If you have recently signed up for the platform, you may have noticed that things are not as simple as they seemed at sign-up. The sales pitch sounds amazing—membership site, email marketing, marketing automation, segmentation, webforms, and CRM all in one system! It sounds like a no-brainer.
After years of servicing clients, I have seen a pattern of frustrated customers of the platform. I hear things like "I don't know how to set it up" or "I don't have time to grow my business and manage Ontraport." "I just want things to work." All of these complaints are valid.
Ontraport is a small business platform designed to help companies understand, market, and manage online business activities all in one system. The platform allows businesses to manage client records, email marketing, digital offers such as courses, memberships, subscriptions, and other business automation efforts.
The platform will run $79 for the Basic plan and up to $497 for Enterprise. Keep in mind that the price may be higher if you cross the contact limits set for each plan.
Return On Investment (ROI) is a common question for almost all software. And the answer is, it depends. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but let me be more transparent about my answer.
If you plan to use the software to run and grow your business over a revenue of $497 per month, it pays for itself. But things are not that simple. Consider the cost of development, content creation, and email marketing. Most underestimate what growing a business entails.
One of the things that you will hear me say more than once in this article is that the platform is just a tool, not a magic wand. Here’s what I am saying, if you understand who your target audience is and where to find them, the platform can be an asset for your business. But, if not, the platform can become a liability.
The platform has some duplicate features as they transition to more advanced functionality to keep up with customer demand and competitors.
There are many systems and apps like Ontraport out there. However, they're not all the same. Some platforms aren't even on the same field. Let's take HubSpot for example.
Ontraport and HubSpot focus on two very different audiences resulting in two very different sets of features and priorities. If you're looking to operate a digital membership or course offer, Ontraport may be a better fit. The cost is lower, the features are built for it, and the platform is focused on innovation for businesses like you.
However, if your business requires a strong set of relationship-building tools and you have or are planning to build a team focused on marketing, sales, and customer service. HubSpot may be a better option in the long run.
Ontraport and Infusionsoft (Keap) focus on very similar audiences but take two different approaches to support their customers. While they both offer email marketing, landing page design, customer management, and automation features, the focus is important to note.
Ontraport is great for companies looking to build complex online products and offerings. They have invested in features that allow you to scale to a one-to-many business model. This is for businesses looking to offer an online course, workshop, or membership-based content.
Infusionsoft (Keap) on the other hand is great for businesses looking to build advanced automation and offers for one-to-one products and offerings. While you can offer one-to-many, it usually requires a hand full of add-ons and integrations. If your company sells a physical product or services Keap may be the platform for you.
Ontraport is a tool, not a solution to root challenges your business may be facing. It is extremely important to understand your audience, business strategy, and the processes you need to accomplish your goals.
For simple opt-ins and email marketing, the platform makes it pretty easy. However, if you are looking to build campaigns and processes that result in intentional outcomes, it will be more complicated and may require a professional to get the job done efficiently and cost-effectively when you consider time invested and strategies that only experience can bring to the table.
The big question, “Is Ontraport for my business?” After reading this article, I hope you have found your answer. There is a lot to take into consideration. Without knowing your business and a systems assessment, I can’t be sure. However, if you start with strategy, planning, and process, you can discover the answer for yourself.
We have covered a lot in this article. I hope you have found it valuable. I highly recommend reading our article on Business Process Management to start familiarizing yourself with this topic as it will play a huge role in the success of your company.