Experts view inbound marketing as a remarkable tool that can nurture prospects through the sales funnel and boost conversion rates 10-fold. They're right, but there's a catch. To the newcomer, inbound marketing is complex and involves a steep learning curve. There is much you need to know before you invest. Star Gates: Your Passage to Inbound Marketing is your all-in-one guide. It demonstrates how to master the preliminary disciplines essential to success, and provides side-by-side comparison of leading vendors including Pardot, HubSpot, Marketo and Oracle Eloqua by feature and price, helping you make an informed decision on the inbound marketing partner best suited to your needs. The book is "must reading" for C-level executives, marketing leaders, advertising and PR pros looking for a plain English explanation of how to put inbound marketing to work for their company. It is loaded with examples, charts and case studies that make it easy to learn this complex, but highly effective approach to driving new revenue and profits. Star Gates reveals the best deals to look for, and points a spotlight on scams to avoid -- hidden charges for database storage that can quickly exceed the cost of inbound marketing software itself; overpriced training courses; and some vendors' deceptive practice of advertising monthly charges when in reality they require a one-year contract and payment of the full annual amount up front. Most importantly, Star Gates is100% fact-based. Marketing/communications expert and former investigative journalist James Crawford is not affiliated with or compensated by any inbound marketing firm. This book provides the straight scoop on this growing industry, without bias or favoritism for any its participants.