Despite our collective affinity to and belief in the commercial Web, most "sales" actually occur offline. As any good Internet professional might expect however, technology is helping to close the loop.
SugarCRM has announced that it has integrated with Google's "Conversion Import" feature, making it possible for organizations to track when clicks on Adwords ads result in sales or leads when they occur offline.
"Offline conversion tracking captures critical information about the real-world customer journey," said Clint Oram, SugarCRM chief technology officer. "Measuring offline conversion data is a critical component for campaign optimization and performance."
Oram cited recent Boston Consulting Group research which shows that nine out of ten sales still take place offline. The combination of Sugar and Google AdWords, however, could enable organizations to better understand how their customers' purchase paths are evolving between digital screens and the real world.
"Google AdWords and sales force automation solutions naturally complement each other as online marketers use search marketing to generate and drive new revenue opportunities," says Jon Diorio, Google's Head of Product Management for AdWords Reporting & Insights. "This is why we are pleased to see innovative companies embracing the opportunity to close the reporting loop between lead generation and sales force automation."
