What is the new Infusionsoft ™?

At the end of last year (2018), innovation led to a little confusion with the introduction a new Infusionsoft™ product which is called Keap. 

Infusionsoft™ launched a new version of its fabulous sales and marketing software. It was simply referred to as the “new” Infusionsoft ™. But it wasn’t a replacement for the original Infusionsoft. It was an entirely new and separate piece of software designed to be a lighter, simplified version of the original. 

The original Infusionsoft ™, that we all know and love, was still available and was referred to as the flagship, classic, pro, and even “old”. 

The fact that they were two different products, with key differences wasn’t being clearly demonstrated. It was a bit of a confusing mess.

Thankfully, their new re-brand aims to fix all this. 

Infusionsoft ™ as a company is now called Keap ™. The new (lighter) Infusionsoft ™ that was released last year is also called Keap ™. The original Infusionsoft ™ that we know and love is now called Infusionsoft ™ by Keap ™. 

So there are still two products, but the all singing all dancing Infusionsoft ™ keeps (hah, see what we did there) its name, and the new kid on the block, released at the end of last year is now known as Keap ™. No more confusion to be had there.

What problem is Keap™ solving?

One thing we are always asked is if there is an Infusionsoft ™ light. 

Many businesses are looking for something with the same amount of power as Infusionsoft™, that maybe isn’t quite as robust. And they don’t need it to be as customisable. 

A system suitable for a business that doesn’t necessarily want to reach the stars with their sales and marketing automation, but knows they need to step away from MailChimp…

Before we look at how Keap™ solves this problem lets take a little look back. 

 Back in 2007 Infusionsoft™  launched their Everest mission. A 10-year vision to be servicing 100 000 small businesses. Their goal has always been to help small businesses succeed. They reached this goal in 2017. 

Where do you go when you’ve conquered Everest? 

Well, Mars! The mission to Mars (not to be confused with Elon Musk or the indie Metallica film Mission to Lars) was launched. It was here that Infusionsoft ™/ Keap ™ made known their mission to simplify growth for 5 million small businesses, worldwide, by 2030.

That choice of wording is interesting, to “simplify growth”. If you’re an Infusionsoft™ user, you’ll know that Infusionsoft ™ can be a learning curve. Personally, while like every software it has its quirks, I happen to think it’s bloody brilliant. There is yet a piece of software out there that lets me do what I can behaviourally, that is accessible to small businesses.

Infusionsoft ™/ Keap ™ set out to create and lead the market for small business marketing automation. That is precisely what they have done. Before they created the game, there was nothing out there. And in creating that space, and innovating and leading the market, there have been difficulties, but there have also been phenomenal triumphs. I know that because I see every day what my clients can achieve with the system. I see businesses doubled, profits tripled, and lists quadrupled. I see people get their lives back. But I also see complexity, and adaptation to that aforementioned learning curve…

So with this new mission to simplification - something definitely has to be tweaked a little.

What is Keap ™

So, how do you reach a goal of simplification, with a software that is well known to be a little tricky to master?

You can’t. You have you introduce a whole new product. Keeping the essential features that make it what it is. While getting rid of the parts that make the learning curve a little too steep for small businesses.

That right there is Keap ™.

Keap ™ is Infusionsoft ™ light. It’s a simplified, reigned in version of Infusionsoft ™.

It is not as versatile, customisable or beast-like as Infusionsoft ™ is. There is some loss of functionality. It is more streamlined. But that is a very, very good thing. Because that makes it easier to use.

If Infusionsoft ™ is the Ferrari of the marketing automation world, and MailChimp is the Toyota Aygo, then Keap ™ is the solid middle ground, the Audi of the software universe.

With its lower price and being easier to use, Keap ™ is specifically targeting service businesses. The brand promise: Keap ™ helps you get organised so you deliver great service and close more business.

Everything about Keap ™ is designed to help service businesses get more clients by taking leads and moving them through the process to purchase and then advocacy.

So finally, we have our Infusionsoft ™ light. It’s just called Keap ™. 

Is this the end of Infusionsoft™?

Of course, there was a little worry within the partner community. Infusionsoft™  is such an amazing sales and marketing software. We were worried that it would be phased out in favour of the new easier to use version.

Thankfully, we’ve been assured that Infusionsoft ™ (not Infusionsoft™  by Keap ™) is not going anywhere. It will, however, get even more awesome - at least double as awesome! This is because the dev team that supports and improves the software has been doubled. That’s yays all round from me!

When they announced the name change, Infusionsoft™/ Keap ™ also mentioned what 2019 is going to look like for the company. Their focus is now on achieving a  100% success rate. They’re determined to not only get the right users utilising either Infusionsoft ™ or Keap ™ but also to make sure that those users are using the software to drive success for their business.

The introduction of the different levels of Infusionsoft™ /Keap ™ makes it accessible for everybody, no matter what stage your business is at.

Related content:

• Part one - What is Infusionsoft?
• Part two: What Infusionsoft is not
  
  

What does Keap ™ mean

‘Keap ™’ on its own doesn’t mean much. It seems an odd name for a piece of software.

I like thinking of myself as a sceptical optimist. So in all honesty, when I heard the name Keap ™ I did turn around to my team and say “What kind of name is Keap ™ for software??”…

My initial reaction was iffy, I was firmly against it. I may even have said that it was a stupid name… But when I watched the live stream with Clate Mask (CEO of Keap ™) telling the story and concept behind Keap ™, I will admit to nearly having a little cry. Here’s how Clate explained it:

Back when Infusionsoft ™/ Keap ™ was still starting out, like any small business, things were tough. They had a dream for what marketing automation for small business could look like, and they were passionately pursuing it. They were lucky to have supportive families, but after a year of grind and nothing to show, then another year of hustle and hardly any food in the fridge, even the most supportive families get disgruntled.

Clate had a family of four, his wife, and over $100 000 in student debt to feed.

With their third year underway, Clate believed he could see the turning point for the business. It was actually going to work. Unfortunately, children can’t be fed on belief, and a usually happy marriage was struggling under the weight of very little income, and little to no security for the future. There were many tearful arguments in which his wife suggested he go and find a job. Each time they worked it out, with Clate saying no, this is going to work.

It was one evening when Clate’s mother came to visit that he really understood what was happening to his family. She went to the fridge to grab a bite to eat and there was nothing in it - the fridge was empty save a few condiments. She left shortly afterwards and came back with bags of groceries. When Clate saw his mother and the groceries and realised how relieved he felt - the realisation of what he was doing to his family really hit him. He sat down with his wife that night, and she asked him again to get a job. He agreed. He promised to start looking the next day.

That next day in the office with Scott and Eric, he sat down to chase leads, close clients, manage accounts, and before he knew it - it was the end of the day. He hadn’t looked for a job. He drove home with a heavy heart, he wasn’t sure what to tell his wife. He hadn’t done what he’d promised to do - and he wasn’t sure what that meant for them.

When he walked into the kitchen she was standing at the sink with her back to him. Without turning around she asked “Did you look for a job?”, and he said “No.” Before he could say anything else, she turned around and hugged him, saying “Don’t, just keep going.”

Just keep going.

That is the story behind “Keap ™”. Keeping going is what meant success for Clate, Eric and Scott. They kept going. They pushed through the worst moments. They kept serving their clients, kept getting leads, and kept believing.

“Keep going.” That is the essence of small business success.

That is why they chose Keap ™.

Want to vomit a little? Me too. It’s incredibly American Ra-Ra isn’t it? But so bloody what? It’s true. Clate’s story is my story. It’s more than likely your story too. You know how hard this shit is. All the ups and downs. The times when you have no idea why you’re fighting so hard, and the times when it all makes sense. Running a small business is hard. You have to keep on keeping on. You have to keep the momentum up. You have to keep going. It’s all very true. Still makes me feel a little sicky though. After hearing that story, I understand why they chose Keap ™. It’s emotive, and it strikes a chord in the heart of every small business owner. Keep your head up in the struggle. I get it. But will other people get it? That’s why I’m on the fence about it.

I do however like the new branding. I like the simplicity. I like the sentiment. I just hope others will too - even if it is a little American Ra-Ra. Perhaps we could do with a little Ra-Ra to brighten our British stiffness?

Whatever you feel about it - they are right: “Keep going” really is the essence of small business success.

Of course, they’ve added the ‘A’ in so that they can own the word “Keap ™”, yet it’s similar enough to make for great marketing further on down the line. The K is funky, and if you reduce it down further it becomes an arrow. The arrow is a visual anchor for movement, which will be in the Keap ™ app itself. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with it.

All that said of course… What exactly does Keap ™ look like? And how does it differ from Infusionsoft ™?

Keap ™ vs Infusionsoft ™: What's the difference? 

So, now your question might be: "Which one is best for me? Keap™ or Infusionsoft™?".

To make the decision on which one is for you we need to look at how Keap™ compares and contrasts to Infusionsoft ™ by Keap ™. To do that we’re taking a look at what’s different as well as what’s the same. 

It’s not fair or appropriate to have a simple column and checkbox comparison as Keap ™ has a  few nifty things Infusionsoft ™ hasn’t got yet. The ‘yet’ is important though, Infusionsoft ™ will have everything Keap ™ currently has - and then some.

If you’d rather watch us speak about it, then read about it then take a look at our video here:

The basic difference is this:

Infusionsoft ™ is powerful and robust and highly customisable. If you’re looking for custom sales and marketing automation with a CRM - you want Infusionsoft ™. 

Keap ™ is simple and efficient. If you’re simply looking for a system that will help you manage your clients and progress leads to sales, and you’re not too fussed about making things custom, then you want Keap ™. 

Keap ™ vs Infusionsoft ™: what features are the same?

Keap™ was designed around Infusionsoft™. Offering many of the same features, just on a lighter scale. So many of the features within the two softwares are the same. 

We’ve outlines which features are the same with the two below:

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: the visual campaign builder. 

Both are powered by the same powerful visual campaign builder, with some minor differences between the two (Keap™ has removed some of the less used goals and sequence items removed, like send a fax - more on that in the differences).

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: tags and custom fields. 

They both still function around tags and custom fields, allowing unrivalled segmentation, information storage, behaviour tracking and filtration.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: the whole package.

They both contain a CRM, Marketing Automation and Sales, as well as E-commerce, where your package allows.

Keap ™ vs Infusionsoft ™: what features are different?

Of course, there are some changes or else what would be the point? The main differences between the features are:

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: layout and navigation.

This is where the major difference is. 

Rather than using the menu bar at the top, the menu is on the left-hand side of the screen in Keap ™. Once you’re in a section, options are card based. The layout in Keap ™ is far more modern and much more like Trello and mobile applications. 

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: the dashboard. 

This is also card based in Keap ™, but cannot yet be customised. A large number of our clients have extensive dashboards they use daily - so this would not work for them. For people that have simpler needs, this wouldn’t be a problem though! This is very similar to most systems out there currently.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: the sales pipeline.

Within Keap ™, some major improvements have been made in the pipeline, both in terminology and ease of use. Leads are now a class of contact, which they are not in Infusionsoft ™ (rather you’d denote that by an opportunity stage).

Once someone has shown interest, they become a prospect, which is the new opportunities. So you have leads and prospects. Which is far simpler. Further to that, the sales pipeline now looks like a Trello board, and you can drag and drop your prospects to the right stage of their journey. This is far easier to use, so much more intuitive and honestly fun... There is however a loss of triggering campaign automation from stage movement, which is a shame.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: the contact record. 

This is vastly different between the two. The contact record in Keap ™ is completely card based. All the contact’s activity is easily visible, but to keep the record simple, some information is limited, like where the contact is within a campaign.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: tasks and appointments. 

One MAJOR improvement with Keap ™ is that it links to Google calendar to make appointments. This makes the calendar useful!

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: broadcasts. 

The sending, reporting, and templates are all consolidated into one place in Keap ™. There is the loss of using the advanced code builder, however.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: reporting. 

This section has simpler, better looking, more modern reports in Keap ™, albeit far fewer than in Infusionsoft ™.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: money. 

This section is very simple and efficient in Keap ™, with a clear dashboard for your invoices, quotes, and bank connections.

Keap™ vs Infusionsoft™: campaign builder. 

While Keap ™ still has a visual campaign builder, it is missing the following goals: 

No internal forms

No Note applied

No Lead score Achieved 

It is also missing the following sequence items: 

Communications - Voice 

Communications - Fax

Communications - Letter

Communications - Email (Legacy)

Process - Create Opportunity

Process - Fulfilment List

So while very similar, there are some significant differences. Some functionality has been lost to streamline and make Keap ™ easy to use. But that is only when you compare it to what Infusionsoft ™ can do.

Keap™ va Infusionsoft™: What is the difference in cost?

Keap was designed to be a simpler, lighter version of Infusionsoft. To make it more accessible to smaller businesses who can’t afford the cost either in terms of purchase, implementation or learning.  And so as a result there is a difference in cost between the two. 

Keap starts from $79 per month. Whereas Infusionsoft™ starts around $199/month. The lower price point may make Keap™ a much more desirable option for small businesses looking to grow.

In conclusion

The awesome thing about Infusionsoft ™ is its amazing capabilities with automation, but it’s power pay off is complexity.

Keap ™ is far simpler, it is Infusionsoft ™ light, and that lightness is perfect for any of you who have labelled Infusionsoft ™ “confusionsoft”. 

Keap ™ may be the perfect addition to help small businesses grow with its smaller price tag and learning curve. 

Related content:

• Part one - What is Infusionsoft?
• Part two: What Infusionsoft is not