Use marketing software to build a marketing plan

Marketing plan software can help you piece together a complete and professional marketing plan; with a few clicks of your mouse you can set marketing goals, budgets, milestones and benchmarks.

I recommend: Essential marketing plan software includes programs like Marketing Plan Pro, Plan Write and Marketing Plan Success.

Use marketing software to do market research

CRM solutions are equal parts customer database and marketing software; use them to track leads, prospects and opportunities, and to collect customer data that will help you better target your marketing messages.

I recommend: Popular CRM software applications like NetSuite CRM+, Sage SalesLogix and Salesforce Marketing include marketing automation software and can easily double as a marketing tool.

Use Internet marketing software to create Internet marketing campaigns

With Internet marketing software your business can design and implement a variety of Internet marketing efforts, including search engine marketing campaigns. Email marketing software, in particular, can help you market to consumers via their email inboxes.

I recommend: Companies such as HubSpot and Eloqua offer robust Internet marketing software solutions that can help companies turn their websites into marketing tools. Meanwhile, companies like Constant Contact, iContact and Silverpop offer email marketing software that’s designed to convert email communications into strategic sales leads.

Use marketing software to design advertisements

Marketing software isn't just strategic; it's creative, too, and can be used to design advertisements both for online and offline marketing efforts.

I recommend: Marketing software such as Headline Creator Pro, Headliner and NamePro can help you write marketing copy for advertisements while standard programs like Photoshop and Illustrator can help you design graphics for them.

Use marketing software to manage direct marketing strategies

If your sights are set on direct marketing, marketing software can handle your campaign from start to finish.

I recommend: Direct marketing software like interlinkONE and Mail Order Manager can help you create and manage complete direct marketing campaigns, from conception and creation to delivery and fulfillment.  Find more direct marketing software at Business.com.

Use marketing software to automate your marketing efforts

Marketing automation software kicks marketing plan software up a notch in order to put your marketing plan on autopilot; with it, you can promote your company without taking time off from running it.

I recommend: Marketing automation software includes the above mentioned CRM solutions, as well as stand-alone enterprise marketing management (EMM) systems such as RightNow Marketing, MarketingPilot, SAS Marketing Automation and OpenBOX Marketing Campaign Management, which can automate a variety of marketing processes, including planning, budgeting and campaign management.  See the marketing automation software directory at Business.com for more choices.