Jen Horton Research Director

How To Pick The Right Marketing Automation Platform

Executive Summary

• Key issues •  Marketing automation platforms (MAPs) are no longer viewed as a luxury, but as

mission critical •  The MAP marketplace is quickly innovating, presenting new opportunities for the

utilization of the technology •  Despite the growing prevalence of the technology, many organizations struggle with

MAP adoption

• What you will walk away with •  Emerging trends in the MAP marketplace, and their impact on users •  Top use cases for marketing automation application and adoption •  A framework for assessing current needs and evaluating offerings

SiriusPerspective: Robust demand creation includes elements that both support and grow demand.

Planned Campaigns Perpetual Leverage Rapid Response

The Healthier the Roots, the Greater the Growth

Growing Demand

Supporting Demand Strategic Foundation

Infrastructure

Organizational Structure

Process Definition

The SiriusDecisions Demand Creation Framework

Supporting Demand

Creating Demand

Strategic Foundation • Demand Type • Relative Targeting • Lead Taxonomy • Buyer Personas/Buying Cycle • Content Strategy

Infrastructure Assessment • Marketing Automation • Web Sites • Analytics • Sales Force Automation • Data Services

Organizational Structure • Field Marketing • Demand Center • Global Programs • Teleservices • Emerging Roles

Process Definition • Demand Waterfall • Lead Scoring and Nurturing • Service-Level Agreements • Campaign Planning • Budgeting

Rapid Response • Account-Based Marketing • Small-Net Fishing • Event Triggered

Perpetual Leverage • Inbound / PDC • Content Driven • Web Site Conversion Optimization • Behavior Triggered

Planned Campaigns • Integrated Programs • Nurture Flows • Sales Enablement • Pipeline Acceleration

What is a Marketing Automation Platform?

Marketing Automation as a technology solution that helps enable the seeding, creation, nurturing and acceleration of demand among prospects and customers.

MARKETING AUTOMATION PLATFORM

Program Management Lead Management Platform Management

•  Segmentation •  Automated Programs •  Asset Storage •  Email •  Landing Pages •  Forms

•  Scoring •  Routing •  Sales Enablement •  Data Update

•  Database •  SFA Integration •  Web site integration •  Security •  Email deliverability •  Reporting

Non-standard functionality: Dynamic web site content delivery, Search PPC, Social, Print, Mobile applications, resource management, software ecosystem

SiriusPerspective: Organizations that take the time to audit their current environment and prepare for MAP will establish a foundation for success and MAP value.

Project Management

Project Communication

Process Definition

Technology Requirements

Vendor Selection

Preparing for Marketing Automation

© 2013 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 6

SiriusPerspective: The definition of the project team and project roles increases alignment and improves execution.

MAP Project Team: Key Roles

7

MAP Management

MAP Specialist #1 MAP Coordinator #1

MAP Campaign Manager

Responsible for the management of MAP specialists and the overall value that MAP provides to organization.

Owns the collection, creation and distribution of best practices and working with marketers on how to apply MAP capabilities.

Executes design, quality assurance (QA), execution, maintenance and reporting on automated marketing programs and email distributions.

Executes standardized marketing automation requests relying on marketing playbooks, documentation and standard operating procedures.

Score MAPs Against Prioritized Use Case Needs

© 2013 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 8

2014 MAP Adoption Survey Results

SiriusPerspective: Overall, the penetration of b-to-b marketing automation is roughly 16 percent; some industries have deep adoption, while others don’t have much at all.

Marketing Automation Adoption Varies Greatly

44% B-to-B

29% B-to-C

21% B2B and

B2C 65%

Adoption 8%

Adoption 38%

Adoption 2%

Adoption 4%

Adoption

With MAP

Without MAP

Adoption Is Growing Rapidly SiriusPerspective: There are nearly 11 times more b-to-b organizations with marketing automation today than there were in early 2011.

2011 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 11

The growth rate of b-to-b marketing automation adoption is ~22% per year

2012 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 11

2013 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 11

2014 1 2 3

15K

10K

5K

0K Tota

l B-t

o-B

Cust

omer

s

SiriusPerspective: The marketing automation marketplace now offers more choice than ever in terms of solution offerings, vendor partners and best practice expertise.

Marketers Have More Choice

Deliver

Develop

Retain

Grow

Customer Lifecycle

Extending the value of MAP beyond net

new lead acquisition

Marketing Technology Stack

Single providers of integrated

marketing and sales solutions

Expansion

Seismic shifts have created

opportunities for emerging vendors

Partner Network Development

Access to expertise, best

practices and staff augmentation

SiriusPerspective: New features and functionality often require process change; users must identify top business needs in order to prioritize rollout and adoption.

More Choice: Opportunity or More Work?

Platform Feature Decision and Actions

Technology Ecosystem

Dynamic Web

Testing and Optimization

Pre-Packaged Plays

Workflow and Resource Management

Prioritize use cases P

Audit and map content P P

Build in the time P P

Focus on frequent requests P P

Audit process performance P

Predictive Assess Data Quality and Governance P

SiriusPerspective: Mid-size enterprises are able to overcome their process complexity and

are administrative burdens to drive value out of marketing automation investments.

What Organizations Are Ge!ing the Most MAP Value?

Administration §  Training and skill

development

§  Limited resources

Complexity §  Offerings §  Segments §  Regions §  Systems/data

Agree

Neither Agree or Disagree

Disagree

SiriusPerspective: When roles and processes are well defined and MAP training is provided, a hybrid approach empowers the field while ensuring quality output.

A Hybrid Execution Model Drives Value Perception

Since turnaround is fast, users risk getting overloaded, and quality may suffer

Don’t become IT − empower teams to take action

Centralized

Hybrid

Decentralized

Driving Value Disappointed

SiriusPerspective: Do not underestimate the need to invest in resources; automation technologies executed without a sound business process are likely to fail.

The Silver Bullet Myth, Debunked

MAP

Power

Casual

Power

Casual

SiriusPerspective: The growth rate of MAP adoption is outpacing user experience and skill development, as many users are relatively new to b-to-b process change.

Marketing Automation Experience Is Still Scarce

More than 40% of MAP users have less

than two years of experience

Gap in manager- and director-level

leadership

SiriusPerspective: Previously, nurture was primarily focused on cultivating net new demand; now, there is greater emphasis throughout the waterfall.

Nurture Branches Out From Pre-MQL Legacy

16 Total

5.3 unique pre-MQL tracks, on average

1 out of 3 of nurture

tracks are targeted to the

customer

Recycle Programs in place but have their challenges

Small-Net Fishing experimentation at

3 percent of automated nurture

SiriusPerspective: Nurture is evolving beyond the drip email; it is most effective when aligned to buyer needs and communication preferences.

Nurture Tactics Are Finally Evolving

25% are by Persona

30% are by Industry

45% are by Topic

27% are by Buying Stage

16% use Ad Retargeting

23% inject Tele

10% integrate Chat

Nurture Design Nurture Enhancement

10% do Web Optimization

SiriusPerspective: Most organizations that have implemented lead scoring do not have a viable model, and are therefore unable to realize the full value of scoring.

Lead Scoring Isn’t Impressing Sales

Only 40% of salespeople agree or strongly agree

that lead scoring is effective

Homework §  Deal

deconstruction §  Sales interviews §  Simulation §  Pilot

68% Score leads

16% plan to score in 6 months

15% Don’t score leads

SiriusPerspective: Vendors tend to overpromise on reporting capability; thus, marketing leaders are adding business intelligence or a third layer on top of their MAP and SFA.

Reporting Capabilities Are Not Always as Advertised

Only 45% satisfied with

reporting

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

Audit systems integration and fix broken processes to drive near real-

time analysis

SiriusPerspective: Organizations that measure waterfall performance on a daily or weekly basis can proactively correct course before significant problems occur.

Near-Real-Time Measurement Is a Competitive Advantage

measure

waterfall performance daily/weekly

49%

measure contribution to revenue

daily/weekly

33%

7% don’t measure

waterfall KPIs or metrics at all

Action Items

• Marketing •  Document and prioritize use cases for marketing automation needs •  Drive awareness and adoption of MAP value through templates, playbooks and

testing new plays •  Sales •  Work with marketing to optimize the delivery of buyer insights and automate

engagement for sales reps •  Consider ways MAP could accelerate stalled pipeline

•  Product •  Collaborate with marketing on nurture approaches and ensure nurtures align to

buyer’s journey •  Identify ways marketing can automate product education, drive adoption and

capture customer feedback