Learn how to capture leads and distribute them into Kartra using an API integration for optimized customer engagement.
Introduction
Kartra is an SaaS platform that is geared towards helping its users market their events and services. Kartra’s marketing platform software gives you access to its marketing tools such as landing pages, email campaigns, etc.
In this article, we’ll look at one example of marketing platform software that has marketing API and what users are saying about it.
For all of the benefits and drawbacks to Kartra, skip down to the sections below. However, if your main goal is to utilize marketing platform software and/or Kartra integrations to capture leads, keep reading.
The Dreaded “Our CRM platform does it all!” Advertising
Rarely do you come across a CRM platform that actually meets all the needs of an organization. Key questions to ask your organization are:
- Where is the home base for your business?
- Where does most of your team perform or document their communication, customer service, time entries, and invoicing?
Then, the next question: Does Kartra do this? A quick Google Search says no.
And yes, a quick reflex reaction would be to say, “Well, a CRM is not supposed do that.” However, I would argue that some do.
For example, Hubspot has a built-in ticketing system. Hubspot wouldn’t build a complex feature if there was not a need for it. A great follow-up comment from someone might be, “Yeah, but it is absolute shit.”
This obviously leads to more questions. Most CRM and SaaS apps in general contain a “marketplace” for native API integrations (if you’re wondering what API integrations are, check out our section on API integrations below).
- Does Hubspot have native integrations for a better ticketing system?
- What are native integrations?
- I am not touting Hubspot. In fact, I dislike Hubspot. It does, however, have one the biggest marketplaces for native integrations. This is popular 3rd party software that elegantly integrates with the CRM.
- What features does Kartra CRM do well?
- Well, if you read our last post, it does not have the greatest e-commerce and that’s ok. Shopping Cart Software (kartra.com)
- It has an open API to integrate other CRM if what Kartra built-in eCommerce is lacking.
- What is an Open API or non-native integration?
- Unfortunately, Kartra, like many companies, does not carry the weight or financial backing as, say (once again), Hubspot. Therefore, you hit up a company like us and inquire, “Can you integrate Kartra (or another marketing platform software) to sync or communicate with Configio?”
- We would then scope out if the two platforms can, in fact, communicate with each other and how robust that communication is. It’s possible that what you are asking for with the marketing API can’t be done.
Why not Hubspot then?
Hubspot is not niche. It’s everything to everyone. It’s the kid that is jamming the square peg in the round hole. They are successful because that approach, with all its add-ons and modules, works for a lot of organizations. Another platform similar in approach to Hubspot CRM is PipeDrive.
But, we are here for Kartra CRM. Kartra is for online courses, training, and coaching. For example, we have seen it in use for an organization dedicated to the training and teaching of physical therapy.
If you haven’t actually jumped on the Kartra bandwagon yet, we’ve also covered the benefits and drawbacks of Kartra below. If you’re familiar with the marketing software platform, keep on reading.
What is the Kartra CRM Use Case?
Just like any business, they want to make a profit at the end of the day. To accomplish that, you need to focus on building brand recognition (which helps you capture leads), sales, and referrals.
Does Kartra CRM cover this?
Nope. It covers brand recognition and the niche services of course material, training, and coaching.
Can you illustrate the stack you’ve seen Kartra function in?
There are going to be two main options when it comes to Kartra and hosting:
- Website: You can use Kartra to create your website and completely replace another hosting.
- WordPress: You can use WordPress and host pages from Kartra on that WordPress blog.
With regards to WordPress, we have seen Kartra thrive in WordPress setups. Kartra CRM is pretty flexible, like most good platforms. They most likely have a plugin that you add to your WordPress for whatever marketing it specializes in on your website. From there, you can manage various aspects of your marketing such as:
- Contact Forms
- Landing Pages
- Kartra Live Chat
- Note: It appears Kartra lacks any Live Chat features for your website. This again requires a non-native API integration.
What’s the ultimate goal?
Well, we now know that you want to manage course material for students, but the other component that will help you get students in the seats is considering how to capture leads. In other generic sales terms:
- Qualified Leads
- Unqualified Leads
We can have a daylong therapy session on what these leads mean and how best to go about sorting them. Your goal, in this case, is to tag the leads:
How to Quickly Label Contacts in PipeDrive – Network Antics
You’ll also want to ask yourself the following questions to help you organize your leads:
- Are they coming from the website?
- Are they coming from Live Chat?
- Did they purchase from the CRM?
- Are you integrating these leads and tagging them appropriately?
Client and Prospect Engagement
Here we are. Finally, the goal of every marketing team: Engagement!
However, you won’t be able to accomplish that unless these leads are captured, whether it’s Billy who is currently enrolled in the program, someone signing up for an automated newsletter, or reminder notifications that are fired off to encourage them to purchase the next course.
Then there’s Jane who poked around the site and signed for some wall gardening course material. With all the shoulder aches from hanging succulents, maybe she wants to learn more about Physical Therapy? The leads then sign up with their email address and thus, the organic building of monthly newsletter distribution begins.
Are you on board with how to capture leads and increase engagement but not sure about Kartra itself? Keep reading below.
Benefits of Kartra
Now that we’ve covered the basics of Kartra and what it has to offer, let’s take a more objective look at both the upsides and downsides of the marketing platform software as well as a few of its top features.
Swiss Army Marketing Platform Software
Even though it was mentioned above, it’s worth repeating that Kartra gives you the ability to manage your sales, website, communication systems, analytics overviews, and marketing all in one place, making it way easier to capture leads like we talked about before. The platform has done a great job at making sure all the tools and functionalities you may need to market your business, services, and events are available.
Some examples of these tools and features include landing pages and landing page builders, marketing site builders, blogs, webinars, lead management, email marketing, email and letter templates, lead capturing, and automation. This eliminates excess costs and the extra time and training it takes to master many different systems. In a word, it simplifies everything.
Ease of Use
There wouldn’t be any point in having all of these features and tools if it was difficult to navigate through them all. Thankfully, Kartra has taken this into consideration and created a UI that is intuitive and easy to use. The marketing platform software also offers ways to organize your data, such as classifying leads under different tags, that gives you more control over your business flow and management.
Because of how user-friendly Kartra has made their UI and navigation, the marketing platform software is accessible to any business no matter the size of the company, the level of technical experience. And, if something is confusing, there are tutorials for those looking for a little extra guidance on how to use it.
Payment
Figuring out online payment methods and services can be one of the biggest headaches when delving into ecommerce. To resolve some of these issues, Kartra has a built-in payment management system that helps businesses streamline and simplify payment.
With Kartra’s marketing platform software, you have the ability to manage payments (which also includes recurring payments), managing recurring payment dates, cancellations, refunds, and more.
Support
Kartra’s customer support team is available through email, phone call, and live chat, though hours may vary. However, users have reported being very satisfied with the support they’ve received.
The Mixed Bag: Kartra Integrations
Ok, we admit it: ‘all-in-one’ may be a bit of a misnomer since no platform can really do it all. That’s why it’s become increasingly important for platforms to be able to integrate with other platforms (such as webinar platforms) in order for businesses to even further streamline their processes and reap the benefits of automation with marketing API.
This brings us to a mixed review: While Kartra integrations include plenty of other platforms (including WordPress, which they make very easy), they used to host video and written tutorials that they have since replaced with an unhelpful document about their API. So, any organization that wants to use Kartra integrations will need an outside vendor, such as Network Antics, for API support.
Now that we’ve covered the positive side of using Kartra’s marketing platform software, let’s look at the negative things users had to say. But first, here are a few extra resources on API integration to help you get any questions answered.
Bonus Articles on API Support
See our other articles on integration and optimizing your business’ workflow, or send us a message to talk to one of our professionals!
- Integrate and Connect Applications with a Software Developer – Learn more about why the best businesses are integrating their applications with a professional software developer.
- Business Operations Consultant Who Knows IT – Find out how a business operations consultant can save you time, money, and headaches.
- Why You Need API Integration for Your Business – Discover what businesses are doing to cut revenue losses and streamline workplace efficiency with API integration setup.
- Zoho Books API Integration: Our Review, Plus How We Improved Our Invoices in 6 Steps – Everything you need to know about Zoho Books API integration and how NetworkAntics used it to solve a common bookkeeping problem.
The Downsides to Kartra
To be blunt, this isn’t going to be a very long section. However, with a platform that really does its best to streamline and automate as much as possible, the editing system for emails is lacking.
In order to edit an email within an automated sequence, you’ll need to click through emails to get to the one you want before you’re able to open, edit, and ultimately save it for sending out.
Even more importantly, however, is that it can be difficult to figure out which Kartra integrations are possible. Creating an API integration can be its own lengthy process if you’re not working with an experienced developer, so keeping this information convoluted and confusing to figure out just adds more potential frustration to the Kartra integrations process.
Capture Leads with Kartra: Connect to All Applications by Performing Non-native API Integrations and Market Events & Services Like a Pro Summary
Kartra does a great job of meeting its goal of being an all-in-one marketing platform software. The automation, marketing, sales, and analytic capabilities give it a huge edge over competitor platforms that may require an API integration with another platform. Having everything in one place gives users an ease of use that can be felt no matter the tech experience or size of a company, and their intuitive UI only adds to that user-friendly experience.
However, users may still need to consider what API integrations they’ll need and work closely with a developer if they want to stick to, for example, their preexisting ecommerce platform. If you’re searching for a reliable and experienced developer, reach out to our team of experts today!