Avoiding a Marketing Automation Train Wreck

Editor's Notes

• #3: compared with other systems – by user and life stage
• #4: compared with other systems – by user and life stage
• #5: by function
• #6: by process – it really is a process
• #7: Why:- more leads- better nurturing How:- replace point solutions- more programs (scope and productivity)- independent capabilities (less reliance on Web and IT staff)- closer sales integration
• #8: 6 Mistakes to avoid - buying without a cause- choosing best/most/coolest features- looking only at leaders- skipping scenarios- ignoring references- skimping on deployment
• #10: Define Requirements  Create a list of your goals in buying the system. Relate these to financial values when possible. Then define how you’ll use the system to meet these goals, being as specific as you can about the actual processes involved. Be sure to include processes beyond what you do already: one of the reasons you’re looking at marketing automation is to expand what your department can accomplish. Your requirements are based on the tasks you must perform to meet your goals.
• #11: Goals / Related RequirementsGenerate more leadsManage online and offline advertising campaignsImport email address lists and send personalized emailsMonitor and publish to social mediaBuild and deploy landing pages to capture responses Use IP address to identify the company of Web site visitorsMore effective nurturingCapture the source and Web site activities of each visitorCreate Web forms to gather information about visitorsScore visitors based on form responses and Web behaviorsExecute multi-step campaigns tailored to different groups Use visitor behavior to trigger campaigns and other actions Better sales integrationSynchronize data between sales and marketing systemsSend leads to sales based on lead score and actionsSend alerts to sales based on Web site behaviorsReport on revenue generated by leads from marketingMore efficient marketing operationsStore marketing materials and share across programsTrack planned and actual costs of marketing programsManage tasks and approvals during program development
• #12: Goals / Related RequirementsGenerate more leadsManage online and offline advertising campaignsImport email address lists and send personalized emailsMonitor and publish to social mediaBuild and deploy landing pages to capture responses Use IP address to identify the company of Web site visitorsMore effective nurturingCapture the source and Web site activities of each visitorCreate Web forms to gather information about visitorsScore visitors based on form responses and Web behaviorsExecute multi-step campaigns tailored to different groups Use visitor behavior to trigger campaigns and other actions Better sales integrationSynchronize data between sales and marketing systemsSend leads to sales based on lead score and actionsSend alerts to sales based on Web site behaviorsReport on revenue generated by leads from marketingMore efficient marketing operationsStore marketing materials and share across programsTrack planned and actual costs of marketing programsManage tasks and approvals during program development
• #13: Raab Associates’ B2B Marketing Automation Vendor Selection Tool (VEST) provides a good starting point for matching possible vendors to your requirements. In particular, match the scale and sophistication of your marketing operations to the different buyer segments used in the report. Bear in mind that company size alone doesn’t necessary predict the depth of your requirements: small businesses can run complex marketing programs, and large business programs may be simple. Company Type / Key System FeaturesMicro-business Outbound email and multi-step nurture campaignsLanding pages and formsBuilt-in sales and service featuresBuilt-in or integrate with ecommerce and shopping cartSmall to mid-size businessOutbound email and multi-step nurture campaignsLanding pages and formsWeb site visitor trackingLead scoring (one score per lead)Integrate with external sales automation systemLarge businessOutbound email and multi-step nurture campaignsLanding pages and formsWeb site visitor trackingLead scoring (multiple scores per lead)Integrate with external sales automation systemManage marketing budgets, program tasks and approvalsAdd custom data tables with data from many sources Limit different users to different tasks and programs
• #14: Develop scenarios that describe actual marketing projects you expect to run through the system, and have the most promising vendors demonstrate how they would execute them. Scenarios based on your own needs are critical for understanding how well each system would function in your own environment. Be sure that some scenarios describe your more complicated processes, since these are most likely to highlight differences among systems. If vendor staff executes the scenarios for you, be sure to understand how much the vendor built in advance. This ensures that you get an accurate sense of the total work effort involved. Scenario / StepsOutbound email campaignImport list from CSV file, from ExcelCompose personalized emails with embedded graphicsCreate landing page with data entry formSet automated email response to form submissionsSet rules to score leads and send qualified leads to salesReport on results: sent, opened, clicked, completed formNurture campaignSet start and end date for campaignSet rules to select leads, based on attributes and behaviorsSet priority of campaign vs. other campaignsDefine multi-step flow with wait periods between stepsSet rules for different treatments for segments within stepsSet rules to score leads and send qualified leads to salesCreate emails, landing pages, and formsReport on results including leads to sales and revenueRevenue reportingDefine stages in lead lifecycleDefine rules to assign leads to lifecycle stagesReport on movement of leads through lifecycle stagesSet up process to import revenue from sales systemDefine rules to link revenue to campaignsDefine rules to estimate incremental revenue per campaignReport on revenue generated per campaignCapture campaign costsReport on campaign revenue vs. campaign cost
• #15: This is an often-overlooked source of insight. The question isn’t whether the references are happy, but whether your situations are similar enough that you’re likely to be happy as well. Find out whether the reference is using the system functions you care about, how long they took to get started, the amount of training and process change required, what problems they had, and how the vendor responded. Issue / Questions to askSystem fit vs. my needsWhat kinds of programs do you run with the system?How many programs do you run each month?How many people at your company use the system?System reliabilityHow often has the system been unavailable?What kinds of bugs have you run into?Ease of useHow much training did you need to use the system?What kinds of tasks need outside help to accomplish?How long does it take to set up different kinds of programs?Vendor supportHow well does the vendor respond when you ask for help?How quickly do problems get solved?Does the vendor ever offer assistance before you ask?What help does the vendor provide with email deliverability?CostDid you negotiate any special pricing?Did you pay extra for implementation and on-going support? Were there any unexpected costs after you started?
• #16: Nearly all marketing automation vendors will let you try their system for a limited period. Trials are a great way to learn what it’s really like to use a system, but only if they are managed effectively. This means you need to invest in training and then set up and execute actual projects. As with scenario demonstrations, you may still rely on the vendor to handle some of the more demanding aspects of the project, but, again, make sure you see how hard it will eventually be to do them for yourself.What you can learn from a trialHow hard it is to install the systemHow hard it is to set up a campaignHow hard it is to make changes and reuse materialsWhat features are available or missing (if you test them)Quality of training classes and materials (if you try them)What you can’t learn from a trialHow the system handles large volumes of data, users, etc.Results from complex or long-running campaignsAccuracy of scoring and reportsQuality of customer service and supportQuality of vendor partners (agencies, integrators, etc.)
• #17: Don’t let the selection process drag on. Selection is a means to an end, not a goal in itself. Unless you have very specialized needs, there are probably several marketing automation systems that will meet your requirements. Look at your key criteria and assess how well each vendor matches them – bearing in mind that a system can be too powerful as well as too simple. Once you’ve found one that you are confident will be sufficient, go ahead and buy it. Then you can start on what’s really important: better marketing results. Selection criteria: Key factors (Vendor Fit: Too Little /Appropriate / Too Much)FunctionsOutbound emailLanding page and formsWeb behavior trackingLead scoringMulti-step campaignsSales integrationReporting and analysisUsabilityEasy to learnEfficient to useTechnologyEasy installationFlexibilityCostDirect (software and support)Indirect (staff, training, services) PredictableExpansion costsVendorStaff resourcesProduct plansFinancial Stability
• #18: Invest in DeploymentMarketing automation systems allow major improvements in marketing results. But those improvements require more than just a new system. If you don’t already have a formal description of the stages that prospects move through to become buyers, build one and instrument your systems to measure it. Use the stages as a framework to plan, design and develop a balanced set of marketing programs. Invest in the staff training and content to execute those programs successfully. Document and improve internal marketing processes. Work closely with sales to define lead scoring rules, hand-off mechanisms and service levels, and ways to capture results. Build measurement systems and use them to hold marketers at every level of the department responsible for results they control. Bring in outside resources, such as agencies and consultants, when you lack the internal expertise or time to do the work in-house.Goal / TasksBalanced set of marketing programsDefine lead lifecycle (buying process and buyer roles)Map existing programs to process stages and identify gapsPrioritize new programs to close gapsExecute programs and measure resultsRefine programs with versions for different segmentsMeasurementTrack leads through stages in the buying processImport revenue from sales systemsLink revenue to lead source (acquisition programs)Measure incremental impact (nurture programs)Project future revenue from current lead inventoryProcess managementDefine processes to execute marketing programsIdentify tasks and responsibilities within each processDefine measures to capture task performanceAssess existing processes and possible improvementsMonitor execution, test improvements, check results, repeatSales alignmentIdentify key contacts between sales and marketingAgree on process for lead qualification, transfer to salesAgree on measures for lead quality, revenue attributionDeploy agreed processes, monitor results, review regularlyStaff trainingDefine skills needed to deploy new systemAssess existing staff skills and identify gapsPlan initial training to close gapsPlan on-going training to maintain and expand skills