Thoughts About Infusionsoft and Making Software Work for You

Users of Infusionsoft, Salesforce.com, ACT, and All the Others

Infusionsoft and Most Other Software-Related Challenges

My team and I work with business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals all over the world to help them implement Infusionsoft and many other software applications mostly geared to marketing on the web.  Quite often, in online articles and once in a while with new clients I hear complaints about the software itself.

This article addresses my thoughts on this subject.  Because sometimes it is the software.  But more often it’s the person or people using the software.

The complaining is not limited to Infusionsoft in this regard by any means.  Heck, complaining about software is practically a national past time it seems.  I’ve been guilty of it as well.

I speak from experience on this subject.  I am a long-time user of Infusionsoft.  (Yes, I used to bitch incessantly about the software I used prior to finding Infusionsoft.  I even beat the crap out of my computer, desk, phone and any other inanimate object I could assault.)

I have personally learned a ton about software over the last 20 years.  My most valuable lessons come from consulting others and helping them to implement the software of their choice.

My team and I are are very grateful to have had the privilege of working with over 150 companies in the last two years helping them optimize websites, drive traffic to websites and integrate Infusionsoft as a web-based CRM and supercharged email marketing system.  It’s also got some super-solid functionality beyond this but I am not going into this now.

Based on all the whining and complaining I’ve heard over the years since I’ve been using, teaching, coaching and implementing Infusionsoft and other software for business owners and professionals, there are myriad complaints.  Is any software perfect?  No.  So it’s important to accept that from the beginning, no matter what the application.

All I can really say to any complaint about software is in the last 20 years of using software in my business and personal life I have never had one application work completely bug-free or meet every need I thought it would. Could you possibly suggest to me one application that you have used which is bug free and perfect?  Let me know and I’ll write about it.

My simple conclusion when it comes to software or any technology for that matter is this…

1. My life is better off with the software.

2. It’s never perfect.

3. More often than not, I am the limiting factor.

So back to the point of this article.  It’s usually more about the user than the software itself.  Here are the more common issues I’ve seen over the years that are the source of most frustration.

1. Users are not committed.  Every user of software needs to commit to learning and implementing the software.  This requires time using the system and working through the bugs and issues related to making the software an effective tool for your business. Too many people I’ve met have completely retarded expectations.  The core issue is lack of commitment to learning and implementing.  Big mistake.

2. Users are lazy.  Think about how many people get into a system like Infusionsoft.  The same is true for most applications promoted by relatively famous people.  People attend an event.  They get all pumped up by the speaker about the software.  The speaker sprinkles the “magic fairy dust” and boom, the business owner or marketing director buys the software and a bit of coaching.  The business owner gets back to his office.  The “magic fairy dust” wears off.  The business takes over his life again.  And the business owner is too lazy or overwhelmed to learn and implement the software.  Big mistake.

3. Users are cheap.  Investing $299 a month or whatever the going rate is for any software application to double, triple or quadruple sales is not a big investment.  The closer you get to entreprise level solutions, the bigger the money and risk should the implementation fail.  Investing in software by itself will not grow your sales, make marketing easy or triple the size of your company.  Software is a tool for you and your team to leverage.  It’s a system that either fits what you need it to do or does not.  One of the biggest keys to the return on investment of any software is how you budget for and manage the implementation.  Buying the software is just the beginning.  Learning and implementing any software requires a further investment of money, time and energy to make it an effective tool to realize a meaningful return on investment (ROI).  The key is though, too many owners I’ve met are cheap.  They don’t want or can’t afford to invest in doing what it takes to outsource the implementation or hire a real system administrator to be the “pilot” or “champion” of the system.   Big mistake.

There are a few other reasons Infusionsoft and other software applications don’t pan out the way you might expect them to pan out.  Like not even having a real business.  Yes, this actually happens.  I’ve met plenty of people who invested in Infusionsoft or other applications and they’re not really sure what business they are in.  Or worse yet, they really don’t have a business yet.  But the “magic fairy dust” got all over these people and they decided to buy the software even though they’re not even in business yet.

Some people lose their memory and ability to function at work when they got home because they actually admitted to their wife how much money they “invested” in the “magic fairy dust” seminar.  (Yes, you don’t remember but she actually grabbed a 2 x 4 and clobbered you over the head with it.  Big mistake.)

Here’s a circumstance where an owner of a business invested in Infusionsoft in this case and made a very good decision.  A client of ours who owns a travel company business recently found us online and called to inquire about implementing Infusionsoft for his business.  He had made the investment in Infusionsoft and had just finished his first coaching call which is bundled with the initial purchase.  (Use these calls folks!)

After an hour of what seemed like pure torture to him he called me.  He said there was no way he was interested in learning how to run Infusionsoft himself.  And there isn’t anyone on his team inclined to do so either.  So he made a modest investment in my team to do an initial implementation which meant…

1. Importing a monster list.  Good move.

2. Organizing the list in tags or segments.  Good move.

3. Crafting, writing and launching his initial sequences.  Good move.

4. Integrating Infusionsoft into his existing website via web forms.  Good move.

These several other good moves puts this owner on the path to getting a real ROI.  He’s committed to making it work.  He’s not lazy.  He’s not cheap.  He knew something about the concept of highest and best use of time.  He invested in implementation and is realistic about the results he can achieve through his investment in Infusionsoft.

So here’s the deal if you’ve decided to invest in Infusionsoft or are considering doing so. The same is true for Salesforce.com, ACT, Zoho, Goldmine, or any other software you plan to leverage to grow your business.

1. Get committed.  The software is only as good as the user commits to being.

2. Don’t be lazy.  The software works much harder than most people will.

3. Don’t be cheap.  The software is usually a much better investment than the seminar.  And the implementation is a very important investment to plan for and make.

You can be assured of one thing when you attend an event an invest in software or anything for that matter.  The “magic fairy dust” always wears off.  But as long as you continue to pay for the software and invest in properly learning and implementing it, you will get a return on investment.  And probably a much better one when compared to the seminar itself.  Assuming you actually have a business.

If you currently own Infusionsoft or are thinking about investing in it or any other application feel free to post your questions or comments.  We always appreciate your input here on the WealthNet Partners blog.