19 stress points of marketing automation

@TopRightPartner

19StressPointsRelatedtoMarketingAutomation

SponsorshipIssues

@TopRightPartner

1


“Obviouslythisisgoing toneedclosecoordination withongoing ITprojects.Thiscanbeanaggressiveaddition toourCustomerDataWarehouseprogram.”

- CIO

Conditionsforsuccess:• It’skeythatexecutivespubliclyandpassionatelydeclaresponsorship andsupport fortheMarketingAutomation initiative

• Leadersmustappeartotheteamas“inthegame”andheldpersonallyaccountablefortheiractions

StressPoint

@TopRightPartner

“Look,IknowJohnisanimportantmemberofyourMarketing team,butIneedhimback.IjustlostJane.”

-Manager

Conditionsforsuccess:

• Theprojectmustbeappropriatelystaffedwithhigh-quality, highperforming talenttomeetthebusinessobjectives

• Resourcesontheprogramshould tobepeoplewhoarereallyimportant tothebusiness

• Peoplemustsupport thedecisiononceitismade

2


StressPoint

ResourceDraining

SnipingandRumors

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3

“Theysaythisisallaboutautomatingsomeoftheheavylifting thatwedotodayinrunning campaigns,but itdoesn’t takeageniustofigureoutthatthisisgoing toresultinlayoffsonthemarketingteam”

-MarketingAssociate

ConditionsforSuccess:

• It’srequiredtohaveclearcommunicationsandnurtureofinvolvement,practicing“straighttalk”andhonesty

• Theremustbeasharedunderstanding ofthedesiredbusinessoutcomeandfullyalignmentofdemandsandnextsteps

• It’skeytocommunicatetheimportanceofMarketingAutomationtothebusinessateveryavailableopportunity


StressPoint

ScopeCrisis#1

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4

“Togettothebottom-linebenefitswe’reafter,weneedtoimmediatelyevaluateallofourexistingcustomertouchpointsacrossmarketing, sales,service,operationsandfinance”

-ProjectLeader


• Theremustbeasharedunderstanding ofthedesiredbusinessoutcome

• Theprojectstaffshould representthecross-functionalexpertiseneeded tomeetthebusinessobjectives


StressPoint

5

“You’veshownusthecustomerpersonas, thejourneymapandanimplementationplanthatisbasedonabunchofassumptionsandthings thatwejustdon’tknowyet-- andyouwanthowmuchmoney tolaunchyourprototype?”

-CFO

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• Theremustbeamutuallyagreedbusinessoutcomethatisclearlydefinedandmeasurableintermsofstrategic,operational,economicandorganizationalbenefit

• It’simperativetobuildabusinesscaseforjustifying theinvestmentandquantifying theexpectedreturn


StressPoint

TestofNerve

6

“Ireallydon’tunderstandwhywearefocusingon‘transformation’ --weallknowthataninbound marketingapproachisnotconsistentwithourfeet-on-the-streetsalesstrategy”

-VP,Sales

@TopRightPartner


•Anagileimplementationplanshould inplaceandagreedwithallinvolvedparties

•Decisionsshouldnotdividethegroup intowinnersandlosers

•Projectleadermustkeepteamengagedandsharenewsuccessstories


StressPoint

SmokeandFire

7

WetBlankets

“ThenewMarketingworkflow looksfine,butyouareaskingustointegratedatafrommoresourcesystemsinsixmonths thanwe’vedoneinsixyears”

-VP,Technology

@TopRightPartner


• Leadersmustberealistic,maintainingscope,teamandtimeinbalance

• It’simportanttosetupexpectationsandhaveaclearunderstanding ofneededbusinessresultsandtiming


StressPoint

8

“Wow,ifwe’vegottowriteoutthebusinessrulesforeverymajorexceptiontothisMarketingprocess,we’llbesittingherewritingthemuntilnextyear.They’reoutoftheirminds”

-ProjectLeader

@TopRightPartner


• Scopemustbealignedwithdesired results

•Keystakeholdersmusthavevisibilityofpotentialchallengesandoperationalimplications

•Decisionsthatarealreadybeing implementedshouldnotfrequently reconsidered


StressPoint

SuddenDepthScare

“I’mabsolutelyoverwhelmed. Ican’tevenbegin tospendenough timewiththeMarketing team-- Ineedtodishresponsibility fortheprojectto…”

-VP,CustomerExperience

9

@TopRightPartner


•Projectleadershould keeptheMarketingAutomationimplementationmoving, andmaintainitsmomentumthrough toresults

• It’simportantthattheexecutivesponsor haveatrackrecordofleading theorganization throughachangeeffortinthepast

•Keystakeholdersmusthavevisibilityofpotentialchallengesandoperationalimplications


StressPoint

SponsorSwitch

“Look,I’mresponsible forthebottom linearoundhere,soI’mgoingtocalltheshots”

-BusinessUnitLeader

10

@TopRightPartner


• Thesponsor shouldhaveascopeofauthority,powerorinfluencecommensuratewiththescopeofchangeinvolved

• Leadersmustdemonstratetheabilitytotakedecisions,makethingshappen, influenceothersandkeeptheteamengaged


StressPoint

OwnershipStruggle

“Okay,ifwetrytodoeverything inthisprojectplan,we’llneed26prototyping teams,7pilotprocessesandover50%ofthecompanyworkingonthishalf-time.”

-ProjectTeamMember

11

@TopRightPartner


• Theprojectshould berealistic,withscope,teamandtimeinbalance

• It’skeytomanageexpectationsandenergy,balancingworkandplaytokeeptheteamengaged


StressPoint

ScopeCrisis#2

12

“Thisisnotthewaytorunahighperformancemarketing teamandit’scertainlynotthewaywegothere”

-BusinessUnitLeader

@TopRightPartner


• Leadersneedtobehighlycredibleandcommandorganizationalrespect

• Leadersshould takepersonalresponsibility formanaginganymajorconflictsraised


StressPoint

InformedResistance

13

“Theinboundmarketingstrategyandmarketing technology initiativeslookverypromisingbutI’mgoing towaitandseehowthingsdevelopbeforeIcommitmoreattentiontothiseffortformybusiness”

-BusinessUnitLeader

@TopRightPartner


• ExposePASSIVEcommitment– SecureACTIVEcommitment

• Executivesshould publiclyandpassionatelydeclaresponsorship andsupport fortheMarketingAutomation initiative


StressPoint

PassiveCommitment

14

“Weweresupposed toincreasethequalityandthenumberofSalesQualifiedLeadsby5x.Aftersixweeks,we’reactuallyseeingfewerleads,lowerproductivityandourbestsalesguysaregrumbling”

-VP,Sales

@TopRightPartner


• It’scrucialtohaveaclearunderstandingofneededbusiness resultsandtiming

• ThescopeoftheMarketingAutomationprojectmustbeappropriatetoobtainthebusinessresultsdesired


StressPoint

EarlyResultsDisappointment

15

“Ican’tbelievethey’restillnotenteringcorrectdataaboutcustomerinteractionsandcontinuing towasteourtime-- theseguysjustdon’tgetwhatwe’retrying todowiththisproject!”

-ProjectLeader

@TopRightPartner


• Theprojectmustbeappropriatelystaffedwithhigh-quality,highperforming talenttomeetthebusinessobjectives

• Leadersshouldhavetheabilitytodelivercriticismeffectively

• It’simportanttopractice“straighttalk”andhonesty


StressPoint

RealWorldShock

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16

“It’sworking forthatbusinessunit.Iwanttoknowwhyitisn’tworking forallofthem!”

-CEO


• It’simportanttohaveaperformanceevaluationprocessinplace

• Stakeholders shouldhaveaclearunderstandingofneededbusinessresultsandtiming

• Eachkindofbusinessmayhaveadifferent resultandshouldhaveacustomizedperformancemeasure.Thescopemustbealignedwithdesiredresults


StressPoint

ShockoverEarlyFailures

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17

“Ithinkweneedtotakemoretimetounderstand thisbreakdowninthatbusinessuntilbeforewegoanyfurther”

-BusinessUnitLeader


• LeadersshouldhaveACTIVEcommitment forasuccessfulimplementation

• It’simportanttohaveaclearcommunicationofpurpose, timingandprocessofchange

•Decisionsmustbemadewithanunderstanding ofimplications


StressPoint

ImplementationCrawl

“ItookthisjobbecauseIlikedbeingabletodomyownthing–coming toworkisnevergoing tobethesameagain”

-MarketingAssociate

@TopRightPartner

18 ConditionsforSuccess:

• Employeesshould seethereasonsforchangeandbecomeactiveadopters

• It’simportanttohaveaclearrewardandrecognition forvaluecreationtokeepteamengaged

• Thereshouldbecommunicationson theimportanceofMarketingAutomation tothebusinessateveryavailableopportunity


StressPoint

PainofChangeorLoss

“Webetterletthisnewleadnurturing campaignrunafewmoremonthsbeforewecanbeclearonhowwellitworks.”

-ProjectLeader

@TopRightPartner

19 ConditionsforSuccess:

• It’simportanttohaveacleardefinition ofwhatsuccesslookslike

•Keyexecutivesandstakeholdersmustbefullyalignedonthepriorityoftheeffortandachievementofintendedoutcomes


StressPoint

EvaluationAvoidance

@TopRightPartner

AMarketingAutomationprojectcanbeajourneywithmanyupsanddowns…Butthestresspointsonthejourneyarepredictableandcanbemanagedtoassuresuccess.Infact,successinMarketingAutomationgoeswaybeyondjustchoosingtherightvendor.YouneedtohavetheFiveConditionsforMarketingAutomationSuccesstomaximizeyourROI.

Clickheretotaketheonlineassessmentnowandevaluateyourcurrentsituation,soyoucantakeappropriateactiontohavealltheconditionsinplaceforasuccessful

MarketingAutomationimplementation.