We have just completed Stage One of automating our marketing functions with the integration of Xero, Capsule CRM, Mailchimp and WordPress. The integration removes many of the points of friction in effectively communicating with our clients and potential clients.
The integration enables use to automatically add potential clients and interested website visitors to multiple integrated databases. These four cloud computing services each handle a different aspect of our marketing and administrative functions.
Xero
An online accounting software package that is revolutionising the way that accountants provide advice to their clients, enabling proactive advice and analysis in real time. Xero enables us to focus on the future of our clients business, correct bookkeeping errors and reduce year end compliance costs. The combination of automated bank feeds and the ability to use Paypal as a merchant facility for collecting fees among other features make Xero our recommended accounting software. (www.xero.com/business/)
Capsule CRM
An online Customer Relationship Management service that serves as a database of our current and potential clients, stores details of our communications with those contacts and allows us to sort those contacts into areas of interest. The integration with Xero reduces administration time and synchronises the two databases. The dropbox facility which enables you to forward an email of a potential client to Capsule CRM and automatically add it to the CRM database makes adding new prospects to the database easy. (www.capsulecrm.com)
Mailchimp
Email Service Provider that sends our email newsletters and updates. The main advantage of using an Email Service provider like Mailchimp is the detailed statistics in respect of email open rates, click through rates and integration with Google Analytics. Email is the killer application for internet marketing providing businesses to efficiently communicate with all their customers on a regular basis. The measurement tools in Mailchimp enable you to target those customers with the content that is most relevant to them. We have integrated Mailchimp and Capsule CRM through their API’s so that both databases are up to date. (www.mailchimp.com)
WordPress
The platform for our website and in my opinion the best website platform for any small or large business. Search Engine Optimised and infinitely flexible, WordPress enables us to publish content that our clients and potential clients are interested in and ranks well in Google. We have integrated WordPress with Mailchimp enabling us to convert anonymous website visitors into leads. (wordpress.org)
We are currently working on Stage Two of the integration process in which WordPress will update both Capsule CRM and Mailchimp automatically allowing greater segmenting of leads according to areas of interest, which should be complete within the next two weeks. This will enable us to deliver information automatically based on their area of interest.
We are currently working with a number of our business clients in setting up the same automated systems in their business, enabling them to reach more people, communicate with them on a regular basis, convert visitors to leads and reduce friction in their business processes that is holding them back from achieving their business potential and goals.
I would love to hear your thoughts, just leave a comment below.
| Arnold Shields is a Director of Dolman Bateman & Co Pty Ltd, Forensic Accountants and Chartered Accountants. He specialises in forensic accounting and business advice. |
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Thanks Arnold.
This is a great post.
I started using XERO lately and I really like it. I think it can still improve on user interface but it’s definitely better than QuickBooks.
As for CRM – I use PipeJump (www.pipejump.com) and won’t switch its simplicity for anything. I hope they release an API soon so you can have all those integrations as well.
Will look into MailChimp. (I’m using Campaign Monitor – campaignmonitor.com).
Thanks for your feedback.
The CRM service was the missing link for us and CapsuleCRM was the only one that integrated with Mailchimp and Xero and had a functional API that we could use to integrate with Wordpress.
Arnold, great example of online apps integration. Would be interested in hearing about the final outcome of the integration process. Any plans to integrate other apps at a later date – esp. related to the online accounting side with Xero?
We are reviewing some specifically for our business as accountants, but there are some great services available like http://www.connect2field.com for businesses with service teams out in the field.
CapsuleCRM works with GoogleApps ( http://capsulecrm.com/blog/capsule_integrates_with_google_apps/ ), so if it can be be Xero-Capsule-Wordpress-MailChimp-GoogleApps integration, it would totally blow my mind away.
If you are looking for integrated tools to manage workforce out in the field, have you considered GeoOps? It integrates with Xero also.
I prefer http://www.Connect2field.com for the management of field workforces which also integrates with Xero. They have created a cloud based service from their successful PC based software.
Can’t go wrong with Goldmine CRM, you don;t need to forward emails to your CRM it auto recognizes who it’s from and adds it to their record. Great time saver.
hi Arnold, I just found your post through a search for Capsule + Mailchimp. I just took a dive about 2 weeks ago and decided to go into business for myself full time. I spent all of last week researching what tools to build my system, and concluded to almost the same tools as you. Here’s what I have:
Google Apps for my email, contacts, calendar (Ivan, it’s pretty good)
Rapportive – fun social media stuff on my contacts. Kicks ass!
Capsule – the CRM (syncing contacts, I’m hoping the integration gets tighter)
Mailchimp – email followup (any idea how I can get Capsule tags in Mailchimp?)
Freshbooks – for my invoicing/billing/expenses/tracking (I thought about Xero, and will eventually get it for its accounting/payroll functions, but it doesn’t support enough Gateways. Paypal is blah. and see next tool as 2nd reason)
Expensify – for expense reports. IRS ready receipts for any amount under $75. pure genius time saver. imports into Freshbooks.
You mentioned that you were helping clients setup these tools for themselves. I think after what I’ve learned, it makes sense to offer this as a service to my clients too. Although really, my business is focused on diagnosing internet marketing efforts, recommending correct strategies, and reporting back metrics that clearly quantify the ROI of their online campaigns and activities.
My next step is getting all of the above tools in a customer facing website, where the submission forms do a lot of the legwork. Speaking of, I should be working on my copy for my website instead of posting this. So far I’ve got: Flow Simple “Business flows, when technology is simple.” http://www.flowsimple.com What do you think?
Thanks Pasmina,
A great list of applications, if we hadn’t spent a fortune on servers and Exchange licences, we would be using Google Apps for the email etc.
The Capsule – Mailchimp integration could definitely be tighter.
Hi,
I am just looking into CRM software so found your post.
How did you integrate wordpress with Capsule? Our website is wordpress based and capsule looks good. Already using Mailchimp.
Dale.
Hi Dale,
I created a plugin that updates both Capsule and Mailchimp at the same time using the Mailchimp API and the Capsule CRM API. The plugin worked but we have since changed our systems so that the Mailchimp is mainly used and follow up is based on the response from our emails via Mailchimp.
Regards
Arnold
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