Raab Associates Inc.

Raab Associates Inc., leading specialists in marketing technology evaluation, today released the Raab Guide to Demand Generation Systems, the first-ever detailed independent study of demand generation systems from Eloqua, Market2Lead, Manticore Technology, Marketo and Vtrenz.

Demand generation, sometimes called lead management, is the fastest-growing segment of the marketing automation industry. Marketers use these Internet-based systems to acquire leads, nurture relationships, and coordinate treatments with sales departments. Demand generation systems work primarily with email and Web channels, and sometimes incorporate other media.

The 125-page Raab Guide is a complete tool kit for matching the right system to each buyer’s situation. It provides a comparison matrix that rates each vendor on more than 150 specific items and explains which items are important to different types of marketers. Entries on individual vendors add tables describing each system in detail, evaluative analyses, and screenshots of selected functions. The Raab Guide also lays out a step-by-step methodology for managing a successful selection process.

“Demand generation systems are an increasingly popular way for marketers to improve their internal operations and to better coordinate with sales organizations,” says author David M. Raab. “But it’s hard for marketers to uncover the real differences among the products, and even harder to figure out which differences matter for their business. The Guide tackles both those problems by providing specific information and explaining what it means.”

The Raab Guide to Demand Generation Systems can be purchased at www.raabguide.com. The site provides samples of the comparison matrix and vendor tables and a complete Table of Contents. It also includes links to industry blogs and a growing library of free reference materials such as worksheets to assess software ease-of-use. The Guide and website were underwritten in part by Eloqua, Manticore Technology and Marketo, although Raab Associates Inc. produced the contents independently.

The new guide draws on two decades of Raab Associates Inc. experience in helping firms to evaluate and select marketing technologies. The firm is widely recognized for its detailed, objective analysis of marketing systems. David Raab has written hundreds of articles for publications including DM Review and DM News; spoken at conferences in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia; and consulted with firms including AARP, Citicorp, CIGNA Healthcare, The Limited and Verizon. More information and an article archive are available at www.raabassociatesinc.com.

\\ tags: business marketing, demand generation, lead management, marketing automation, marketing software, software evaluation