records – a breeze for Dynamics users, while competitors often require clunky workarounds. However, pricing structure remains a sore spot. While subscription fees are competitive, the extensive customization often necessitates additional add-ons and consultancy, potentially inflating costs compared to more all-inclusive options like Zoho CRM. Ultimately, reviews suggest Dynamics 365 excels for businesses seeking in-depth customization and Microsoft integration, willing to invest time or resources in setup. For those prioritizing ease of use or budget-friendliness, alternatives might be a better fit. The key takeaway? Choose the CRM that complements your unique needs and technical capabilities.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to Use: 98% of reviewers referencing usability felt the software is user-friendly.
  • Improved Productivity and Efficiency: The system aids efficiency and productivity, as observed by every user who talks about this aspect.
  • Customer Relationship Management: 95% of the reviewers who reference this aspect noted that it aids a positive customer experience.
  • Customization: Adding or removing fields is simple and doesn’t require technical help, as observed by more than 85% of reviews mentioning this feature.
  • Integration: Important integrations such as Power BI, Cortana, Azure and Office are of great help, as noted by 92% of the reviewers who refer to this element.
  • Learning Curve: According to 90% of the reviewers talking about this factor, new customers require a bit of training, which is time consuming.
  • Pricing: Microsoft Dynamics 365 is expensive, as observed by every user mentioning cost.
  • Slow Performance: At times, the platform takes time to sync and perform simple tasks, as observed by almost 70% of reviewers referring to this aspect.
  • Navigation: 90% of the reviews about this feature mentioned the navigation is complicated, especially for new users.

Key Features

  • Campaign Builder: Set up and execute campaigns via a visual building tool, and design customer journeys by arranging templates using the drag-and-drop interface. It’s also possible to set triggers based on a range of rules, choose segmented groups, assign emails, include events or surveys, and more. 
  • Dashboards: Access a host of metrics related to leads, revenue and other data sources from dashboards and customize them to show the most important KPIs. Dashboard types include: 
    • User Dashboards: Visible to and controlled by individual users. 
    • System Dashboards: Visible to everyone, with the option to reduce visibility to certain roles. Customized and controlled by system admins. 
  • Lead Nurturing: Account-based marketing features provide capabilities such as customer segmentation, personalized email content and performance metrics. Build buyer journeys and set rules that define a lead’s score based on the individual lead record, the related contact or the related account. 
  • Integrations: Apart from the Dynamics 365 toolset and other MS applications, the platform integrates with partner systems. Integration with Zapier offers access to more than 1,500 apps, ensuring greater extendability. 
  • Event Management: Control all aspects of events, from registrations and speakers to sessions and venue logistics from an event portal. It integrates with ON24 and other providers to support running webinars. 
  • Customer Service Insights: Powered by AI, machine learning and BI tools, this feature helps track KPIs visually for at-a-glance insights. Monitor: 
    • Customer satisfaction levels
    • A range of case metrics
    • Backlog trends
    • Incoming support topics
    • Engagement patterns
    • Support agent performance
  • Customer Insights: This add-on feature uses AI to support marketing efforts. 
    • Use Microsoft Graph to input audience intelligence.
    • Build triggered workflows with Microsoft Flow.
    • Customize reports and dashboards with the Power BI connection.
    • Microsoft PowerApps enables custom app creation.
    • Governance tools and security features ensure GDPR compliance and data privacy.
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Why We Picked HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a free platform that supports the marketing and sales efforts of small to mid-sized businesses with features such as lead intake, deal management, ticket issues and more. It’s easy to use, unified and offers robust workflow management automation. A couple downsides reviewers observed include the limited functionality of the mobile app and the integrations mainly geared toward e-commerce. All in all, businesses looking for marketing and customer management at no cost will find HubSpot CRM is a solid option.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly: 86% of users mentioning this aspect observed that HubSpot CRM is easy to use and install without much hassle.
  • Workflow Management: Well-constructed workflows enable timely follow-ups, according to 76% of users mentioning this feature.
  • Report Generation: It's easy to upload and export reports, as indicated by 53% of reviews referring to reporting.
  • Automation: This feature makes it easy and faster to conduct daily professionals tasks, as noted by 60% of users referencing it.
  • Affordable: 55% of reviews mentioning price suggested the application is inexpensive for the features offered.
  • Unified Solution: A simple, unified dashboard makes it easy to carry out multiple activities, according to 66% of reviews that mentioned this aspect.
  • Mobile Application: 50% of reviews about the app suggested it’s inefficient and limited to monitoring the status of customer requests.
  • Integration: The platform lacks basic third-party integrations, with 63% of reviews on the subject saying the integrations are primarily beneficial for e-commerce businesses.

Key Features

  • Pipeline Tracking: Auto-populates data from new deals and eliminates manual entries in forms. Add, edit and delete stages and properties from entered deals without help from IT. 
  • Lead Management: Helps sort and filter a prospect’s information based on geography, company size and number of visits. Custom views aid tracking prospects for optimum outreach. 
  • Monitoring: Monitors and gives insight on a prospect’s website activity, and identifies new prospects that visit the company’s website. 
  • Email Tracking and Notifications: Tracks sent emails, activities and aligns timed follow-ups for optimum sales growth. 
  • Email Templates: Promotes effective outreach and communication by making it quick and easy to draft emails. 
  • Scheduling: Syncs Google and Outlook meetings, making it easy to pick available time slots. Also helps schedule team meetings with prospects to maintain relationships and increase sales. 
  • Reporting: Generates customizable reports and dashboards that enable sharing metrics with team members, which help stimulate business growth. 
  • Live Chat: Enhances customer experiences and reduces the chances of a prospect slipping through the cracks by enabling support agents and sales reps to solve the queries of existing and interested customers in real time. 
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Why We Picked Insightly

Insightly helps users track contacts through the customer lifecycle to increase sales and productivity, improve customer relationships and manage projects efficiently. It excels in capabilities such as customization, ease of use, contact management and more. However, features like reporting and dashboards have room for improvement. Users also pointed out that customer support isn’t as quick and attentive as it could be. Reviews on price are mixed, with some saying it’s justified for the features it offers, while others consider it a bit expensive. Overall, it’s a good fit for small businesses that are looking for a robust CRM within a decent budget.

Pros & Cons

  • Customer Relationship Management: Communicating with customers and nurturing relationships is effortless, as observed by every reviewer who references this capability.
  • Ease of Use: According to 85% of reviewers who mention this aspect, the software is easy to navigate.
  • Integration: 70% of users who refer to integration noted that the platform seamlessly integrates with Gmail, Mailchimp, Slack, calendar apps, social media platforms and more.
  • Project Management: The software aids efficient project management, according to 95% of reviewers who reference this feature.
  • Task Management: It’s easy to create, track and organize tasks, according to every reviewer who mentions task management.
  • Contact Management: The capabilities for managing a contact directory are exceptional, according to 95% reviewers who refer to this feature.
  • Customer Service: 70% of reviewers who mention customer support felt it was slow and could be more responsive and attentive.
  • Reporting: This feature is very basic and doesn’t offer many options to customize, according to more than 70% of reviewers who refer to it.

Key Features

  • Lead Management: When a new lead enters the system, the software uses criteria you set up to automatically assign leads and tasks to sales reps. Each lead’s social profiles are automatically attached to their record. You can use web pages to capture leads while removing spam, and Insight Cards reveal duplicate records for better data quality. 
  • Opportunity Management: Customizable pipelines with a kanban view organize leads, which can be dragged and dropped to each new stage. Sales reps can drill down to view a deal’s call and email history, notes, proposals, and contracts. 
  • Email Automation: Features include templates, mass emailing capabilities, list segmentation and scheduling. The platform lets you save emails from your inbox and has a search functionality. 
  • Calculated Fields: Insightly enables you to use your CRM data to implement business logic and mathematical functions within the platform. You can create calculated fields for any number of items. Examples include commission, region assignment, working hour totals and remaining balance. It’s also possible to add fields to dashboards. 
  • Workflow Automation: This feature enables a variety of actions, such as assigning tasks, updating data, sending emails and transforming closed deals into projects. Insightly also contains webhooks and AWS Lambda functions for extended automation. 
  • Contact Management: The system stores all contact records — customers, prospects and more — in a single location. Multiple list views aid in organizing and searching contacts. Individual records contain all relevant information about the contact and support custom fields for further personalization. They also include a full list of interactions with your company along with details about who your contact knows. 
Start Price
$0
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Why We Picked Streak CRM

Built into Gmail, Streak ensures efficient email marketing, as users can check if an email is opened or read, deliver mass emails, send follow-ups, schedule emails and more. Additional strengths include data organization and greater productivity via G Suite integration. However, the free version has restrictions on how many emails can be tracked and doesn’t offer detailed tracking data. Reviewers also noted that the user interface needs improvement and that there are technical issues to address. Overall, it’s a decent software with a number of useful features.

Pros & Cons

  • Email Marketing: Robust features include open and read rates, bulk emails, scheduling and more, according to more than 82% of users who mention email marketing.
  • G Suite Integration: The software ensures efficient process by connecting with G Suite, as noted by almost 90% of reviewers who mention this aspect.
  • Free Plan: Every user who references the free plan indicated it’s very useful and caters to almost every requirement.
  • Centralized Data: The software aids efficient data management, as noted by every reviewer who mentions this feature.
  • Reminders: Every user who refers to this feature liked the ability to frequently follow up
  • Ease of Use: More than 62% of reviewers who reference this feature noted the platform is easy to navigate.
  • Customer Communication: Streak aids effective customer engagement according to all users who mention this feature.
  • Customer Support: According to almost 60% of users who mention this element, the customer service needs improvement, with slow responses and irregular quality cited as a couple issues.
  • Lack of Free Features: While the free plan is useful, 80% of reviewers felt it would be helpful to have more features.
  • Location: Every user who mentions this feature observed that the software doesn’t reflect senders’ geographical location.

Key Features

  • Pipelines: Streak CRM lets you create an unlimited number of pipelines, and with a Professional or Enterprise plan, you can also create unlimited rows (called items) within each pipeline. Filters, groups, sorting and search features let you configure pipelines based on the view you need and then save that view to share with team members. You can also link related pipeline items for quick navigation between the two. 
  • Boxes: Each box represents a contact, lead or whatever else you want to track. They act as the building blocks of your pipeline and are what you move through the stages. Boxes can contain information like emails, contacts, comments, notes, tasks, file attachments, data fields and more. 
  • Customizable Workflows: The software allows you to configure your workflow to fit your processes. You can add, delete or move pipeline stages, as well as color-code them for easy tracking. 
  • Alerts: The view tracking feature sends a notification when a recipient reads your message. You can sort emails in your Sent folder based on whether they’ve been viewed or not, so it’s clear which contacts require follow-up. 
  • Mail Merge: If you need to send mass emails that include personalization, this feature has the necessary capabilities. You can pull data from your pipeline to personalize elements like company info or recipient name. The preview mode lets you proof emails before sending. 
  • Send Later: You can schedule emails to send at a predetermined time and edit or cancel them from the draft view. 
  • Snippets: With this feature, which acts as a template, you can create a library of most-used emails to reuse whenever needed. Shortcuts allow you to insert the content quickly. The templates are shareable among team members. 
  • Reporting: Available with the Professional and Enterprise plans, this feature lets you generate reports based on the data in your pipelines. The system offers built-in sales and pipeline reports that can be customized, downloaded and shared via email. Sales reports let you track information like the total value currently in your pipeline, the value per stage, close rate, projected close value and more. Pipeline reports include total interactions, stage flow, the number of boxes assigned to each user and the number of boxes in any given stage. 
  • Permissions: With a Professional or Enterprise plan, you can control who views and edits information in the system. Owners act as the administrators, with the ability to edit teams, roles, pipelines and other settings. Members are limited to viewing pipelines and contacts, and can’t change user roles or team members. 
Start Price
$159
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Why We Picked Infusionsoft

Infusionsoft by Keap is a comprehensive CRM platform that helps SMBs automate processes, connect with prospects and customers, and increase ROI. As many reviews noted, the price is on the high end for a small business, and it has some features that work best for enterprises. It also has a learning curve and limitations with storage and custom fields. However, it provides robust email marketing and campaign management tools, and its wide range of automations can save users a lot of time. There are mixed reviews about customer service, as some find it satisfactory while others believe it’s inadequate. Overall, the product can be a good choice for companies with a large enough budget.

Pros & Cons

  • Process Automation: Every user who mentions this feature notes the system has vast automation scope including automating customer acquisition and marketing processes.
  • Campaign Builder: It offers a robust, flexible and feature-rich campaign builder with excellent controls, as observed by 85% of reviewers who reference campaign management.
  • Email Marketing: According to almost 90% of reviewers who mention email marketing, Infusionsoft by Keap has a responsive, user-friendly interface that aids segmentation, sends mass emails and offers templates.
  • Contact Management: 85% of users who reference managing client databases feel it’s possible to manage databases efficiently with the ability to create, organize and configure contact lists.
  • Learning Curve: The system is confusing to learn, requires a lot of training and has some features that are hard to find, as noted by more than 80% of customers who refer to training.
  • Price: The cost of the software is on the higher side, according to 90% of reviewers who mention pricing.
  • Custom Fields: It’s difficult to search fields and the platform doesn’t support more than 100 fields, according to every user who mentions custom fields and tools.
  • Document Storage: It doesn’t store documents or client information internally or in the cloud, as indicated by each customer who mentions storage.

Key Features

  • Customer Relationship Management: Infusionsoft’s CRM platform acts as the central hub for sales and marketing efforts. From it, you can segment lists, automate lead data entry, sync client emails from your other accounts to the correct contact record and identify the best opportunities with lead scoring tools. 
  • Marketing Automation: Build efficient processes using a variety of marketing automation settings. Campaign sequences are easy to create using the drag-and-drop interface, and you can set up workflows by defining triggers based on user actions. A/B testing is also supported. 
  • Sales Pipeline: The software allows sales reps and managers to nurture leads through the pipeline. The Infusionsoft by Keap app facilitates the creation and management of custom quotes, which customers can accept with a single click. 
  • Online Sales: Using this feature, you can generate unique landing pages. The interface is drag-and-drop, and templates make the process quick and easy. Add elements like text and images, as well as define which products to include. The system is also equipped to process online payments and will send automatic follow-ups to customers based on the sequence you choose. 
  • Integrations: Infusionsoft plugs into a host of third-party apps that extend your capability. E-Commerce integrations include Magento, WooCommerce and Shopify. You can also connect the platform to Zendesk, QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, Vimeo, WordPress and a host of other tools. 
  • Payment Collection: Simplify the process of collecting payments on time. The system allows you to set up automated reminders and shows which customers have paid and which have outstanding balances. The connected platform removes the need to juggle multiple tools. Infusionsoft offers a flat rate for every transaction. 
  • Analytics: Take the pulse of your business with the analytics dashboard. It tracks a number of KPIs such as email conversions, quarterly sales and number of contacts. This provides insight into every aspect of your marketing and sales efforts, along with informing decisions. 

Pricing

License/Subscription Cost
  • Recurring subscription-based model: per user, per month, plus maintenance, implementation and backup support
  • All plans are billed monthly according to the annual contract
  • All plans come with a mandatory one-time setup fee called Kickstart package for new customers
  • Costs vary depending on the plan selected, based on the level of consulting and implementation help businesses require
Maintenance Cost
  • Included in the subscription cost
Installation/Implementation Cost
  • Included in the subscription cost
Customization Cost
  • Varies depending on the functional requirements added in the product module, such as sales force automation, marketing automation and eCommerce capabilities. This is based on the organization’s business requirements
Data Migration Cost/Change Management/Upfront Switching Cost
  • Cost varies depending on the amount and type of data to be migrated from the legacy system, availability of migration tools, data profiling, data cleansing and audit trail of the migration process
Training Cost
  • Cost is over and above the subscription cost and varies depending on the type of plan chosen
  • Provides an initial training program for first-time users. Users need to enroll and pay for the training course
  • Provides embedded links, including walkthrough features and video tutorials, after initial training is completed
Recurring/Renewal Costs
  • Cost is included in the subscription fee, based on the number of users, additional add-ons and the plan purchased
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Why We Picked Freshsales

Suitable for SMBs, Freshsales provides easy-to-use tools for sales management, customer engagement and lead management. Its hassle-free configurations and intuitive interface are some standout features noted by reviews. Users also appreciate its ability to manage customer information efficiently and its broad lead management capabilities. However, the free plan doesn’t include useful features, adding advanced features gets costly and there are some technical issues that hinder usability. While integrations with other Freshworks products and Zapier are helpful, important third-party integrations such as LinkedIn and Hubspot are missing. Overall, it has a lot to offer and can be a good choice for smaller operations.

Pros & Cons

  • Ease of Use: 97% of reviews talking about usability noted the system is user-friendly.
  • Interface: The user interface is simple, fast and can be navigated easily, as observed by 96% of reviewers who mention this feature.
  • Lead Management: According to 90% of users who talk about this feature, it helps generate, track, upload, convert, research and organize leads effectively.
  • Contact Management: The system helps store client information efficiently and find data quickly, as reported by 94% of users who reference this feature.
  • Configuration: 80% of reviewers who mention configuration asserted the system is easy and quick to set up.
  • Price: Although a free plan is available, it doesn’t include a lot of options, and adding advanced features gets expensive, according to 65% of reviews referencing cost.
  • Technical Glitches: Every user who talks about this aspect observed there are quite a few technical issues with APIs, migration and more.

Key Features

  • Smartforms: Automatically create new leads after visitors sign up on a web form, providing data from social media profiles, photos and activities on the website. 
  • 360-Degree Customer View: Access customers’ social profiles, products bought, website, interactions and appointments from a single screen. 
  • Velocity Reports: View the time required to convert qualified leads into customers and understand the stages in which sales reps are stuck. 
  • Revenue Analytics: Identify star performers, successful campaigns and leading territories using detailed revenue metrics.  
  • Push Notifications: Push notifications are sent whenever a new lead, task or deal is assigned to users and also offer reminders of upcoming meetings. 
  • Custom Reports: Track sales managers’ performance and sales figures using custom reports with tables and charts. Schedule reports to be delivered on a given date. 
  • Auto Profile Enrichment: Automatically enriches leads, contacts and accounts with their social and publicly listed information such as photos, company details and social profiles.  
  • Email Tracking: Real-time notifications on email opens and clicks facilitate prompt responses and optimize marketing efforts. 
  • Deal Status: Understand deal status in a better way by tracking deal value and the number of deals under review. 
  • Visual Sales Pipeline: Locate deals across stages and get a better view of the pipeline by sorting and filtering. 
  • Third-Party Integrations: The Marketplace provides third-party apps that can be integrated with Freshsales. Connect with Google Sheets, MailChimp and more via Zapier. 
  • Mobile App: With Android and iOS apps, record voice notes, move leads through pipeline stages, check in to meetings, view calendar, log calls and receive notifications. 
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Why We Picked Spiro

Spiro enables SMBs to simplify their sales and communications with a user-friendly platform that’s built on AI. Given the central role AI plays, it stands out as a feature many users find to be helpful, particularly when paired with BI to improve sales efficiency. The built-in calling and messaging feature helps users stay connected to prospects, increasing the chances of conversion. Reviews also report that customer support is timely and helpful. Some limitations include slow functionality while reporting and inaccurate automatic data capturing. Overall, those looking for a solution to handle many sales activities without using a traditional CRM product may find it to be a good choice.

Pros & Cons

  • Ease of Use: The software is easy to use and customize to meet business processes and sales requirements, according to 83% of users referencing this aspect.
  • Artificial Intelligence: All reviews on this feature say the combination of AI and BI helps the sales team to work more fluidly and more efficiently.
  • Customer Service: The turnaround time and product understanding offered by the support team is very helpful, suggest 100% of reviews citing customer support.
  • Data Capturing: Automated data entry lacks precision and isn't streamlined enough for immediate business use, note 66% of users mentioning this feature.
  • Analytics and Reporting: The lack of proper filtering and functions slow processes down even with automation in place, in the experience of 66% of users reviewing this element.

Key Features

  • CRM Capabilities: While not a traditional CRM, it executes data collection, automatically gleaning information from emails, text messages and calls to measure engagement levels. 
  • Pipelines: Provides a clear view of each deal and has the option to create multiple pipelines to fit internal processes. Offers different views, such as by sales or stage priority. 
  • Analytics and Reports: Understand prospects, customers, opportunities and forecasts better through objective analysis of customer engagements at every stage. Report types include chart, pivot, summary and tabular. 
  • Mobile Apps: Apps for iOS and Android devices allow access to pipelines, reports, contacts, leads and customer records on the go. 
  • Integrations: Connect with many other types of business platforms, including CRM, ERP and customer support, along with tools like Slack, Office 365, Gmail and Outlook. 
  • Email: Supports emailing up to 500 contacts at once along with the option to schedule the emails in advance. Includes reusable templates for common types of messages. Integrate with a marketing automation solution to receive full email marketing capabilities. 
  • VoIP: Available on desktop or via mobile app. Includes one-click dialing, text message support, call recording, interactive

COMPARE THE BEST Press Release Distribution Software

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Buyer's Guide

Press Release Distribution Software Is All About Expanding a Company’s Reach and Visibility

Press Release Distribution BG Intro

In today’s competitive business market, it can be challenging to get your brand noticed with so many companies wanting to stand out. Press release distribution software is a one-stop solution for organizations to increase media coverage and reach the target audience.

This buyer’s guide will discuss what press release distribution software is, its features, software comparison strategies and pricing considerations. It’ll also provide a list of the most popular solutions to help you make an informed decision.

Executive Summary

  • Press release distribution software assists firms in distributing press releases to media outlets and journalists.
  • The platform offers analytical reporting tools to track campaign performance.
  • We recommend preparing a checklist of your business requirements and determining a budget ahead of time to find the right fit.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Press Release Distribution Software?

Press release distribution software is a digital tool that assists businesses in distributing press releases to multiple media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, TV, radio stations and internet news sources. It lets you automatically send press releases to reach a wider audience quickly.

The platform includes a database of media contacts and outlets that you can access and target based on characteristics such as region, industry and publication. You can also prepare press releases, schedule their distribution and track performance using clicks, shares and coverage metrics.

Primary Benefits

Press release distribution software helps companies get their word out to the public. Read on to learn about other benefits and how they can help enhance public relations strategies.

Benefits of Press Release Distribution

Increase Visibility

The software empowers you to effortlessly distribute press releases on multiple channels and reach a wider audience, increasing the exposure of your brand or message.

Moreover, you can optimize and improve the visibility of your press releases in search engine results and drive organic traffic. You can also target specific interest groups, geographic regions or industries to reach the most relevant audience.

Save Time

Press release distribution software allows you to automatically send press releases to several media outlets simultaneously, saving time and resources for other vital activities. Additionally, it helps streamline public relations efforts with automated scheduling, tracking and reporting features.

Get Performance Insights

The platform enables you to track critical metrics such as views, clicks and engagement, allowing you to assess the efficiency of your distribution plan. You can use this data to make informed decisions and adjust your approach to improve performance and achieve better outcomes.

Reduce Costs

Press release distribution software is a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional PR approaches. It eliminates the need to pay for a PR agency or a dedicated in-house team, which can be expensive. Businesses can manage their own PR efforts in-house, saving money while reaching a wider audience.

Key Features & Functionality

Press release distribution software offers several essential features to help firms streamline their public relations strategy and efficiently engage with the media.

Media Database

You can access a vast network of media outlets, journalists and editors to target specific sources based on their industry, region and other relevant characteristics.

Press Release Creation Tools

Most solutions help rapidly and easily write professional-looking press releases. You can include customized formatting, graphics and embedded links to your website or other online material.

Distribution Automation

One of the major advantages of press release distribution software is its ability to automate the dissemination process. This function ensures you send press releases to appropriate contacts promptly.

Performance Analytics

You can access and analyze indicators like clicks, shares and coverage. This data helps assess the performance of press releases and alter PR efforts accordingly.

Integration with Other Tools

Many press release distribution solutions can integrate with various tools, such as social media marketing software, email marketing tools and CRM systems. These connections let you develop a unified PR strategy across numerous media sources and streamline your marketing efforts.

Software Comparison Strategy

There are plenty of options in the market, and thoroughly comparing them can help you find the best software that satisfies your requirements while remaining within the budget. Some of the variables to consider when developing your requirements list are as follows:

  • Features: Assess the software’s essential capabilities to determine their value to the company’s public relations strategy.
  • Pricing: The platform’s cost must be within your company’s budget. Look for hidden costs, such as extra fees for dissemination or accessing particular functions.
  • Ease of Use: Consider the system’s ease of use and whether technical knowledge is required.
  • Customer Support: Evaluate the degree of customer service the software provider offers. Choose solutions with dependable and responsive customer service options, such as email, phone or chat assistance.
  • Integrations: Look for software that allows seamless integrations and can help streamline the company’s marketing operations.
  • Reputation: Take into account the software provider’s reputation and read user reviews. Find companies with a proven track record of providing successful press release distribution services.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Basic subscriptions start around $50 per month, while premium plans with additional features can cost several thousand dollars annually. The anticipated price range for press release distribution software can vary greatly depending on the following factors:

  • Features like media database capacity, press release production tools and analytics
  • The maximum number of press releases that you can send each month
  • Customization and automation levels
  • Customer service

Before picking up a provider, assess the price structure and weigh it against benefits and return on investment for the business.

The Most Popular Press Release Distribution Software

You must understand that there’s no specific solution that’s ideal for every business. What works for one organization may not work for another. So assessing your specific requirements and conditions is critical to find the best option.

To help you with your search, we’ve provided overviews of some of the most popular press release distribution software:

Prowly

Prowly is a cloud-based public relations and content marketing software that helps PR teams and journalists communicate more effectively. It helps create targeted media lists, pitch stories and track media coverage all in one place. You can effortlessly manage your public relations initiatives, assess their impact and make data-driven decisions.

The sleek and user-friendly interface makes it easier for teams to collaborate and streamline processes. Its built-in analytics function delivers real-time insights into campaign effectiveness, allowing teams to optimize their plans for better results.

Prowly

Build your contact database quickly with Prowly. Source

GlobeNewswire

GlobeNewswire is a leading press release distribution network that offers businesses a variety of choices for distributing news to relevant audiences globally. It lets you quickly share announcements with journalists, investors and consumers via various channels, including social media, news outlets and financial databases.

The platform has an easy-to-use interface, comprehensive targeting choices and reporting features. Whether you’re trying to promote a product launch, a financial update or an industry event, GlobeNewswire has the resources to help you magnify your message and reach the target audience.

GlobeNewswire

Access actionable data to reduce risks. Source

Accesswire

Accesswire is a newswire and communication network that distributes news and press releases from public and commercial enterprises to clients worldwide. It provides low-cost Fair Disclosure, Regulation FD news dissemination and media outreach services.

You can post rich media files and create distribution channels to broadcast announcements, such as earnings, product launches, company updates or community messages. Corporate issuers and their stakeholders particularly value Accesswire’s capabilities.

Accesswire

Deliver targeted content with Accesswire Newsroom Suite. Source

 

 

Questions To Ask

The following questions will help you gain a better understanding of your company’s requirements:

  • What’s our software budget?
  • What are the primary operational difficulties we’re dealing with?
  • Which features are most important in overcoming these challenges?
  • Which integrations do we require?
  • How many staff members will use the software?

Press Release Distribution Key Questions

Inquire about the following areas from possible vendors to gain insight into both the software and vendor:

  • What type of customer support and training resources do you provide?
  • Can the system meet specific business requirements?
  • What data security measures do you offer?
  • What integrations does the platform support?
  • What are the software’s main advantages?

Next Steps

Press release distribution software enables you to enhance your PR efforts and gain valuable audience insights. With advanced media databases and automated distribution tools, you can increase your reach and target a specific audience. Furthermore, analytics and monitoring features help understand how your audience engages with press releases, allowing you to fine-tune your PR strategy and improve overall success.

Deciding which press release distribution software is best for your company can be overwhelming. Let us assist you in getting started with our free comparison report that provides insight into the leading market players. Best of luck!

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
Manogna Matta was a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub who delivered content for CRM, mental health, marketing and fundraising. An alum of the University of Hyderabad, Manogna did Communication and Psychology courses in her B.A. and M.A. She's also an avid coin collector and a fashion enthusiast. When not typing away on the keyboard, Manogna plays mother hen to her tiny birds, watches sitcoms and makes bad-quality dad jokes.
Technical Research By Joan Akash
Senior Analyst
Joan Akash, a Senior Research Analyst at SelectHub, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with a specialization in Marketing. Her expertise as a researcher and reviewer spans diverse software categories, including Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Live Chat, and Help Desk. Beyond her professional pursuits, Joan is spiritually driven, with a passion for teaching children and a penchant for reading biblical blogs and crafting poetry.
Technical Review By Manan Roy
Principal Analyst
Manan is a native of Tezpur, Assam (India), who currently lives in Kolkata, West Bengal (India). At SelectHub, he works on categories like CRM, HR, PPM, BI, and EHR. He has a Bachelor of Technology in CSE from The Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, a Master of Technology from The Institute of Engineering and Management IT, and an MBA in Finance from St. Xavier's College. He's published two research papers, one in a conference and the other in a journal, during his Master of Technology.
Edited By Pooja Verma
Content Editor
Pooja Verma is a Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub, who writes and edits content for endpoint security, legal, CRM, fundraising software, eCommerce, and mental health software. She earned a literature degree from Miranda House, DU and also holds Master’s in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication in India. In her free time, you can spot her reading a book or binge-watching the latest web series and movies.