Just this past week I’ve been involved in two separate Facebook group discussions around, “which one should I use in my business, 1ShoppingCart or Infusionsoft?”
You may even be in the same dilemma yourself right now:
- You’re currently using 1ShoppingCart but a colleague or marketing expert has said you need to switch to Infusionsoft.
- You’re using a simple list management service and wondering whether to switch it all over to Infusionsoft… after all you’ve heard great things about this program.
- “Everyone” says you need Infusionsoft, but you’ve heard horror stories about the learning curve involved.
Whatever your situation, let me share my take on this whole debate and see if I can help you make your decision faster.
But first, let me just say, both 1ShoppingCart and Infusionsoft are great systems. They can do a lot to automate your marketing and make your client buying process smooth and easy. And, although on the surface, they might seem similar, they do have very different features. Out of the two, Infusionsoft offers a lot more powerful features, plus it also has the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) piece which is missing from 1ShoppingCart.
But which one do you really need for your business? Here’s what I think:
Whichever system you decide to go with, an absolute must-have for your business is an all-in-one ecommerce platform. These are just some of the tasks you need to be able to do with your system:
- Send out automatic follow-up emails, or a series of emails (known as autoresponders).
- Send out your broadcast emails – newsletter or solo emails.
- Have a shopping cart capability.
- Work with multiple lists.
- Create simple and automated list segmentation.
- Build your business with an affiliate program.
- Track your customer’s purchases.
Both 1ShoppingCart and Infusionsoft are all-in-one ecommerce platforms. Which one you need depends where you are in your business.
Take a look at the person recommending the high-end Infusionsoft program. What is their business like? Is it similar to yours, or are they leaps and bounds ahead of you? Is their business model based on where you want to go in your business?
If their business is much further ahead than yours, they probably do need the more advanced functionality of Infusionsoft, whereas if your business is relatively new, or is based on a simple business model, you may not need this advanced level of functionality yourself.
Consider too the huge learning curve that is needed with Infusionsoft. If this in itself is stopping you moving forward, but you know this is the right system for your business, then you will probably need to bring on board a Virtual Assistant or Online Business Manager who has Infusionsoft experience to manage the system for you – it shouldn’t be something that you plan on maintaining on a day-to-day basis yourself.
And the same goes for 1ShoppingCart too. If their interface and functionality are leaving you feeling overwhelmed then, even if you do decide this is the right system for you, you may need to bring on board a support professional to manage the program for you.
You shouldn’t let your lack of technical expertise stop you from getting the right system for your business – you simply need to find the right team member to support you.
And then finally, there’s the investment. 1ShoppingCart offers a stepped investment level, meaning that you can start off on their lower package and, as your business grows, you can move up to the next level. With Infusionsoft even though there are options, it is a lot more expensive, and you dive right in from the get-go.
Really think about your reasons for choosing one system over the other and, most importantly, choose the system that is RIGHT for YOUR business. Do your research, ask around, and, if necessary, seek the advice of a support professional who knows and understands these systems and can relate them to your specific business and goals.
Whatever you do, don’t choose a system just because everyone else is telling you to!
