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Does Salesforce Have Artificial Intelligence?

05May

AI Goes Mainstream

AI Goes Mainstream: How Small Businesses Are Harnessing Autonomous Agents for Growth Artificial intelligence is no longer just for big corporations. As generative AI tools have become more accessible, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are rapidly adopting AI—with 75% now investing in AI solutions, according to recent data. High-growth SMBs are nearly twice as likely to embrace AI than those struggling to stay afloat. The shift from generative AI to agentic AI—where AI systems autonomously make decisions and take action—is unlocking even greater potential for SMBs. “We’re entering a new era of productivity that will transform businesses of all sizes, especially SMBs,” says Adam Evans, EVP & GM of Salesforce AI, who leads Agentforce, a platform that embeds AI agents into business workflows. “With autonomous AI, small teams can scale like never before.” A serial entrepreneur who sold two AI startups to Salesforce, Evans understands the challenges SMBs face. “Small businesses are always stretched thin. Agentforce gives them a 24/7 digital workforce across sales, service, and marketing—unlocking unlimited capacity.” Here’s how forward-thinking SMBs are using AI to drive growth: 1. Automated Marketing at Scale Many SMBs have tiny (or even one-person) marketing teams. AI-powered agents can:✅ Generate campaign briefs in seconds✅ Identify high-value audience segments✅ Create personalized content and customer journeys✅ Optimize campaigns in real time based on performance “Agentforce doesn’t just set up campaigns—it continuously refines them, ensuring maximum impact,” says Evans. 2. Hyper-Personalized Sales Outreach Generic sales emails don’t cut it anymore. AI agents can now craft bespoke outreach by:📊 Pulling CRM data on past interactions🏢 Analyzing prospect company profiles📑 Applying a business’s best sales playbooks “The AI synthesizes all this to write emails tailored to each lead’s role, industry, and interests,” Evans explains. 3. AI-Powered Shopping Assistants Imagine an AI personal shopper that:🛍️ Guides customers to the perfect product💬 Answers questions via chat (on websites, WhatsApp, etc.)🤝 Upsells and cross-sells intelligently “Agentforce acts as a 24/7 sales rep, helping convert browsers into buyers while freeing up human teams for high-touch relationships,” says Evans. The Bottom Line With AI handling repetitive tasks, SMBs can:✔ Compete with larger players despite smaller teams✔ Deliver enterprise-grade personalization✔ Turn data into actionable insights instantly “The businesses that thrive will be those that deploy AI agents to handle routine work while humans focus on strategy and creativity,” Evans predicts. “This isn’t the future—it’s happening right now.” For SMBs, the message is clear: AI adoption is no longer optional. It’s the key to staying relevant, efficient, and competitive. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

May 5, 2025in Agentic AI, AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Generative AI Tools, Salesforce0 Comments

17Apr

Essential Teams Every SMB Needs

Lean & Mean: The Essential Teams Every SMB Needs to Thrive Gone are the days when success required massive budgets and bloated teams. Today’s most competitive small and medium businesses (SMBs) run lean, agile operations—often with remote teams, strategic outsourcing, and smart automation. But while you can cut costs, you can’t cut corners on these six core teams—the engine that keeps your business moving forward. 1. Sales & Customer Acquisition: Your Growth Engine Mission: Turn prospects into paying customers. Key Focus Areas: ✅ Lead generation – Find your ideal customers (social media, referrals, targeted outreach).✅ Pipeline management – Never let a hot lead slip through the cracks.✅ Closing deals – Guide buyers with confidence. Pro Tip: A CRM like Salesforce Starter Suite automates follow-ups, tracks leads, and uses AI to predict the best next steps. 2. Finance & Accounting: Your Money Guardians Mission: Keep cash flowing and finances healthy. Key Focus Areas: ✅ Bookkeeping – Track income, expenses, and profits.✅ Invoicing & payments – Get paid faster, pay vendors on time.✅ Tax compliance – Avoid penalties with organized records. Pro Tip: Tools like QuickBooks automate invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. 3. Marketing & Branding: Your Storytellers Mission: Make sure the right people know (and love) your business. Key Focus Areas: ✅ Content marketing – Blogs, social media, videos that build trust.✅ Multi-channel campaigns – Email, social, SEO, ads.✅ Brand consistency – Same look, voice, and vibe everywhere. Pro Tip: With AI-powered tools like Agentforce, you can launch campaigns in minutes—just give a prompt, and it drafts emails, schedules posts, and optimizes engagement. 4. Operations & Logistics: Your Efficiency Experts Mission: Keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Key Focus Areas: ✅ Inventory management – Avoid stockouts or overstocking.✅ Supply chain optimization – Faster, cheaper deliveries.✅ Process automation – Reduce manual work. Pro Tip: Platforms like ShipBob automate order fulfillment, while Salesforce Operations Hub streamlines workflows. 5. Customer Support & Success: Your Retention Army Mission: Keep customers happy so they keep coming back. Key Focus Areas: ✅ Quick response times – Solve issues fast.✅ Proactive check-ins – Ensure customers succeed with your product.✅ Self-service options – FAQs, chatbots, tutorials. Pro Tip: Agentforce AI assistants handle 24/7 support, answering FAQs and escalating only when needed. 6. People & Culture: Your Team Builders Mission: Attract, retain, and empower top talent. Key Focus Areas: ✅ Hiring & onboarding – Find people who fit your culture.✅ Payroll & benefits – Keep employees happy.✅ Employee engagement – Foster a great workplace. Pro Tip: Salesforce Employee Service Management automates HR workflows, so your team spends less time on admin. How to Structure Your SMB for Success You don’t need corporate-level bureaucracy—just clarity, flexibility, and the right tools. 5 Steps to Build a Scalable Team Structure: 1️⃣ Identify core functions – What’s essential? (Sales, finance, marketing, ops, support, HR).2️⃣ Assign (or outsource) key roles – No need to hire full-time if a tool or freelancer can do it.3️⃣ Encourage cross-team collaboration – Break silos; share insights.4️⃣ Automate repetitive work – Free up time for high-value tasks.5️⃣ Stay adaptable – Evolve roles as you grow. The Bottom Line:With lean teams + smart tech, SMBs can punch above their weight. Starter Suite brings sales, service, marketing, and operations into one platform—so you stay nimble as you scale. 🚀 Want to optimize your small biz? Explore Salesforce for SMBs #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Salesforce #AI #BusinessGrowth Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

April 17, 2025in Agentforce Platform, Generative AI, Marketing Automation, Salesforce0 Comments

31Mar

HubSpot vs. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth

HubSpot vs. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth: Which Marketing Automation Platform is Right For You? EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to Marketing Cloud Growth being a new release, some of the SFMC data reflects Marketing Cloud Engagement as well. Salesforce and HubSpot are both powerful customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, but they cater to different needs and business sizes. Salesforce, with its extensive customization and robust integrations, is better suited for growing enterprises, while HubSpot is better suited for small to medium-sized businesses that don’t require modular, ease of growth solutions. Salesforce is a leading CRM platform, largely preferred for its extensive suite of features and functionalities. It offers high-level customization tools and advanced predictive analytics. Therefore, Salesforce is ideal for growing businesses, complex sales organizations, and large enterprises with deeper needs for configurability and scalability. HubSpot vs. Salesforce: A High-Level Comparison Beyond Features When organizations evaluate Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions, Salesforce and HubSpot frequently appear on their shortlists. While many online resources focus on feature-by-feature comparisons, this post takes a different approach—highlighting the key strategic differences between the two platforms. Why a Features-First Approach Isn’t Enough Editorial Note: We do not earn commissions from vendors covered on this site. Vendor Overviews Both Salesforce (founded 1999) and HubSpot (founded 2006) are leading CRM providers with strong market presence. Products & Evolution Marketing & Sales Dominance Key Differences to Consider 1. Scope & Complexity “HubSpot has a higher floor; Salesforce has a significantly higher ceiling.” — Reddit User 2. Native vs. Integrated Marketing 3. Consultant & App Ecosystems 4. Pricing Models 5. AI & Automation 6. Business Process Automation 7. User Experience (UX) Final Considerations Which is right for you? Before making a decision, evaluate your unique business needs—not just the platform differences. Investing in flexible CRM software improves efficiency through task automation and creates an invaluable information resource for your employees. Key Differences at a Glance Feature HubSpot Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth Ideal Use Case Inbound marketing Omnichannel customer journeys and outbound sales and marketing communications, and inbound marketing Best for Small Business X Best for Mid-Market X Best for Enterprise X Software Categories Ranked #1 in 69 164 5 Star Customer Reviews 8260 15055 Positive Reviews of Ease of Use 1095 4674 All Salesforce plans let you send 5,000 email marketing campaign messages daily — a generous allowance we haven’t seen from any other provider. Here are some of the core capabilities of Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Salesforce has powerful APIs and a vast array of third-party integrations that can efficiently handle diverse business processes and requirements. Additionally, the CRM offers various tools and options for ease of use and rapid scaling. It is a reliable cloud solution that can help businesses dive deeper into data-driven decision-making to optimize sales and operations. Key Features in HubSpot Marketing Hub From automation features for attracting, nurturing, and converting leads to blogging, SEO, and ad management, HubSpot has some value to offer marketers while lacking the robust features of Marketing Cloud. Here are some of the core features of this solution: Customization and Flexibility HubSpot Salesforce Customization Custom objects, display information, basic API support, UI extensions, but with limitations Customizable sales view, standard tabs, record types, page layouts, cust fields, help, content, and business processes with in-depth customization for your business App integrations HubSpot App Marketplace for app integrations Extensive AppExchange library with more than 7000 apps Although HubSpot offers customization for display, layouts, and data models, there are limited options. The HubSpot App Marketplace also helps with swift app integrations. However, it can’t beat Salesforce in customization and flexibility. With Salesforce, you get high-level customization features, allowing you to set up your data, websites, layouts, configurations, records, fields, interfaces, and several other options the way you want. The AppExchange platform offers ready-to-install third-party applications, building blocks, pre-built templates, scalable data solutions, guides, and other relevant resources for CRM processes. Best for Pricing Salesforce wins because its entry-level plan is more feature-packed than HubSpot’s and providees 5,000 free daily emails. Additionally, if you desire more features, the price jump from Starter to Pro isn’t as jarring as HubSpot’s jump from Starter to Professional. Detailed Platform Comparison 1. Target Audience HubSpot excels for: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth is built for: 2. Core Capabilities HubSpot Strengths: SFMC Growth Advantages: This platform offers many marketing tools in one centralized place. They’re all part of two unique modules: Builders and Studios. Salesforce comes out ahead in the category of reporting and anlytics thanks to its comprehensive toolset and visually appealing dashboards. The AI-powered Einstein tool and its predictive anlaytics and decision-making support add real value. 3. Implementation Factor HubSpot SFMC Growth Setup Time 36 days 17 days Training Needed 10-20 hours 15-20 hours HubSpot can build customized onboarding plans that are aligned with specific business goals. It extends technical and strategic guidance to help users at every step. Moreover, the HubSpot academy further helps with implementation strategies and continuous support through unlimited access to onboarding content, playlists, boot camps, and communities. For smoother onboarding, Salesforce offers detailed product documentation, demos, and learning resources. Its extensive self-help portal and user community make it even easier to onboard new customers. The Trailhead training system is a go-to resource for exploring Salesforce and caters to learners at all levels and roles. Key Takeaway: HubSpot offers a better user experience and ensures smoother onboarding. However, businesses willing to invest time and resources in understanding functionalities and enhancing their workforce skills with proper training can go with Salesforce. 4. AI & Automation HubSpot AI: Salesforce Einstein: User Experience Reviews Cons of HubSpot Decision Guide Choose HubSpot if you: Choose SFMC Growth if you: The Bottom Line Long-term scalability: Which platform better supports growth and complexity HubSpot allows businesses to expand their operations with increasing users, marketing intact tiers, unlimited workflow automation, and other add-ons. These options are best for startups and small-scale businesses. However, it lacks the advanced customization, analytics, and reporting features required for complex business needs. Salesforce is a top-tier CRM tool that

March 31, 2025in Enterprise, Marketing Automation, Salesforce, Salesforce Einstein, Salesforce Marketing Cloud0 Comments

31Mar

Salesforce’s 7 Top AI Sales Tools and Software for 2025

Based on Erin Hueffner, Writer, Salesblazer. article Your AI Sales Tools can double the sales calls generated from inbound leads! They can convert 40% more customers! AI-driven automation can eliminate many time-consuming and repetitive tasks and accelerate workflows. Sales AI tools often use algorithms to automate sales operations, like adding information from customer calls and emails to a CRM database. AI can also streamline several key follow-ups to prospects after a sales call. Reclaim Your Selling Time with AI Sales Tools What if you could spend less time on admin and more time closing deals? Manual tasks like updating CRMs, drafting emails, and compiling reports drain productivity—and our State of Sales research shows 67% of reps risk missing quotas, partly due to inefficient tech stacks. AI sales tools are changing the game. By automating workflows, analyzing data, and personalizing outreach, they empower teams to focus on what truly drives revenue: building relationships and sealing deals. Here’s how AI is revolutionizing sales—and the top tools to help your team work smarter. What Are AI Sales Tools? AI sales tools leverage automation, machine learning, and predictive analytics to:✅ Eliminate busywork (data entry, scheduling, note-taking)✅ Uncover insights (lead scoring, deal forecasts, market trends)✅ Enhance engagement (personalized emails, call coaching, real-time recommendations) For SMBs, AI acts as a smart assistant; for enterprises, it scales into predictive forecasting and pipeline optimization. The result? Reps spend less time on logistics and more time selling. How AI Sales Tools Work These tools integrate with your CRM to: The impact is clear: 83% of AI-powered teams grew revenue last year vs. 66% without AI. 9 Top AI Sales Tools (Rated 4+ Stars) Curated from G2 and Capterra, these platforms excel in usability, features, and ROI. 1. Salesforce (Sales Cloud) 2. Outreach 3. Apollo.io 4. Pipedrive 5. Gong 6. Salesloft 7. APE AI 8. Clari 9. Instantly AI 5 Must-Have AI Sales Tool Features Trends Shaping AI Sales Tools in 2024 🔮 Deeper Analytics: AI spots hidden pipeline opportunities.🤖 Autonomous Assistants: Tools like Agentforce handle lead nurturing 24/7.🔒 Tighter Security: Encryption and privacy controls are non-negotiable.🛠️ Bias Guardrails: AI outputs are fact-checked to maintain trust. How to Choose the Right Tool The Bottom Line AI sales tools aren’t just about efficiency—they’re revenue multipliers. By automating grunt work and sharpening strategy, they help teams: Ready to upgrade your sales stack? The right AI tool can turn missed quotas into exceeded targets. Key Takeaways: Which sales task would you automate first? Let us know in the comments. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

March 31, 2025in AI Tools, Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Salesforce0 Comments

10Mar

The Top Sales Software Tools to Power Your Team in 2025

For seasoned sales professionals, hitting ambitious targets is just part of the job. But in today’s hyper-competitive market, raw skill alone isn’t enough—you need the right sales software to maximize productivity, streamline lead management, and strengthen customer relationships. The difference between a good sales year and a record-breaking one often comes down to the tools your team uses. In this guide, we’ll break down the best sales software of 2025, highlighting key features that can transform your daily workflow. What Is Sales Software? Sales software automates and optimizes the sales process, helping businesses reduce costs, accelerate deals, and improve customer outcomes. From CRMs to AI-powered analytics, these tools empower sales leaders to:✔ Track rep performance & identify training gaps✔ Forecast revenue with greater accuracy✔ Manage leads efficiently across the pipeline✔ Automate repetitive tasks so teams focus on selling Core Functions of Sales Software Beyond CRMs, sales software includes conversation intelligence, incentive compensation management, and pipeline optimization platforms—each playing a critical role in a high-performing sales stack. Key Features to Look for in Sales Software Before choosing a solution, assess your team’s needs and budget. Here’s what to prioritize: ✅ Seamless Integrations – Must work with your existing CRM, HR, payroll, and ERP systems.✅ Advanced Analytics – Real-time dashboards and AI-driven insights for smarter decisions.✅ User-Friendly Design – If it’s hard to use, reps won’t adopt it.✅ Workflow Automation – AI-powered tools that cut manual tasks, giving reps 30%+ more selling time.✅ Robust Security – Protects sensitive customer and company data in a remote-work era.✅ Lead Tracking & Scoring – Identifies high-intent prospects to boost conversions. The 9 Best Sales Software Tools in 2025 Based on G2 & Capterra ratings (4+ stars), these platforms lead the pack: 1. Salesforce Sales Cloud Best for: AI-driven sales management✔ Lead prioritization with smart scoring✔ Autonomous AI agents for follow-ups✔ Real-time dashboards for performance tracking 2. Pipedrive Best for: Small businesses scaling fast✔ AI-generated email prompts✔ Pipeline visualization for deal tracking✔ Sales forecasting tools 3. Outreach Best for: Sales execution & engagement✔ AI-powered prospecting workflows✔ Win-loss analytics✔ Multi-channel sync (Email, LinkedIn, CRM) 4. HubSpot Sales Hub Best for: All-in-one CRM & automation✔ Customizable workflows✔ Built-in email tracking✔ User-friendly interface 5. SAP Sales Cloud Best for: Enterprise sales teams✔ Generative AI for forecasting✔ Mobile-friendly for field reps✔ Embedded analytics 6. Monday CRM Best for: Customizable workflows✔ AI auto-categorizes leads✔ Collaboration with marketing teams✔ Visual sales pipeline 7. Freshsales Best for: High-volume lead management✔ AI lead scoring✔ Email engagement tracking✔ Highly customizable 8. Apptivo Best for: SMBs needing flexibility✔ No-code automation✔ Duplicate lead prevention✔ Strong customer support 9. Zendesk Best for: Sales + customer service alignment✔ AI-assisted live chat✔ Omnichannel support✔ Seamless Salesforce integration How to Choose the Right Sales Software Before committing, ask:🔹 Does it integrate with our current stack?🔹 Will reps actually use it? (Ease of adoption is critical.)🔹 Can it scale with our growth?🔹 What’s the customer support like? Pro Tip: Get feedback from your sales team—what features would make their jobs easier? Final Thoughts The right sales software doesn’t just manage leads—it accelerates revenue, boosts rep productivity, and turns data into actionable insights. Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise, investing in the best tools ensures your team closes more deals, faster. Ready to upgrade your sales stack? Contact Tectonic today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

March 10, 2025in Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Salesforce, Salesforce Sales Cloud

04Mar

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth Edition for Personalization

Why Personalized Marketing Matters Personalized marketing is a game-changer for inceased customer engagement and business growth. According to a recent study, it can boost ROI by up to 20%. Yet, many marketers struggle to execute effective personalization due to fragmented data and lack of alignment across teams. To overcome these challenges, marketers must build a solid data foundation, leverage AI-driven segmentation, and utilize dynamic content strategies. This Tectonic insight outlines the essential steps to achieving personalized marketing at scale. Step 1: Build a Unified Data Foundation Marketers today have access to more data than ever before—from CRM and sales data to digital advertising, ERP, transactional, and accounting data. The challenge is unifying these sources to create a single operational customer profile. Without this, analyzing customer behavior and delivering personalized experiences is nearly impossible. How to Get Your Data in Order: Centralize customer data across teams using Marketing Cloud Growth and Advanced Editions, built on the Salesforce platform. Leverage AI-powered insights to optimize real-time personalization. Establish a “single source of truth” to align marketing, sales, and service teams. A strong data foundation not only fuels better AI-driven personalization but also enhances analytics and campaign performance. Step 2: Use AI to Segment with Precision Segmentation is the backbone of personalized marketing, allowing marketers to tailor campaigns based on customer behavior, demographics, and engagement levels. Traditionally, segmentation was a manual, time-consuming process. However, AI has revolutionized this process by enabling natural language-based segment creation. How AI Improves Segmentation: Eliminates the need for SQL expertise, making segmentation accessible to all marketers. Generates precise audience segments based on engagement and fit scores. Leverages harmonized operational profiles to build complex, data-driven segments. With AI-driven segmentation, marketers can create hyper-targeted campaigns that resonate with their audience, increasing engagement and conversion rates. Step 3: Implement Engagement and Fit Scoring One of the most effective ways to enhance personalization is by scoring leads and contacts based on their engagement and fit with your ideal customer profile. This approach helps prioritize high-value prospects and ensures marketing efforts are focused on the right audience. Understanding Engagement Scoring: Engagement Scoring evaluates how actively leads and contacts interact with your marketing campaigns. This includes actions like email clicks, form submissions, and website visits. Key Metrics Used in Engagement Scoring: Email Engagement (e.g., Click, Unsubscribe) Website Engagement (e.g., Form Submission, Button Click) Message Engagement (e.g., Subscribe, Unsubscribe) Understanding Fit Scoring: Fit Scoring assesses how well a lead or contact aligns with your ideal customer profile. This includes demographic, firmographic, and behavioral data. Key Fit Scoring Criteria: Demographics: Age, gender, income level Firmographics: Industry, company size, revenue Behavioral Patterns: Purchase history, product usage Geographics: Location-based targeting Technographics: Technology stack compatibility Step 4: Use Dynamic Content Blocks for Hyper-Personalization Once your data is structured and segments are refined, the next step is delivering personalized content. Marketing Cloud Growth and Advanced Editions offer powerful tools like Cross-Object Merge Fields and Rule-Based Dynamic Content. How to Leverage These Tools: Cross-Object Merge Fields: Pull data from operational customer profiles to create more personalized messages (e.g., referencing a webinar attended or service case status). R ule-Based Dynamic Content: Display targeted text and images based on complex customer attributes (e.g., showing a specific image to customers in New York who attended a liveevent). These tools allow marketers to go beyond basic personalization, creating highly relevant and engaging experiences for their audience. Step 5: Combine Engagement and Fit Scoring for Optimal Results By integrating Engagement and Fit Scoring, marketers can create an overall marketing score that prioritizes the most valuable prospects. This score considers both interaction levels and alignment with the ideal customer profile. How to Implement Overall Scoring: Default weighting assigns 50% to Engagement Score and 50% to Fit Score. Scores range from 0 to 100, ensuring a balanced approach to prioritization. Customization allows businesses to adjust weighting based on their specific needs. This holistic scoring model ensures marketing efforts are directed toward leads that are both highly engaged and a great fit for your business. The Future of Personalized Marketing Personalization is no longer optional—it’s essential. Businesses that embrace advanced personalization techniques see a 10-30% increase in sales and customer retention rates. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, marketers can: Build a strong data foundation for AI-driven personalization. Use engagement and fit scoring to prioritize high-value leads. Deliver hyper-personalized content with dynamic marketing tools. With the right foundation, tools, and AI-driven insights, marketers can unlock the full potential of personalized marketing, driving stronger customer relationships and higher ROI. Now is the time to take action and position your business for sustained success in an increasingly competitive marketplace. incorporate this. Meet the all-new Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth edition! Recently unveiled, this platform is designed specifically to empower small businesses by seamlessly integrating CRM, AI, and data within Salesforce’s trusted customer platform – Einstein. It promises to redefine marketing automation across sales, service, and commerce. Let’s explore how Marketing Cloud Growth is set to revolutionize the way small businesses approach marketing, enabling them to drive growth and efficiency like never before. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth Edition On February 20, 2024, Salesforce launched the Marketing Cloud Growth edition, aimed at empowering small businesses specifically with B2B marketing needs. With advanced marketing automation tools, powered by Einstein’s Generative AI and Data Cloud, this new edition simplifies marketing tasks, allowing businesses to concentrate on strategic growth. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Growth Edition integrates seamlessly with the core Salesforce platform, known as the Einstein 1 platform to provide users with easy access to all the robust features of Marketing Cloud within the broader Salesforce ecosystem. With the Marketing Cloud Growth edition, teams can efficiently: Unify various data sources via Data Cloud Create and deliver compelling content with Digital Experiences Automate complex customer journeys using Flow Builder Improve decision-making using Einstein’s intelligent analytics and predictions Marketing Cloud Growth edition is user-friendly and built directly on the Salesforce platform, eliminating the need for external connectors. However, it does not include some advanced features found in Marketing

March 4, 2025in AI Tools, Data, Einstein 1 Platform, Enterprise, Generative AI, Marketing Automation, Salesforce, Salesforce Flow, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Technology

25Feb

What is Salesforce Marketing Cloud?

Salesforce has strategically expanded its marketing technology tools over the years, integrating a range of powerful technology into its CRM platform. These acquisitions have empowered businesses to manage the full customer journey, enabling digital engagement at scale. Salesforce Marketing Cloud consists of five core product offerings: Let’s dig in to these products, their capabilities, and how they help marketers drive more personalized, data-driven engagement. Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE) MCE is a robust, cross-channel marketing automation platform designed to create personalized customer journeys. It empowers marketers with AI-driven insights, enabling them to activate customer data and deliver dynamic content across multiple touchpoints, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, push notifications, digital ads, and the web. Built for scalability, MCE provides enterprise-grade reliability and deep integration capabilities. While often associated with B2C use cases, it’s flexible enough to support various business models. With its AI-powered automation and open architecture, MCE helps marketers drive customer lifetime value while optimizing campaign efficiency. Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (MCAE) MCAE, formerly Pardot, is Salesforce’s B2B marketing automation solution, aligning sales and marketing teams with a shared customer view. It streamlines lead management with AI-powered scoring, real-time campaign insights, and automation tools that help businesses prioritize leads and accelerate sales cycles. This platform enables businesses to nurture prospects effectively through email campaigns, landing pages, and web tracking while optimizing engagement and revenue growth. By unifying marketing and sales efforts, MCAE helps teams drive higher lead conversion and sales efficiency. Marketing Cloud Growth/Advanced Editions Designed for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs), Marketing Cloud Growth and Advanced Editions provide AI-powered marketing capabilities tailored to organizations using Salesforce Sales or Service Cloud Enterprise/Unlimited editions. These editions leverage Salesforce Data Cloud and AI to simplify campaign creation, personalize customer interactions, and offer real-time marketing insights. Key features include Einstein Co-Create for asset generation, automated segmentation, and AI-driven email engagement optimization. As these editions continue to evolve, they will likely bridge the gap between B2B and B2C marketing automation, offering an integrated experience that scales with business needs. Marketing Cloud Personalization (MCP) MCP enables real-time, AI-powered personalization across customer interactions. It uses behavioral data and a unified customer profile to deliver tailored content, offers, and experiences at the right moment. MCP’s capabilities include: By reacting instantly to customer actions, MCP helps businesses increase conversion rates, order values, and customer loyalty. While it integrates with MCE, it operates as a standalone solution to enhance customer engagement strategies. Marketing Cloud Intelligence (MCI) MCI is Salesforce’s marketing analytics solution, designed to unify data across platforms and provide a single source of truth for marketing performance. With MCI, marketers can: MCI eliminates data silos, helping marketers make data-driven decisions that maximize ROI and customer engagement. It complements Salesforce’s analytics tools like CRM Analytics (CRMA) and Tableau but is specifically designed for marketing performance measurement. Marketing Cloud & Data Cloud: A Powerful Combination All Salesforce Marketing Cloud products connect with Salesforce Data Cloud, allowing businesses to enrich customer profiles with engagement data. This integration enables highly targeted segmentation, AI-driven personalization, and automated journey orchestration. By continuously refining customer insights, businesses can create a feedback loop that optimizes engagement and improves marketing effectiveness. This dynamic data sharing allows for real-time personalization at scale, fulfilling the promise of AI-driven marketing. Solving Today’s Marketing Challenges with Marketing Cloud Marketers today face significant challenges, including: Salesforce Marketing Cloud provides a flexible, AI-powered ecosystem that addresses these challenges. Businesses can combine different Marketing Cloud products based on their specific needs, such as using MCE or MCAE for automated journeys, MCP for AI-driven personalization, and MCI for unified performance tracking. By integrating these solutions, marketers can achieve higher engagement, improved ROI, and more efficient campaign execution. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consulting with Tectonic Optimized marketing begins with unified data and AI-driven insights. At Tectonic, we specialize in configuring Salesforce Marketing Cloud in every flavor to align with your business objectives, ensuring success through: With deep expertise in Salesforce Data Cloud, AI, and marketing automation, Tectonic helps businesses unlock the full potential of Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Learn more about our consulting services or contact us to get started today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

February 25, 2025in Agentforce Platform, Data, Enterprise, Marketing Automation, Salesforce, Salesforce Data Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Automation, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot), Salesforce Marketing Cloud Advertising, Salesforce Personalization, Technology

Generative AI Prompts with Retrieval Augmented Generation

22Feb

AI Prompts for Small Businesses

How AI Prompts Can Help Small Businesses Win More Customers Getting new customers can be a challenge for small businesses. You may be eager to explore artificial intelligence (AI) but unsure where to begin. The answer? AI prompts—a simple yet powerful way to automate and optimize sales efforts. This guide explores five AI prompts designed to enhance your sales process, from personalized outreach to lead generation. Let’s dive in! What Is an AI Prompt? An AI prompt is a specific instruction or question given to an AI tool to generate responses or perform tasks. The more precise the prompt, the better the results. For small businesses, AI prompts can: Why AI Matters for Small Business Sales AI is a game-changer for small business sales. It provides insights into customer behavior, streamlines processes, and enhances decision-making. Unlike enterprise AI applications, SMB-focused AI helps automate repetitive tasks, allowing sales teams to focus on relationship-building and closing deals. A strong starting point? AI-powered CRM tools. Integrating AI with your CRM unlocks predictive analytics, automation, and smarter customer engagement. In fact, small businesses using Salesforce AI have reported: AI Prompts vs. Traditional Sales Methods AI-Powered Prompts Traditional Sales Methods Automated lead generation Manual lead hunting Personalized sales emails Generic mass emails Instant follow-ups Delayed responses AI-generated sales scripts Improvised pitches Smart objection handling Reactive responses 5 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your Sales 1. Lead Generation Prompt Objective: Identify potential leads quickly. AI Prompt: “Generate a list of 10 potential leads based on [industry, location, company size].” How It Helps: AI scans data to find ideal customers, saving time and improving outreach accuracy. Example Output: 2. Sales Email Drafting Prompt Objective: Craft compelling emails that boost click rates. AI Prompt: “Write a persuasive sales email to [target] highlighting our [product/service] and inviting them to a demo.” How It Helps: AI generates tailored emails that resonate with prospects, improving open and response rates. Example Output: Subject: Transform Your Operations with Our CRMHi [First Name],I noticed your business is growing rapidly in [industry]. Our CRM can streamline operations and boost efficiency. Let’s schedule a quick demo this week—let me know your availability![Your Name] 3. Customer Follow-Up Prompt Objective: Keep potential customers engaged. AI Prompt: “Write a follow-up email to [customer] who expressed interest in our [product/service], including a gentle reminder and any new updates.” How It Helps: AI ensures timely, professional follow-ups, maintaining engagement without being pushy. Example Output: Subject: Following Up on Our ConversationHi [First Name],I wanted to check in on our discussion about [product/service]. We recently introduced [new feature], which could be a great fit for you. Let me know if you’d like to reconnect.Thanks,[Your Name] 4. Sales Pitch Script Prompt Objective: Develop a persuasive pitch. AI Prompt: “Create a 2-minute sales pitch for our [product/service] emphasizing key benefits and unique selling points.” How It Helps: A well-structured pitch increases confidence and improves conversion rates. Example Output: “Hello! My name is [Your Name] from [Company Name]. We specialize in [product/service]. What sets us apart is [unique benefit]. Our solution has helped companies like yours achieve [specific results]. Interested in learning more?” 5. Objection Handling Prompt Objective: Overcome sales objections effectively. AI Prompt: “List two common objections about our [product/service] and provide persuasive responses.” How It Helps: Prepares sales teams with effective responses to common objections, increasing deal closures. Example Output: Objection: “It’s too expensive.”Response: “Our solution pays for itself within months through increased efficiency.” Objection: “We’re happy with our current provider.”Response: “That’s great! Many of our clients felt the same until they saw how much more they could achieve with our features.” Unlock Growth with AI-Powered Sales Using AI prompts for sales isn’t just an experiment—it’s a proven way to boost efficiency, personalization, and success. Businesses that embrace AI-driven strategies will outpace competitors and scale faster. Ready to transform your sales game? Start using AI prompts today! Contact Tectonic. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

February 22, 2025in Artificial Intelligence, Data, Enterprise, Salesforce

07Jan

Why Choose Salesforce as Your Mortgage CRM?

Centralized Data Storage & Management Salesforce Mortgage CRM consolidates all your mortgage data into a single platform, offering a unified view of client information, loan details, and transaction history. This eliminates the confusion of scattered data, ensuring brokers have quick access to crucial information. For instance, if a client calls with questions about their loan, brokers can immediately retrieve accurate details, enhancing trust and improving the client experience. Accurate Loan Forecasting With AI-driven data analytics, Salesforce provides actionable insights into future loan opportunities, potential risks, and projected income. By analyzing historical data, brokers can predict client behavior, such as the likelihood of refinancing. This proactive approach allows brokers to deliver tailored offers, increasing conversions and client satisfaction. Seamless Collaboration & Secure Data Sharing Effective communication within an organization is essential, and Salesforce Mortgage CRM excels at connecting team members across locations and devices. Features like document management ensure efficient workflows through version control, rights management, and advanced search capabilities. Brokers can also share select records or documents securely with external stakeholders by granting limited access, ensuring confidentiality while streamlining the lending process. Top-Notch Security Salesforce Mortgage CRM prioritizes data security with multi-level protocols, including multi-factor authentication, data encryption, 24/7 monitoring, and an advanced Trust Layer. These features ensure that sensitive client information, such as financial and personal data, is safeguarded, fostering confidence among potential borrowers. Personalized Client Interactions Every client’s journey is unique, and Salesforce empowers brokers to deliver personalized experiences. For example, if a client’s fixed-rate term is nearing its end, Salesforce can automate outreach with refinancing options. This level of personalization improves client satisfaction and strengthens retention strategies. In-Depth Analytics and Visualization Salesforce offers robust analytics tools to provide mortgage professionals with insights into client behavior, market trends, operational performance, and risk factors. Interactive dashboards and customizable reports enable brokers to visualize metrics like loan-to-value ratios, debt-to-income ratios, and delinquency rates. These insights help streamline operations, improve profitability, and mitigate risks. Automation and AI-Powered Assistance Salesforce integrates cutting-edge AI tools to automate routine tasks, segment clients, and deliver tailored recommendations. Brokers can use these tools to identify refinancing opportunities, streamline workflows, and increase efficiency. While advanced AI features may require premium subscriptions, Salesforce also provides no-code automation capabilities. Tools like Salesforce Flow allow users to create automated workflows for tasks such as data entry, follow-ups, and approvals. For complex workflows, Flow Orchestrator enables brokers to coordinate multi-step processes seamlessly. These automation features eliminate manual tasks, freeing brokers to focus on high-value activities. Streamline Your Lending Process with Salesforce Mortgage CRM Whether you’re looking to centralize your data, enhance client relationships, or improve operational efficiency, Salesforce Mortgage CRM offers a comprehensive solution. Its combination of AI, analytics, and automation ensures that your team can work smarter, not harder. Ready to transform your mortgage business? Let Salesforce help you achieve greater efficiency and client satisfaction today. Unlock the Full Potential of Mortgage Lending with Salesforce Mortgage CRM Automation Without AI Salesforce Mortgage CRM streamlines repetitive tasks through its no-code automation capabilities, removing the need for AI. Salesforce Flow allows brokers to create automated workflows triggered by specific events, such as follow-up tasks, reminders, or status updates. For more intricate workflows, Flow Orchestrator provides seamless coordination for multi-step processes, including approvals, ensuring a smooth lending experience. Whether sending monthly statements or routing documents between stakeholders in the approval process, Salesforce Mortgage CRM automates these tasks based on your predefined rules. For enterprises, Financial Services Cloud (FSC) offers pre-built templates to manage mortgage applications. For SMBs, building tailored flows from scratch can be a more efficient and cost-effective solution, offering greater customization without overpaying for unused FSC features. An excellent example of Salesforce’s versatility is integrating scheduling tools like Calendly with borrower portals built in Experience Cloud. These portals allow clients to book appointments while considering time zone differences and send automated reminders, ensuring seamless borrower engagement. Platform Customization and Scalability Salesforce is an agile platform that adapts to your business needs. Need custom fields for underwriting criteria? A new object to track loan pipeline opportunities? Or automated workflows to manage approvals? Salesforce’s intuitive point-and-click configuration tools empower you to customize your system without complex coding, making it a perfect fit for businesses of any size. Seamless Integration with Third-Party Tools Salesforce’s vast ecosystem, powered by the AppExchange, offers over 7,000 add-ons to enhance your CRM’s functionality. From digital signature solutions to mortgage rate comparison tools, these integrations eliminate the need for extensive custom development. If your unique needs aren’t met by existing options, Salesforce’s certified AppExchange partners can help create tailored solutions. Salesforce Products Tailored for Mortgage Lending Firms 1. Financial Services Cloud (FSC) FSC is purpose-built for the financial services industry, including mortgage lending. It provides a 360-degree view of clients, integrating their financial holdings, activities, and loan details. With FSC, lenders can offer personalized recommendations, streamline the underwriting process, and stay compliant with industry regulations using built-in risk management tools. 2. Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) Pardot empowers lenders to engage potential borrowers effectively. For example, a mortgage firm targeting first-time homebuyers can use Pardot to create automated, personalized email campaigns, nurturing leads with tailored content about loans, interest rates, and homebuying tips.Real-time insights and Einstein-powered predictive lead scoring help mortgage professionals prioritize high-value leads and track engagement through detailed campaign performance metrics, such as Multi-Touch Attribution Reports. 3. Experience Cloud For mortgage firms looking to provide a self-service option, Experience Cloud allows for building custom portals and websites. Borrowers can use these portals to upload documents, track application statuses, and access loan details. The drag-and-drop design tools and pre-built templates make it easy to create branded, user-friendly interfaces without requiring extensive coding. 4. Service Cloud Customer service is critical in the mortgage process, and Salesforce Service Cloud enhances this experience with omnichannel support across email, chat, and phone. Borrowers can quickly get answers to questions about their applications, while automation retrieves and shares relevant data instantly. This improves response times, reduces manual effort, and ensures borrowers receive

January 7, 2025in AI Tools, Data, Enterprise, Salesforce, Salesforce Development Services, Salesforce Experience Cloud, Salesforce Financial Services Solutions, Salesforce Flow, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud

Integrate Digital Delivery and Human Connection

21Dec

Types of Salesforce Integration

Types of Salesforce Integration: A Comprehensive Guide As a leading CRM platform, Salesforce is often required to integrate with other systems to deliver a seamless experience and ensure efficient business operations. Whether it’s syncing data, automating workflows, or enabling real-time communication, Salesforce provides robust integration methods tailored to various needs. In this guide, we’ll explore the different types of Salesforce integrations, their practical applications, and how to choose the right approach for your business. Why Integrate Salesforce? Integrating Salesforce with other systems empowers businesses to: Types of Salesforce Integration 1. Data Integration Ensures data consistency between Salesforce and external systems, enabling seamless synchronization. 2. Process Integration Links workflows across systems, ensuring actions in one system trigger automated processes in another. 3. User Interface (UI) Integration Combines multiple applications into a single interface for a unified user experience. 4. Application Integration Connects Salesforce with external apps for real-time data exchange and functional synchronization. 5. Real-Time Integration Facilitates instant synchronization of data and events between Salesforce and external systems. 6. Batch Integration Processes large data volumes in chunks, typically during off-peak hours. 7. Hybrid Integration Combines multiple integration types, such as real-time and batch, to handle complex requirements. Tools for Salesforce Integration Native Salesforce Tools: Third-Party Tools: Best Practices for Salesforce Integration Conclusion Salesforce integration is essential for streamlining operations and unlocking business potential. With options like data, process, and real-time integration, Salesforce offers the flexibility to meet diverse needs. By adopting the right integration approach and adhering to best practices, businesses can create a unified, efficient ecosystem, enhancing operations and improving customer experience. Whether integrating with ERP systems, marketing tools, or support platforms, Salesforce provides the tools to make integration seamless and impactful. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

December 21, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Marketing Automation, Mulesoft, Salesforce, Salesforce Flow

17Nov

NetSuite Salesforce Collaboration

NetSuite Bets on Strategic Growth and Embraces Collaboration with Salesforce Growing on All Fronts At SuiteWorld 2024, the theme, “All Systems Grow,” reflected a pivotal moment for NetSuite. While the event lacked groundbreaking announcements, it showcased a fulfillment of past promises and a notable strategic shift toward openness and collaboration. Oracle and NetSuite are now welcoming competitors as partners, signaling a move toward interoperability that could redefine their market positioning. With over 40,000 customers, NetSuite continues its strong growth in the ERP space, particularly among SMBs. The company’s Q3 sales surged 20% year-over-year, underlining its momentum in the mid-market. Beyond traditional ERP capabilities, NetSuite’s expanded suite of solutions positions it as more than just an ERP provider. Delivering on AI Innovations While there were no splashy acquisitions, NetSuite made significant strides by rolling out 170 new modules and features, many leveraging AI. These enhancements blend predictive AI and generative AI to increase accuracy and user productivity. These updates aim to elevate both the platform’s quality and the efficiency of its users. Redwood Design: A Transformative User Experience NetSuite is adopting Oracle’s Redwood design language, promising a more intuitive and user-friendly interface. While Redwood is not new, its phased rollout within NetSuite is a significant step forward. Notable Additions: SuiteProcurement and Salesforce Integration SuiteProcurement: NetSuite’s new procurement automation solution integrates directly with Amazon Business and Staples Business Advantage, automating ordering, invoicing, approvals, and deliveries. Plans are underway to expand vendor support, offering broader applicability in the future. Salesforce Partnership: NetSuite’s most significant announcement was its strategic partnership with Salesforce, enabling real-time data exchange between the platforms. Evan Goldberg, NetSuite’s founder and EVP, explained the rationale:“It’s up to the customer to decide what software they want to use.” The partnership reflects NetSuite’s commitment to addressing customer needs, with more SaaS integrations expected in the future. Expanding Field Service Management (FSM) NetSuite’s Field Service Management (FSM) capabilities, acquired last year, are now better integrated into its platform. While development progress has been slower than anticipated, significant enhancements are expected in the coming year, leveraging Oracle technology to extend FSM’s functionality across industries. And Field Service Management is available in Salesforce, as well. Positioned for Continued SMB Growth NetSuite’s investments are yielding results, as demonstrated by its rapid growth and deeper integration of Oracle technology. The NetSuite Analytics Data Warehouse and Enterprise Performance Management are driving adoption among existing users, showcasing the platform’s scalability. NetSuite’s ability to quickly integrate Oracle updates into its infrastructure gives it a competitive edge, ensuring customers benefit from the latest innovations without delays. With its robust feature set, AI-powered tools, and strategic partnerships like the one with Salesforce, NetSuite has strengthened its position as a go-to ERP platform for SMBs. Its consistent 20% year-over-year growth indicates a bright future, making it an increasingly attractive option for mid-market businesses. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

November 17, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Salesforce, Technology

09Oct

Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud Innovations

What Our Dreamforce Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud Innovations Mean for You This year’s Dreamforce was nothing short of amazing. It was exciting to reconnect with fellow Trailblazers, exchange brilliant ideas, and showcase the innovations we’ve been crafting at Salesforce. A recurring theme throughout the event was how businesses can leverage data and AI to forge deeper customer-driven relationships by bringing internal teams closer together. These innovations are designed to transform not only how companies engage with customers but also how their teams work together. Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud Innovations. Seamless integration between Marketing, Commerce, Sales, and Service teams is crucial for creating unified customer experiences. Often, customers feel as though they are interacting with separate departments rather than one cohesive company—this is largely due to disconnected technology and processes. But thanks to Salesforce’s advancements in unified data, AI, and automation, those days are numbered. Now, departments can collaborate more effectively, delivering hyper-personalized, frictionless experiences across the entire customer lifecycle. Let’s explore the latest Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud innovations announced at Dreamforce 2024 and how they can benefit your business. What You’ll Learn Salesforce Marketing Cloud Innovations These four innovations in Marketing Cloud are built on the Salesforce Platform and powered by Data Cloud, offering marketers a seamless view of customer data across the business. This foundation makes it easier to deliver unified customer experiences, improve handoffs between teams, and measure success more effectively. 1. Agentforce Embedded in Marketing Workflows Agentforce for Marketing combines generative and predictive AI to create an end-to-end campaign experience that marketers can launch and optimize with ease. Here’s how it helps: Example: A marketer looking to prevent customer churn can launch a re-engagement campaign. Agentforce will identify the right audience, craft personalized messages, and optimize delivery based on customer behavior. 2. Empowering Small and Medium Businesses The new Marketing Cloud Advanced Edition brings enhanced AI and automation capabilities to SMBs, enabling them to scale personalization and improve productivity: 3. Automating Data Preparation and Analytics with Einstein Marketing Intelligence (EMI) EMI uses AI and Data Cloud to automate the ingestion, transformation, and analysis of marketing data: 4. Einstein Personalization for 1:1 Experiences Einstein Personalization uses AI to recommend products, content, or services based on individual customer preferences: Example: A service agent could offer a discount on a product a customer was recently viewing, creating a seamless, personalized experience. Salesforce Commerce Cloud Innovations As businesses scale and handle increasing amounts of data, managing complex commerce systems can be a challenge. The new Commerce Cloud updates simplify these complexities by extending unified commerce capabilities across the organization. 1. Simplifying Cross-Functional Commerce Tasks By unifying data from across the business, Commerce Cloud enables better cross-functional collaboration: 2. AI-Powered Commerce Agents with Agentforce Commerce Cloud introduces three AI-powered agents to streamline business processes: 3. Streamlining Checkout for a Faster, Easier Experience With new express payment options like Link by Stripe and Amazon Pay, Commerce Cloud Checkout speeds up transactions and improves conversion rates by 14%. Plus, Buy with Prime integration allows shoppers to use their Amazon Prime accounts for a faster checkout experience, complete with trusted delivery and hassle-free returns. The Future of Unified Commerce Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers a unified platform that brings together sales, service, and marketing, providing a 360-degree view of the entire customer journey. This unified commerce approach enables businesses to deliver seamless B2B and B2C experiences, all powered by a single platform. By integrating enterprise-wide data, trusted AI, and automated workflows, Salesforce helps businesses scale personalized, intelligent experiences across every touchpoint. Every interaction becomes an opportunity for growth, setting the standard for success in today’s customer-driven world. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

October 9, 2024in Data, Enterprise, Salesforce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Technology

19Aug

Generative AI Overview

Editor’s Note: AI Cloud, Einstein GPT, and other cloud GPT products are now Einstein. For the latest on Salesforce Einstein The Rise of Generative AI: What It Means for Business and CRM Generative artificial intelligence (AI) made headlines in late 2022, sparking widespread curiosity and questions about its potential impact on various industries. What is Generative AI? Generative AI is a technology that creates new content—such as poetry, emails, images, or music—based on a set of input data. Unlike traditional AI, which focuses on classifying or predicting, generative AI can produce novel content with a human-like understanding of language, as noted by Salesforce Chief Scientist Silvio Savarese. However, successful generative AI depends on the quality of the input data. “AI is only as good as the data you give it, and you must ensure that datasets are representative,” emphasizes Paula Goldman, Salesforce’s Chief Ethical and Humane Use Officer. How Does Generative AI Work? Generative AI can be developed using several deep learning approaches, including: Other methods include Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) and Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs), which generate new data or create 2D and 3D images based on sample data. Generative AI and Business Generative AI has captured the attention of global business leaders. A recent Salesforce survey found that 67% of IT leaders are focusing on generative AI in the next 18 months, with 33% considering it a top priority. Salesforce has long been exploring generative AI applications. For instance, CodeGen helps transform simple English prompts into executable code, and LAVIS makes language-vision AI accessible to researchers. More recently, Salesforce’s ProGen project demonstrated the creation of novel proteins using AI, potentially advancing medicine and treatment development. Ketan Karkhanis, Salesforce’s Executive VP and GM of Sales Cloud, highlights that generative AI benefits not just large enterprises but also small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by automating proposals, customer communications, and predictive sales modeling. Challenges and Ethical Considerations Despite its potential, generative AI poses risks, as noted by Paula Goldman and Kathy Baxter of Salesforce’s Ethical AI practice. They stress the importance of responsible innovation to ensure that generative AI is used safely and ethically. Accuracy in AI recommendations is crucial, and the authoritative tone of models like ChatGPT can sometimes lead to misleading results. Salesforce is committed to building trusted AI with embedded guardrails to prevent misuse. As generative AI evolves, it’s vital to balance its capabilities with ethical considerations, including its environmental impact. Generative AI can increase IT energy use, which 71% of IT leaders acknowledge. Generative AI at Salesforce Salesforce has integrated AI into its platform for years, with Einstein AI providing billions of daily predictions to enhance sales, service, and customer understanding. The recent launch of Einstein GPT, the world’s first generative AI for CRM, aims to transform how businesses interact with customers by automating content creation across various functions. Salesforce Ventures is also expanding its Generative AI Fund to $500 million, supporting AI startups and fostering responsible AI development. This expansion includes investments in companies like Anthropic and Cohere. As Salesforce continues to lead in AI innovation, the focus remains on creating technology that is inclusive, responsible, and sustainable, paving the way for the future of CRM and business. The Future of Business: AI-Powered Leadership and Decision-Making Tomorrow’s business landscape will be transformed by specialized, autonomous AI agents that will significantly change how companies are run. Future leaders will depend on these AI agents to support and enhance their teams, with AI chiefs of staff overseeing these agents and harnessing their capabilities. New AI-powered tools will bring businesses closer to their customers and enable faster, more informed decision-making. This shift is not just a trend—it’s backed by significant evidence. The Slack Workforce Index reveals a sevenfold increase in leaders seeking to integrate AI tools since September 2023. Additionally, Salesforce research shows that nearly 80% of global workers are open to an AI-driven future. While the pace of these changes may vary, it is clear that the future of work will look vastly different from today. According to the Slack Workforce Index, the number of leaders looking to integrate AI tools into their business has skyrocketed 7x since September 2023. Mick Costigan, VP, Salesforce Futures In the [still] early phases of a major technology shift, we tend to over-focus on the application of technology innovations to existing workflows. Such advances are important, but closing the imagination gap about the possible new shapes of work requires us to consider more than just technology. It requires us to think about people, both as the customers who react to new offerings and as the employees who are responsible for delivering them. Some will eagerly adopt new technology. Others will resist and drag their feet. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

August 19, 2024in AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Enterprise, Generative AI, Salesforce, Salesforce Einstein, Technology

09Aug

What is a CRM?

Ask ten small and midsize business (SMB) owners to define a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and you’ll likely receive ten different answers. For some, a CRM supports their sales process; for others, it measures sales or stores customer histories. However, the true value of a CRM lies beyond these basic functions, according to Adam Alfano, EVP of Small Business Sales at Salesforce. “Unlocking the real enterprise value comes when the CRM becomes a front office platform that leverages one of your business’s most valuable assets—your data,” Alfano explains. An effective CRM with comprehensive capabilities helps your front office team, those interacting directly with customers, serve clients more efficiently. It also aids sales teams in automating and refining their processes. By understanding the full potential of today’s CRM solutions, you can harness data to: These elements can lead to transformative results for your business. Here’s how: Building a Solid Data Foundation Most business leaders acknowledge the importance of data, but making meaningful use of it can be challenging. According to a global AWS survey, over half (53 percent) of SMBs are unsure what insights their data could reveal. A common problem is data siloing, where information is scattered across different platforms, making it difficult to gain a comprehensive view and derive actionable insights. The most valuable CRMs integrate back-office and front-office processes, providing a unified platform. Salesforce CRM, powered by Salesforce’s Data Cloud, connects all your CRM data and integrates other data sources, eliminating silos that hinder productivity and growth. “When all your data is centralized, your employees can deliver better customer experiences with a unified view of customers and business,” Alfano says. Quick Wins with AI A 2024 survey by Inc. and Salesforce reveals that 91 percent of CEOs are optimistic about AI’s potential. However, impactful AI applications don’t need to be complex or grand. Alfano suggests starting with simple AI applications to boost efficiency. “Successful companies often create a checklist of tasks they can automate,” Alfano notes. Identify friction points and repetitive tasks that can be automated. A robust CRM will include integrated AI to handle functions such as: By automating routine tasks, salespeople can focus on more strategic activities, like engaging with customers and having value-driven conversations. Salesforce’s Sales Cloud, for instance, features AI technology that includes predictive AI for accurate forecasting and recommendations on the “next best action” to close deals and build relationships. Partnering for Success The most successful CRM implementations involve stakeholders from across the organization, along with gathering feedback from employees and customers to refine processes and explore new use cases. Choosing a technology provider that acts as a true partner is also crucial. They should offer guidance on leveraging the platform to achieve your goals. With the right CRM, SMBs can operate more efficiently, boost sales, enhance customer and employee experiences, and compete effectively with larger enterprises. “You can accomplish more with fewer resources and scale your processes without needing a larger workforce,” Alfano explains. “SMBs are already demonstrating impressive competitive and operational capabilities, largely due to these advanced tools.” Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

August 9, 2024in Salesforce

27Jun

AI Safety and Responsibility

The Future of AI: Balancing Innovation and Trust Authored by Justin Tauber, General Manager, Innovation and AI Culture at Salesforce, ANZ. AI Safety and Responsibility AI holds the promise of transforming business operations and freeing up our most precious resource: time. This is particularly beneficial for small businesses, where customer-facing staff must navigate a complex set of products, policies, and data with limited time and support. AI-assisted customer engagement can lead to more timely, personalized, and intelligent interactions. However, trust is paramount, and businesses must use AI power safely and ethically. The Trust Challenge According to the AI Trust Quotient, 89% of Australian office workers don’t trust AI to operate without human oversight, and 62% fear that humans will lose control of AI. Small businesses must build competence and confidence in using AI responsibly. Companies that successfully combine human and machine intelligence will lead in AI transformation. Building trust and confidence in AI requires focusing on the employee experience of AI. Employees should be integrated early into decision-making, output refinement, and feedback processes. Generative AI outcomes improve when humans are actively involved. Humans need to lead their partnership with AI, ensuring AI works effectively with humans at the helm. Strategies for Building Trust One strategy is to remind employees of AI’s strengths and weaknesses within their workflow. Showing confidence values — how much the model believes its output is correct — helps employees handle AI responses with the appropriate level of care. Lower-scored content can still be valuable, but human reviews provide deeper scrutiny. Prompt templates for staff ensure consistent inputs and predictable outputs. Explainability or citing sources for AI-generated content also addresses trust and accuracy issues. Another strategy focuses on use cases that enhance customer trust. The sweet spot is where productivity and trust-building benefits align. For example, generative AI can reassure customers that a product will arrive on time. AI in fraud detection and prevention is another area where AI can flag suspicious transactions for human review, improving the accuracy and effectiveness of fraud detection systems. Salesforce’s Commitment to Ethical AI Salesforce ensures that its AI solutions keep humans at the helm by respecting ethical guardrails in AI product development. Salesforce goes further by creating capabilities and solutions that lower the cost of responsible AI deployment and use. AI safety products help businesses use AI power without significant risks. Salesforce AI products are built with trust and reliability in mind, embodying Trustworthy AI principles to help customers deploy these products ethically. It’s unrealistic and unfair to expect employees, especially in SMBs, to refine every AI-generated output. Therefore, Salesforce provides businesses with powerful, system-wide controls and intuitive interfaces to make timely and responsible judgments about testing, refining responses, or escalating problems. Salesforce has invested in ethical AI for nearly a decade, focusing on principles, policies, and protections for itself and its customers. New guidelines for responsible generative AI development expand on core Trusted AI principles. Updated Acceptable Use Policy safeguards and the Einstein Trust layer protect customer data from external LLMs. Commitment to a Trusted AI Future While we’re still in the early days of AI, Salesforce is committed to learning and iterating in close collaboration with customers and regulators to make trusted AI a reality for all. Originally published in Smart Company. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

June 27, 2024in Generative AI

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