selecting a marketing automation vendor

Selecting a Marketing Automation Vendor

September 3, 2009

© Left Brain Marketing Inc. All Rights Reserved 2

About Left Brain

What – Full-service Marketing Automation Agency Key Attributes – Large & Small company experience, Project & Agency-based services Value Prop – Deep Marketing Automation Expertise on multiple platforms

Services Marketing Automation Planning

Strategy, Program Design, Nurturing, Lead Scoring, Demand Gen

Marketing Automation Production Design and Management of programs (Project or Agency)

Creative Services Copy writing, landing page creation, graphic design

Collateral Creation eBooks, Newsletters, Case Studies, Podcasts, Webinars

SFDC System set-up, Dashboards, Customization

Vendor Selection

•  Focus on BtoB or BtoC? •  Platform performance •  Data Loss potential •  Interface - Ease of Use •  Implementation •  Maintenance •  Integration with CRM, etc •  Training, Services and Support •  Email Delivery •  Up-time/Down-time •  Reporting •  Hand-off to Sales

© Leftbrain Marketing Inc. All Rights Reserved 3

Dispelling a few myths

1.  Ease of use = success 2.  You can get a “starter” system 3.  I don’t have budget 4.  ???


Features & Functions


DYNAMIC LISTS

VISITOR TRACKING

DYNAMIC CONTENT

BLOCKS

LEAD SCORING

CAMPAIGN MGMT

REPORTING CRM DATA SYNC

EMAIL ENGINE

CONTENT MGMT

SYSTEM

SALES LEAD INSIGHT

TOOLS

WEB FORM & LANDING

PAGE BUILDER

Required Features & Functions


DYNAMIC LISTS

VISITOR TRACKING

LEAD SCORING

CAMPAIGN MGMT

REPORTING CRM DATA SYNC

WEB FORM & LANDING

PAGE BUILDER


Functionality – Does your choice of tool make a difference?

§  Lead Scoring

§  Dynamic Content

§  Campaign Management

§  Progressive Pro"ling

Lead Scoring

§  Demographic (Quali"cation, Explicit) Criteria •  Industry, Job Title, Role, Budget, Timeline

§  Behavioral (Interest, Implicit) Criteria •  Recency, Frequency, Collateral, Email, Events


Qualification

Interest Lead Score + =

Lead Scoring – what to consider

§  Single or multi-model scoring §  Multiple factor models

•  Demographic •  Behavioral

§  Presentation of the score •  Raw number or A, B, C •  Rolled into one


Dynamic Content Blocks



Bought it.

Bought it.

Bought it.

Bought it.

Not even sure what it is?

Personalize?

12

Campaign Management

Another Option


Progressive Pro"ling

What: Asking a new question each return visit What to look for: §  Ability to vary number of "elds §  Ability to inquire database to “pick” "eld


Don’t do this.


Suggestions: 1. Ask only what you absolutely need 2. Use each additional piece of information to better segment 3. Be sure the prospect is sold on your value first 4. How else do you collect data?

Selecting a vendor

§  Identify what’s important to you §  Demo best practices §  Have a checklist §  Do your own research §  Understand hidden costs


What criteria count?

Criteria MA #1 2 3 4 5 6

Ease of Use 7.0 6.0 7.3 5.7 8.0 4.3 Repor4ng & Analy4cs 8.3 9.5 7.3 6.7 2.7 4.7 Workflow mapping 4.3 4.0 4.3 2.3 2.7 3.0

Lead Scoring 4.7 4.5 4.0 3.7 2.7 3.0 Depth of Func4onality including Integra4ons

4.7 4.0 3.7 3.0 3.0 3.0

Sales Alignment Func4onality

4.7 2.5 3.3 3.0 4.0 2.7

Totals 33.7 30.5 30.0 24.3 23.0 20.7

Different criteria

MA #1 2 3 4

Licenses 1 year subscrip4on 1 year subscrip4on 1 year subscrip4on 1 year subscrip4on

Release schedule Every 6 mos Every 2 months

Training Addi4onal cost Included

Support Addi4onal cost, 4ered Included Included; premium available

Connectors to CRM Addi4onal Cost Included Included Included

Enduser requirements (headcount)

Domain expert required, usually full 4me employee

Power User; between 25 to 50% of an individual’s 4me

Power User; between 25 to 50% of an individual’s 4me

Power user between 25 to 50% of an individual’s 4me

Pricing model Tiered by func4onality All-‐inclusive, based on data base size

Fixed email ceiling; addi4onal cost past threshold

Pressure to upgrade to expanded products

Yes No No Yes

Summary

Significantly higher TCO than other 3

On par to 3 Lowest TCO Between 1 and 2



What questions to ask in the Demo.

§  If possible, go through two waves of demos §  Demo-awareness – show me, don’t just explain it §  Dedicated versus shared IP Address §  What do you mean I can’t send my emails on Tuesdays? §  What’s their service and support model? §  What’s their customer retention rate? §  Can I speak to three ex-customers to "nd out why

they’ve left? §  Email deliverability

AcJvity

•  Demonstrate the process to create a Form.

•  Demonstrate the process to create a Landing Page.

•  Demonstrate the process to create an Email Template.

•  Show us how to build a list for a campaign?

•  Show us how to build a three-‐touch nurture?

•  What does your events module look like?

•  Can you show us three reports that come standard with the solu4on?

•  Can you show us how to modify one of these reports?

•  Can we see lead scoring?

•  Do you have an example of a microsite?

•  Can you collect data on us in this demo and then show us how data is reported in SFDC or other CRM system?

•  Can you show me a produc4zed connector that is working (e.g. Omniture, Coremetrics)?

•  Can you show me your customer self-‐help portal?

•  Can we see one or two other marke4ng channels that the system integrates: purls, print, voice broadcast, text message, direct mail, chat, RSS, social networking solu4ons?

•  Did they offer you to take control and use the system during the mee4ng?


Sample Demo Checklist


What to expect. Implementation §  Ease – Usually quick and relatively easy (hours to days) §  Cost – Usually free, although Eloqua & B2B Engage charge

•  Hidden costs – changing forms, rebuilding brand-approved templates, time

First 90 days §  Getting started – One has mandatory training, most others offer some

amount of initial free support §  Low-hanging fruit

90+ days §  Knowledge/Skill sets §  Expectations/Time to value


Making the right decision.

§  Involve the end-user in the evaluation process

§  Identify internal & external resources

§  Develop a “What I want To Do” List

§  Do I need an RFP?

Preparing your Organization

§  Required Skills •  Production •  Strategy •  Training (online vs. live vs. one-on-one) •  Agency vs. going it alone

§  The Hidden Cost §  Internal Alignment



Potholes

§  90-120 days is probably the most common place where

marketers stumble

§  Failing to dedicate enough time on an on-going basis

(it’s a learning process)

§  Going too fast

§  Not involving the end-users in the process

selecting a marketing automation vendor

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