Hey Smart Marketers!
Today I want to talk about the different stages of a Salesforce Marketing Cloud instance.
Not every instance is well-built or used.
For some, we could barely call that “Marketing Automation” … when other instances seem to be fueled with nitro!
However, you can’t just go from crawling to running in a snap.
But first, you’ve got to know where you are.
Let’s dive in:
#1 Crawl: Minimum Tech, Automation, and Profitability
You’ll find this early stage within small companies with little to no support and in the first months of a larger organization.
Symptoms:
- Use of one single channel: Email
- Lists and sometimes Data extensions but no data model in Contact Builder
- Emails based on Content Builder Templates
- No Cloud Pages
- No Automations
- No Journeys in Journey Builder
- Little to no personalization in emails (mainly %%First_Name%%)
- No transactional Email
- Basic Preference Center
Mandatory to move to the next stage:
- Marketing Cloud users upskilling
- Send Reports
Obviously, you’ll have to skill up users and focus on low-hanging fruits (high value, low complexity use cases) to create Traction.
A company that doesn’t move from Crawl to Walk will likely churn.
#2 Walk: Automate!
This stage is all about Automation.
You begin getting value from Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
Symptoms:
- Synchronized Data Extensions
- Automations running and monitored
- Custom Preference Center
- Fundamental Journeys
- Personalized communications.
Mandatory to move to the next stage: Advanced Reports
We’re playing the Pareto game here: looking for 20% of efforts generating 80% of benefits. We need to be able to measure marketing efficiency.
#3 Run: Double down on what’s working
You identified your most efficient use cases.
And you know your customers. So you have a clear vision of your personae.
Now, you can optimize the marketing mix: channels, offers, and content.
Symptoms:
- Other channels are active (Mobile Studio, Advertising Studio…)
- Multiple versions of Journeys
- Automated Reports
- Database consistent growth
Mandatory to move to the next stage:
If you need to create a user story in Jira or else to create a new customer journey in Journey Builder, you’re still Running. That means you need help with data, emails, filters…
#4 Sprint: Fine Tuning
The ultimate stage of adoption on a marketing automation tool would be (and it’s very rare) fully automated asset creation, synchronized data, reduced time-to-market, and easy testing.
Symptoms:
- No Jira for Journeys
- Interactive Emails
- Einstein Features
- Real-time access to reports.
Reaching Sprint is a target you should set for every brand but don’t worry if you don’t hit it. This stage demands a clear process, skilled resources, and optimal use of data.
As of today, reaching this stage would mean a very high level of maturity on the business side and a very high level of effort on the IT side. Keep in mind every organization can’t reach it but always try.
That’s all for today.
See you next week!
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