By focusing on personalized, data-driven marketing, ABM enables companies to engage with specific accounts more effectively than traditional broad-based approaches. However, the increased use of data in ABM also brings greater responsibility to ensure compliance with data privacy laws. With regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and others gaining traction worldwide, companies must take proactive steps to protect personal data. Failing to comply can result in hefty fines, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust. Let's explore how to navigate the complexities of data privacy laws while leveraging an ABM platform to drive your marketing efforts. Understand the Data Privacy Regulations That Apply to Your Business Before diving into the specifics of compliance, it’s crucial to understand which data privacy laws apply to your business. Different regions have different regulations, and staying compliant often means adhering to multiple laws simultaneously. Key Data Privacy Laws to Consider: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): Applies to companies targeting or processing the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of where the company is based. CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act): Protects the privacy rights of California residents and applies to businesses that meet certain criteria related to revenue, data processing, or customer base. PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act): Governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information in Canada. Suggestion: Conduct a comprehensive audit of your target markets to determine which data privacy regulations apply to your ABM efforts. Consult with legal experts to ensure compliance across all regions. Adopt a data minimization approach One of the core principles of data privacy laws like GDPR is data minimization. This means collecting only the data you need for specific, legitimate purposes. Over-collecting data can increase your risk of non-compliance and data breaches. Best practices for data minimization in ABM: Define Clear Data Collection Criteria : Only collect data that is essential for your ABM campaigns, such as job titles, company names, and professional contact information. Avoid Collecting Sensitive Personal Data : Steer clear of sensitive information like social security numbers, health data, or personal addresses unless absolutely necessary. Regularly Review Data : Implement a process to regularly review and purge outdated or unnecessary data from your ABM platform. Suggestion: Work with your ABM platform provider to configure data collection settings that align with data minimization principles. This can help reduce compliance risks and build trust with your target accounts. Obtain Explicit Consent for Data Collection and Processing Transparency is key when it comes to data privacy. Many regulations require businesses to obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting or processing their data. This is especially important if you are targeting individuals within the EU under GDPR regulations. Tips for Gaining Consent in ABM: Use Clear Opt-In Forms: Ensure that your lead capture forms are clear, concise, and offer a straightforward opt-in option. Avoid using pre-checked boxes, as they may not comply with consent requirements. Provide a Detailed Privacy Policy: Include a link to your privacy policy in all data collection touchpoints, explaining how you collect, use, and protect personal data. Offer Opt-Out Options: Give your prospects the option to opt out of data collection or communications at any time. This builds trust and helps you stay compliant. Suggestion: Implement a consent management solution within your ABM platform to ensure that you are collecting, storing, and managing consent records in a compliant manner. Leverage Data Anonymization and Encryption To protect the personal data you collect through your ABM efforts, consider using data anonymization and encryption techniques. These practices can help you comply with data protection regulations while still enabling you to extract valuable insights from your data. How Anonymization and Encryption Can Help: Data Anonymization: Anonymizing data involves removing personally identifiable information (PII) so that it cannot be traced back to an individual. This can reduce your risk in case of a data breach. Data Encryption: Encrypting data ensures that even if unauthorized parties access it, they won’t be able to read or use it. Use end-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest to enhance security. Suggestion: Work with your IT and data security teams to implement robust data anonymization and encryption protocols within your ABM platform. Ensure that your third-party providers are also compliant with these measures. Implement Data Governance Policies Data governance refers to the overall management of data availability, usability, integrity, and security. Having strong data governance policies in place is essential for ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and maintaining the trust of your target accounts. Key Elements of Effective Data Governance: Data Access Controls: Limit access to sensitive data to only those employees who need it to perform their jobs. Data Retention Policies: Establish clear guidelines for how long you will retain data and when it should be deleted. This helps you comply with data retention requirements. Regular Audits and Monitoring: Conduct regular data audits to ensure compliance with data privacy laws and identify any potential vulnerabilities. Suggestion: Develop a data governance framework that outlines your policies and procedures for managing data within your ABM platform. Train your marketing and sales teams on these policies to ensure consistent compliance. Use Privacy-Friendly Targeting Techniques ABM platforms offer advanced targeting capabilities, but it’s important to use them in a way that respects data privacy. For example, using third-party cookies and tracking pixels may raise compliance concerns, especially under GDPR and CCPA regulations. Privacy-Friendly Targeting Methods: First-Party Data: Focus on collecting first-party data through direct interactions with your target accounts, such as website visits, form submissions, and email engagements. Contextual Targeting: Use contextual targeting to deliver personalized content based on the context of a user’s visit rather than relying on personal data. IP Address Targeting: While targeting by IP address can be effective, be aware of privacy laws that may restrict its use, particularly in regions like the EU. Suggestion: Evaluate your ABM platform’s targeting capabilities and adjust your settings to prioritize privacy-friendly methods. This can help you stay compliant while still achieving your marketing objectives. Stay Updated on Evolving Data Privacy Laws Data privacy regulations are constantly evolving, with new laws being introduced and existing ones being updated. Staying compliant requires ongoing vigilance and adaptability. How to Stay Informed: Subscribe to Industry Newsletters: Keep up with the latest developments in data privacy laws by subscribing to industry newsletters and legal updates. Work with Legal Experts: Partner with legal experts who specialize in data privacy to conduct regular compliance reviews of your ABM platform and practices. Regular Training and Education: Continuously educate your marketing and sales teams on data privacy best practices to ensure compliance. Suggestion: Establish a compliance task force within your organization that is responsible for monitoring data privacy laws and updating your ABM practices accordingly. Final thoughts... Ensuring compliance with data privacy laws is a critical aspect of running a successful ABM strategy. By adopting a data minimization approach, obtaining explicit consent, leveraging anonymization and encryption, and implementing robust data governance policies, you can protect your organization from legal risks while building trust with your target accounts. At Sojourn Solutions, we specialize in helping B2B organizations optimize their ABM strategies while staying compliant with data privacy regulations. Ready to take your ABM efforts to the next level?  Contact us today for a consultation on how to integrate compliance into your ABM strategy.

Unlike traditional marketing approaches that cast a wide net, ABM focuses on identifying and engaging specific key accounts with personalized strategies. The goal? Building deeper relationships, accelerating the sales cycle, and increasing revenue. However, ABM often requires significant investments in time, resources, and technology. This can make it challenging to get buy-in from stakeholders who are looking for measurable ROI and quick wins. The key to sustaining ABM initiatives is demonstrating their long-term value to stakeholders. So, how can you effectively communicate the benefits of ABM and showcase its impact over time? Set Clear, Measurable Goals Aligned with Business Objectives The first step in proving the long-term value of ABM is to establish clear, measurable goals that align with your organization's broader business objectives. Stakeholders are more likely to support initiatives that are directly tied to revenue growth, customer retention, and overall company performance. Key Metrics to Track: Revenue Growth from Target Accounts: Show how ABM contributes to closing deals with high-value accounts. Pipeline Velocity: Measure how quickly target accounts move through the sales pipeline compared to non-ABM accounts. Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): Demonstrate the increased value of long-term relationships with key accounts. Net Promoter Score (NPS): Highlight improvements in customer satisfaction and loyalty among target accounts. Suggestion: Develop a dashboard that tracks these metrics and aligns them with your company's strategic goals. Regularly share updates with stakeholders to demonstrate progress. Emphasize the Quality Over Quantity Approach ABM is not about generating a high volume of leads; it's about targeting and converting high-value accounts that are more likely to become long-term, profitable customers. This focus on quality over quantity can be a game-changer, but it may require a shift in mindset for stakeholders accustomed to traditional lead generation metrics. Key Points to Highlight: Higher Conversion Rates: Emphasize that ABM campaigns typically yield higher conversion rates due to personalized outreach. Increased Deal Size: Showcase data that proves ABM leads to larger deal sizes compared to traditional marketing methods. Stronger Account Relationships: Illustrate how ABM fosters deeper, more meaningful relationships with key accounts, leading to repeat business and upsell opportunities. Suggestion: Share case studies and success stories that highlight the impact of ABM on specific accounts. This can help stakeholders visualize the long-term potential of ABM. Leverage Data and Analytics to Prove Impact Data is your best friend when it comes to demonstrating the value of ABM. By leveraging analytics, you can provide concrete evidence of how your ABM efforts are driving results. What to Track: Account Engagement: Use tools like intent data, website analytics, and engagement scores to show how target accounts are interacting with your brand. Marketing Influence on Pipeline: Track the influence of ABM campaigns on the sales pipeline, showing how marketing efforts are driving pipeline growth. Attribution Models: Implement multi-touch attribution models to demonstrate how different ABM touchpoints contribute to revenue. Suggestion: Create regular ABM performance reports that include data visualizations and insights. Present these reports to stakeholders in quarterly business reviews (QBRs) to keep them informed of your progress. Highlight the Long-Term ROI of ABM ABM is a long-term strategy that may not deliver immediate results, but its benefits compound over time. To secure stakeholder buy-in, you need to highlight the long-term ROI of your ABM efforts. Key Benefits to Showcase: Reduced Customer Acquisition Costs: By focusing on high-value accounts, ABM can reduce the cost of acquiring new customers. Increased Customer Retention: ABM's personalized approach fosters loyalty, leading to higher customer retention rates. Upsell and Cross-Sell Opportunities: ABM can help you identify and capitalize on upsell and cross-sell opportunities within existing accounts. Suggestion: Develop a financial model that projects the long-term ROI of your ABM strategy. Include metrics like customer retention, upsell potential, and reduced churn to illustrate the full financial impact. Showcase Wins and Success Stories One of the most effective ways to demonstrate the value of ABM is by showcasing wins and success stories. Real-life examples can help stakeholders see the tangible impact of your efforts and understand why ABM is worth the investment. How to showcase success: Case Studies: Develop detailed case studies that highlight specific ABM campaigns, tactics, and results. Customer Testimonials: Share testimonials from target accounts that have experienced exceptional value from your personalized approach. Before-and-After Comparisons: Use before-and-after comparisons to illustrate how ABM has improved key metrics like engagement, deal size, and conversion rates. Suggestion: Create a dedicated section in your internal communications or intranet for ABM success stories. Regularly update this section with new wins to keep stakeholders informed and engaged. Facilitate Regular Communication and Collaboration Keeping stakeholders informed about your ABM strategy is essential for maintaining buy-in and support. Regular communication and collaboration can help you build trust and ensure that everyone is aligned on the goals and outcomes of your ABM efforts. Best practices for communication: Regular Check-Ins: Schedule monthly or quarterly meetings with key stakeholders to review ABM performance and discuss future plans. Transparent Reporting: Provide stakeholders with transparent reports that outline both successes and challenges. Honesty builds credibility. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Involve stakeholders from sales, marketing, and customer success teams in your ABM planning and execution. This fosters a sense of ownership and alignment. Suggestion: Develop a communication plan that outlines how and when you will update stakeholders on ABM performance. Use this plan to ensure consistent and transparent communication. Invest in Training and Education ABM is a complex strategy that requires a deep understanding of both marketing and sales processes. Investing in training and education for your teams and stakeholders can help build confidence in your ABM approach. Training Focus Areas: ABM Best Practices: Provide training on ABM frameworks, tools, and techniques to ensure everyone understands the strategy. Sales and Marketing Alignment: Offer workshops that focus on fostering collaboration between sales and marketing teams. Data and Analytics: Train your teams on how to use data to measure ABM success and make data-driven decisions. Suggestion: Develop a training program or partner with an ABM consultant to provide ongoing education and support for your teams and stakeholders. Final thought... Demonstrating the long-term value of ABM requires a strategic approach that combines clear goal-setting, data-driven insights, and consistent communication. By aligning your ABM efforts with business objectives, leveraging data to prove impact, and showcasing success stories, you can secure the buy-in you need from stakeholders and ensure the sustainability of your ABM initiatives. At Sojourn Solutions, we specialize in helping B2B organizations maximize the value of their ABM strategies. Our experts can guide you in developing a data-driven, results-oriented ABM program that delivers real business results. Ready to prove the value of ABM to your stakeholders?   Contact us today for a personalized consultation on how to get the most out of your ABM. 🚀

For most B2B companies, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has proven to be a powerful strategy for targeting high-value accounts with personalized marketing efforts. However, the challenge lies not just in winning those accounts but in keeping them engaged over the long term. Building lasting relationships with key accounts can unlock steady revenue growth and improve customer loyalty - but achieving this requires a thoughtful, long-term approach. Here we look at some potential strategies for fostering long-term engagement with key accounts using ABM, from personalized content and consistent value delivery, to proactive communication and technology integration. Focus on Deep Personalization ABM’s strength lies in its personalized approach, and long-term account engagement requires going even deeper into understanding and addressing each account's evolving needs, challenges, and goals. In addition to segment-level personalization, consider individual decision-makers and influencers within each account to ensure that every interaction adds value. Here ’s how: Use data-driven insights  to continuously refine your understanding of each account, from their industry trends to specific pain points and upcoming initiatives. Create individualized experiences  that speak to different roles within the account, such as specific content or events for C-level executives, product managers, or procurement teams. Maintain an evolving content strategy  that addresses current needs and anticipates future ones, aligning with where they are in their business lifecycle. By focusing on highly relevant, personalized interactions, you show the account that they’re more than just a customer—you’re invested in their success. Deliver Consistent Value with Tailored Solutions After the initial sale, it’s important to keep providing tangible value to accounts to reinforce why they chose your company. This goes beyond simply providing excellent products or services; it requires offering tailored solutions that help them achieve their specific goals. Tactics include: Offering exclusive access   to insights, case studies, or research reports relevant to their industry. Providing tailored product updates  or features that specifically address their unique challenges. Collaborating on custom solutions  by involving account managers and product development teams in regular check-ins with the account to brainstorm ideas that meet their needs. When accounts feel that you are constantly adding value and adapting your offerings to their needs, they’re more likely to stay engaged and loyal. Implement Proactive Account Health Monitoring For ABM to drive long-term engagement, it’s essential to proactively monitor account health and address issues before they escalate. Using data analytics and AI, marketing teams can track engagement levels, product usage patterns, and satisfaction indicators to identify at-risk accounts or opportunities for growth. Key steps include: Setting up real-time alerts  for changes in engagement levels or usage that may signal a problem. Regularly surveying customer satisfaction  through targeted feedback forms or surveys to understand account health from the customer’s perspective. Creating “red flag” indicators  that alert account managers if specific risk factors, such as reduced engagement or feedback on unmet needs, arise. With a proactive approach to account health, your team can spot warning signs early, allowing you to intervene and keep the relationship on track. Emphasize Cross-Functional Collaboration for Account Success Maintaining long-term engagement with key accounts requires collaboration across departments. When ABM is supported by coordinated efforts from marketing, sales, customer success, and product teams, it’s easier to address a range of account needs more effectively. For instance: Account managers and customer success teams  can provide insights from direct client interactions, which marketing can use to refine content and messaging. Product teams can gather feedback  to make product updates and feature improvements that align with customer needs. Sales teams can work with marketing  to identify expansion opportunities, such as cross-selling or upselling. This coordinated approach ensures that accounts receive a consistent, value-driven experience across all touchpoints, reinforcing engagement and loyalty. Stay Top-of-Mind with Targeted Content Marketing An ongoing content strategy is essential for nurturing long-term relationships in ABM. However, rather than bombarding accounts with general information, focus on targeted, high-value content that speaks directly to their priorities and challenges. Consider: Regularly scheduled account-based newsletters  with curated articles, updates, and insights relevant to each account’s industry and goals. Exclusive webinars or workshops  that offer in-depth insights on emerging trends, best practices, and innovative solutions tailored for specific accounts. Case studies and success stories  from within the account’s industry that demonstrate how others are achieving success with your products. Staying top-of-mind through strategic content marketing helps maintain engagement, position your company as a valuable resource, and strengthen the client relationship over time. Host High-Impact, Exclusive Events Events, whether virtual or in-person, offer a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships and demonstrate thought leadership. B2B companies can use ABM-driven events to engage key accounts with tailored agendas and networking opportunities. Effective event options include: Exclusive industry roundtables  for a small number of high-value clients to discuss industry challenges, best practices, and solutions. Customized workshops or training sessions  tailored to help key accounts maximize the value of your products or services. Annual VIP events  that bring together top accounts, featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities that provide meaningful takeaways. These high-impact events position your company as a thought leader, show commitment to the success of each account, and give clients direct access to your company’s expertise and network. Develop an Account-Based Loyalty Program To encourage long-term engagement and retention, consider developing a loyalty or rewards program specifically for high-value accounts. While loyalty programs are more common in B2C, B2B companies can tailor these programs to offer unique benefits and privileges. Examples include: Tiered discounts  based on tenure or spending, offering additional value to long-term clients. Access to beta testing for new features  or products, allowing loyal accounts to provide feedback and feel invested in your company’s development. Specialized support and training resources  as an added perk for high-spending or long-term accounts. A well-designed loyalty program not only fosters deeper engagement but also rewards accounts for their partnership, further building loyalty and trust. Continuously Adapt and Innovate Your ABM Strategy A dynamic, evolving ABM strategy is essential for keeping accounts engaged over the long term. Regularly review and adapt your approach based on account feedback, industry trends, and changing account needs. Steps to consider include: Regularly updating account data  and using it to refine target segments, messaging, and offers. Investing in new technologies  like AI and machine learning to enhance personalization and predictive analytics capabilities. Conducting quarterly business reviews  to discuss account performance, upcoming initiatives, and feedback, using insights to adjust the strategy. By continuously improving and innovating your ABM approach, you ensure that it remains relevant and valuable to your accounts, helping to sustain long-term engagement. Final thought: Driving sustained engagement through ABM Keeping accounts engaged over the long term with an ABM strategy requires a commitment to personalized experiences, proactive account management, and value-focused interactions. By implementing a thoughtful mix of strategies, such as deep personalization, proactive monitoring, targeted content, and exclusive events, B2B companies can transform ABM from a one-time initiative into an ongoing partnership-building approach. Ultimately, long-term account engagement is about showing customers that you’re dedicated to their success—through every stage of the relationship. For all businesses, leveraging these ABM strategies can help secure high-value accounts, enhance customer satisfaction, and build lasting, profitable partnerships. Speak to us today and find out how we can help you unlock the full potential of Account-Based Marketing!

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has become a game changer for companies looking to drive growth and maximize their marketing investments. By focusing on high value accounts, ABM helps businesses achieve greater precision, personalization, and ROI. However, one of the most critical - and challenging - components of a successful ABM strategy is achieving alignment between sales and marketing teams. Misalignment between these teams can lead to inconsistent messaging, wasted resources, and missed opportunities. In fact, research from LinkedIn shows that 58% of marketers believe sales and marketing alignment improves customer retention, while 55% believe it enhances customer satisfaction. So, how do you ensure that your sales and marketing teams are working in harmony when adopting an ABM approach? Let's dive in. Why Sales and Marketing Alignment Is Crucial for ABM Before we explore the strategies to achieve alignment, it's important to understand why it matters so much in the context of ABM. Unified Account Targeting ABM focuses on identifying and targeting specific high-value accounts, which means both sales and marketing teams need to agree on which accounts to prioritize. Misalignment in this area can result in conflicting efforts, diluted messaging, and lost opportunities. Consistent Messaging and Personalization ABM thrives on delivering personalized and relevant content to engage decision-makers within target accounts. A disconnect between sales and marketing can lead to inconsistent messaging, which can confuse prospects and weaken your brand's credibility. Improved Efficiency and ROI When sales and marketing teams are aligned, they can coordinate their efforts more effectively, leading to increased efficiency, shorter sales cycles, and higher ROI. Aligned teams are 67% more effective at closing deals, according to a report by Marketo. Strategies for Aligning Sales and Marketing in an ABM Strategy Achieving alignment between sales and marketing requires intentional planning, communication, and collaboration. Here are some proven strategies to help you get there: Establish Shared Goals and KPIs The foundation of sales and marketing alignment is having shared goals and metrics. Instead of focusing solely on traditional metrics like MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) and SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads), consider metrics that reflect the joint efforts of both teams, such as: Account Engagement Score: A measure of how engaged your target accounts are with your brand. Pipeline Influence: The impact of ABM campaigns on pipeline growth and acceleration. Revenue from Target Accounts: The amount of revenue generated from your high-value accounts. Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): A measure of the long-term value of acquired accounts. Suggestion: Schedule a collaborative meeting between sales and marketing to define shared KPIs that align with your ABM strategy. Make sure these goals are clearly communicated and understood by both teams. Create an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Together Your ABM strategy is only as good as your targeting. One of the biggest reasons for misalignment is a lack of clarity around who the target accounts should be. Sales and marketing teams should collaborate to develop a unified Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) that outlines: Industry and company size Pain points and challenges Buying intent signals Key decision-makers and influencers Suggestion: Host a workshop with sales and marketing to create or refine your ICP. Use data from past successful deals, CRM insights, and customer feedback to inform your criteria. Leverage Technology to Foster Collaboration In many organizations, sales and marketing operate in silos, using different tools and technologies that don't communicate with each other. This can lead to data inconsistencies and missed opportunities for collaboration. To bridge this gap: Adopt an ABM platform  that integrates seamlessly with your CRM and marketing automation tools. Utilize shared dashboards  to track account engagement, campaign performance, and pipeline status in real-time. Use collaboration tools  like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Trello to keep communication lines open and transparent. Suggestion: Invest in an ABM technology stack that supports cross-functional collaboration. Ensure both sales and marketing have access to the same data and analytics for a unified view of target accounts. Develop a Joint Account-Based Playbook A playbook serves as a strategic guide that outlines how sales and marketing will collaborate on each stage of the ABM journey, from account selection to engagement and conversion. This can include: Target account selection criteria Content and messaging frameworks Engagement tactics for each stage of the buyer journey Follow-up processes and handoff procedures Suggestion: Create a shared ABM playbook that aligns your sales and marketing teams on roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Regularly update the playbook based on performance data and feedback. Implement Regular Alignment Meetings Consistency is key when it comes to alignment. Regular check-ins between sales and marketing ensure that both teams are on the same page and can quickly address any challenges or changes in strategy. Consider implementing: Weekly sync meetings  to review account engagement and pipeline progress. Monthly strategy sessions  to refine targeting and tactics based on data insights. Quarterly business reviews (QBRs)  to assess the overall impact of your ABM strategy and adjust goals accordingly. Suggestion: Establish a cadence for regular alignment meetings. Make these meetings a priority and involve both sales and marketing leadership to ensure accountability. Align Content Strategy with Sales Needs ABM requires highly personalized content that speaks directly to the needs of each target account. However, creating this content in a vacuum can lead to misalignment. Sales teams often have valuable insights into the challenges and objections that prospects face, which can inform your content strategy. Involve sales in content planning: Get input from sales reps on what content is resonating with prospects and what gaps exist. Create sales enablement resources: Develop tailored assets like case studies, whitepapers, and one-pagers that sales teams can use to engage target accounts. Suggestion: Set up a feedback loop where sales teams can share insights with marketing on what content is most effective. Use these insights to continually refine your content strategy. Celebrate Wins and Share Success Stories Recognizing and celebrating joint wins can strengthen the partnership between sales and marketing. When both teams see the tangible results of their collaboration, it reinforces the value of alignment and motivates them to work together more closely. Share success stories  in company-wide meetings or newsletters. Recognize top-performing team members  from both sales and marketing. Analyze successful campaigns  to identify best practices that can be replicated. Suggestion: Create a shared space (like a Slack channel or internal newsletter) where sales and marketing can celebrate wins, share success stories, and recognize each other's contributions. Final thought... Aligning sales and marketing teams is critical for the success of any ABM strategy. By establishing shared goals, leveraging technology, and fostering regular communication, B2B companies can create a unified approach that drives higher engagement, shorter sales cycles, and increased revenue. At Sojourn Solutions, we specialize in helping B2B organizations achieve sales and marketing alignment through customized ABM strategies. Our experts can guide you in developing a unified approach that maximizes your marketing investments and drives real business results. Ready to supercharge your ABM strategy? Contact us today to learn how we can help you align your sales and marketing teams for success!

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing technology, staying ahead requires not only embracing innovation but also ensuring that your martech stack is optimized for efficiency and effectiveness. A martech stack audit is a powerful tool that can unlock a myriad of benefits for marketers , ranging from cost savings to enhanced performance. In this blog post, we'll delve into the top benefits of conducting a martech stack audit and how it can propel your marketing efforts to new heights. 1. Cost Savings One of the most compelling reasons to audit your martech stack is the potential for significant cost savings. Our research has shown that marketers can reduce their technology spend by an average of 20% within just 12 months.  A comprehensive analysis of your technology infrastructure, expenses, and strategy helps to identify areas of inefficiency and recommendations tailored cost-saving measures. By optimizing your tech stack, you not only save on unnecessary expenses but also allocate resources more effectively. 2. Centralized Oversight In the complex realm of marketing technology, centralized oversight is paramount. A martech stack audit empowers marketing operations teams with the tools and expertise needed to gain full visibility and control over technology spend, utilization, performance, strategy, and skills. Centralized oversight ensures that every component of your tech stack aligns with your overarching business goals, supports your key use cases, and fosters a cohesive and efficient marketing ecosystem. 3. Streamlined Integration Efficient data flow is crucial for marketing success. What does this mean? Mapping your products and integrations to customer journeys, ensuring a seamless flow of data and functionality across your marketing ecosystem. By identifying and eliminating redundant products, functions, and contracts, you're able to optimize your martech stack for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.  A streamlined integration not only enhances workflow but also contributes to a more agile and responsive marketing strategy. 4. Performance Assessment Understanding how well your technology is performing is essential for driving successful marketing campaigns. A martech stack audit assesses technology performance, identifies critical gaps, and provides actionable recommendations to enhance performance, plug gaps, and align technology with your business objectives. This proactive approach ensures that your martech stack is always aligned with your marketing goals and adapts to changes in the market landscape. 5. Skill Alignment The best technology is only as good as the team using it . Lack of skills can lead to underutilization of technology and hinder your return on investment. A martech stack audit addresses this challenge by aligning your team's technology proficiency with your overall technology strategy. We also recommend training and support to ensure your team can fully leverage the potential of your marketing technology stack, maximizing the impact of your marketing efforts. 6. Contract and Vendor Management Clear insights into your contracts and vendor relationships are crucial for making informed decisions. A martech stack audit captures and documents all relevant information, providing a comprehensive view that helps you optimize vendor relationships and make strategic decisions about your technology partnerships. This transparency ensures that you are getting the most value from your technology investments. 7. Governance and Compliance In an era where data compliance and security are paramount, a martech stack audit should include tracking and monitoring governance information. It enables you to establish robust governance protocols and ensure that your marketing technology stack adheres to industry regulations and best practices. This not only protects your brand and customer data but also builds trust with your audience. 8. Understanding Your Ecosystem The martech ecosystem is vast, complex, and ever-evolving. We recommend a single source of truth, acting as a repository for storing information and details on your full stack. A discovery exercise within your martech stack audit helps you identify legacy technology still in operation, as well as your known technologies. By understanding your ecosystem, you can make informed decisions about updates, upgrades, and strategic investments, ensuring that your martech stack evolves alongside your business. Bottom-line? A martech stack audit is not just a one-time task; it's a strategic investment that continuously pays dividends.  From substantial cost savings to enhanced performance and compliance, the benefits are undeniable. By conducting regular audits, marketers can ensure that their martech stack remains a dynamic and powerful asset, driving success in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. Interested in learning more about how a martech stack audit can help you? Check out our Martech Stack Audit services , or simply contact us  today. Update: In late 2023, Thomson Reuters (TR) and Sojourn Solutions (Sojourn) began an ambitious project to optimize the Thomson Reuters marketing technology stack, seeking to create an effective, efficient, and centralized operating model for long-term stack management. The project concluded in 2024 with great success - learn more: A StackTastic Project: How Thomson Reuters Transformed Its Martech Management and Performance.

There are a handful of marketing operations leaders who are at the top of their games, driving themselves, their teams, and seed by their businesses beyond the status quo to achieve leading-edge MOPs performance. They’re the people who are motivating and empowering others, while transforming new ideas into better ways of working.  One such exemplary MOPs leader is Atanas Vasilev , Senior Director, Marketing Operations at Progress Software . Progress is the leading platform for developing and deploying strategic business applications. Progress also enables organizations to effectively manage their data platforms, cloud and IT infrastructure. Vasilev and the Progress MOPs team have partnered with Sojourn Solutions for well over a decade to drive the continuous improvement of their marketing operations.  We spoke recently with Vasilev about how he approaches being a MOPs leader. How do you define success for yourself and the MOPs team you lead? Vasilev: My team and I work to ensure that Progress has 24/7 lead processing. We also make sure we’re the center of excellence for Progress when it comes to marketing technologies, lead management, and supporting the overall demand generation efforts within Progress.  We have pre-defined KPIs that we constantly track and use to measure our success. So our top KPI is not losing one lead, which means that all leads that Progress generates, regardless of the channel, should get processed and stored in Salesforce. Sometimes we might have delays in processing, but we never lose a lead.  We also work to generate valuable insights for the marketing organization that can unlock value and inform how we do campaigns, helping us drive better customer engagement and higher conversion rates.   How did you first come into marketing operations? Vasilev: I spent almost 15 years in digital marketing, so my background is mostly in technology. Now that I’m in marketing operations, I still work in technology to some extent. But I find that marketing operations is a much broader and more mission-critical function for the organization than, say, digital marketing. What skills and experiences are important in your MOPs leadership role? Vasilev: The three pillars of what I and my team do are (1) systems (2) data and (3) process. By process I mean knowing how marketing and sales work, and having very good project management skills to drive operational excellence. Data is so important: a successful marketing operations professional should have a background in, and be comfortable learning about, how data informs what marketing does. People management skills are also crucial, because the work of marketing operations is sometimes stressful. The team is often working on solving challenging problems and are under time pressure. Being a good manager of people helps set the right culture and expectations, so people can be productive and handle the pressure well. How do you approach your professional development?   Vasilev: I approach professional development internally and externally. When it comes to internally, the best way to learn is talking with people in other functions. I might meet with a sales rep and ask them to please walk me through how they closed a deal. What exactly did they do from when they received the lead until they closed it?   I also learn externally from outside partners such as Sojourn Solutions. Our partnership has provided me and my team with a lot of know-how based on Sojourn’s experience gained from working with other companies who might have similar use cases as we do. I also use Forrester to keep track of trends and best practices in marketing operations.   And of course, I receive a lot of input and knowledge from the three big vendors for marketing automation platforms: Oracle, Adobe, and Salesforce. How do you develop your team and give them the resources, skills, and support to be successful?  Vasilev: All of my team members have to become certified experts, in the platforms we use. They take courses around being an Eloqua Implementation Specialist, for instance, or learn project management skills. Learning on the job is important here.  Whenever I hire talent, I look for someone with at least some experience with marketing automation platforms. If you hire someone who has zero experience and knowledge on MAPs, it'll probably take them two years to be effective. The second best hiring criteria is past experience in a marketing role, if you're coming from a demand gen function, for instance, that helps you understand the processes we use. What's been your biggest challenge and your biggest accomplishment as a MOPs leader?  Vasilev: My biggest challenge is that all eyes are on us. Let's say Progress sees a drop in lead volume or lead conversion for a certain product line. Everyone will start asking us what's wrong. Many times nothing is wrong when it comes to, say, Eloqua or the demand gen process itself, but maybe the overall business cycle is slowing down and buyers are losing confidence or budget.   Sometimes, of course, the problem may be with our processes or system or our data. We then have to analyze the situation and come up with good solutions, and quickly.   Our biggest accomplishment is that we never lose a lead. It's 24/7 open running here. We do our job every single day and we help keep the marketing team and overall business running. We provide a platform that’s stable and that works reliably for our people. That’s a source of pride.  How do you use external partners like Sojourn?  Vasilev: There are two main use cases. First, when we need extra hands and we need it now. Unfortunately, things can happen unexpectedly and there might be too many ongoing projects for our team. That’s when we go outside for more hands.  The second and bigger use case is when we don't know something and so need “strategic consulting” because we don't know what we don't know. In such situations, we ask Sojourn to provide us with new ideas for navigating situations that maybe we don't know how to navigate.  Outside consultants have typically seen multiple use cases from different companies and know how to approach building and implementing the right solution for the right use case. Our internal team hasn’t seen all those use cases, nor have we developed and customized different solutions to address them. That’s when we call upon an experienced strategic consultant like Sojourn. Any final thoughts for MOPs professionals? Vasilev: If you are a person who feels fulfillment from the fact that what you've built works and it's mission-critical for the business, then you’ll be right for marketing operations. It’s not a great profession for people who need constant external validation. When I was in digital marketing, the fulfillment came from rebranding or redesigning the whole company website. You built a splashy presentation and showed everyone the cool things you created. You got a lot of attention and maybe some awards. But if you're in marketing ops and doing a really good job, nobody will chat about how great you’re doing. People outside your team maybe don’t even understand what you’re doing.  If you’re not doing a great job and something is going wrong, everyone will want to reach out and tell you. The reward for marketing operations is intrinsic and intangible: no news is good news. As a mentor once told me, the best thing you can do as a manager is to make it so you are no longer needed by your team. You build a solid organization and grow your people so they can do everything without you. If you’d like to improve your Marketing Operations team and maximize the ROI of your marketing operations, we can help. Learn more about us or feel free to reach out directly today!

In the world of B2B marketing, data is everything. But not just any data - clean, accurate, and well-managed data. As organizations lean on increasingly complex marketing technology stacks to drive revenue, the health of your marketing database can be the silent factor that determines the success or failure of your entire marketing strategy. If you’ve been wondering whether your marketing database could be holding your team back, now is the time to evaluate its health. Poor data quality leads to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and even damage to your brand’s reputation. In contrast, healthy marketing data ensures more personalized and effective campaigns, higher conversion rates, and stronger relationships with prospects and customers. Why Database Health is the Foundation of B2B Marketing Success Your marketing database is more than just a collection of names and emails - it’s the backbone of your entire demand generation strategy. Each data point feeds into critical marketing operations, from segmentation and audience targeting to reporting and automation. Here’s how a healthy database directly impacts key areas of B2B marketing: Targeting & Personalization: When your data is accurate, you can better segment your audience and deliver personalized content. Healthy data allows for more precise targeting, meaning your messaging hits the mark every time, resulting in better engagement and conversion rates. Email Deliverability: Poor data quality can wreak havoc on your email deliverability. Invalid email addresses, outdated contacts, or even simple errors like typos can cause your emails to bounce or be marked as spam. A clean, healthy database means your emails reach more inboxes, improving your deliverability score and the overall success of your email marketing campaigns. Compliance & Trust: With increasing data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA, a poorly managed database can lead to serious compliance issues. By maintaining a healthy database, you’ll ensure that your organization meets all regulatory requirements while fostering trust with your audience. Operational Efficiency: A healthy database reduces the friction caused by errors and inconsistencies in data, which can slow down marketing operations. By prioritizing database health, your team will spend less time troubleshooting and more time focusing on strategic initiatives that drive growth. Guidelines for Managing Marketing Database Health To ensure your marketing database remains a strategic asset and not a liability, follow these proven guidelines for maintaining and improving its health: Regular Data Audits:  Schedule regular audits of your database to identify and clean outdated, incomplete, or duplicate records. This ensures that you’re working with up-to-date and accurate information, helping you avoid costly mistakes and ineffective campaigns. Standardize Data Entry:  Implement standardized data entry protocols to ensure consistency across your entire database. This could involve using uniform naming conventions, required fields for contact information, and automated tools that flag data entry errors in real-time. Invest in Data Enrichment:  Use third-party services to enrich your existing database with additional information, such as company size, industry, and job roles. This allows you to create more personalized and targeted marketing campaigns. The key is to fill in any gaps in your data while enhancing the overall value of your database. Monitor and Improve Email Deliverability:  Poor deliverability rates can signal issues within your database. Ensure email addresses are validated at regular intervals, remove hard bounces, and pay attention to soft bounces and unsubscribes to maintain a strong sender reputation. Implement Data Hygiene Tools:  Consider leveraging automated data hygiene tools that can continually clean and deduplicate your database. Tools like BriteVerify  can help you validate emails and reduce the risk of bounces, ensuring your campaigns reach the right people. Align Data with Business Processes:  Your marketing database should align with the broader business processes across sales, marketing, and customer service teams. Ensure that data is shared effectively across departments and that any insights are communicated clearly, helping to maintain consistency and drive alignment across all functions. Comply with Data Privacy Regulations:  Stay on top of global data privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, by maintaining clear records of consent and opt-ins for all your contacts. Make sure your database management includes processes for handling consent and responding to data requests, ensuring your organization remains compliant. Segmentation and Targeting:  Build and maintain accurate segments within your database for more personalized and relevant marketing. Use clean data to create specific groups based on demographics, behavioral insights, or firmographics, which can dramatically improve your engagement and conversion rates. By following these tried-and-tested guidelines, you can keep your marketing database in top shape and ensure that it consistently drives results. Database health isn’t just a one-time effort - it’s an ongoing process that requires dedication and the right tools to maintain. Assessing Your Database Health: Are You Ready So now we know why marketing database is important - and how to get on track to achieve it - but before you can fix any issues, it’s essential to assess the current state of your database. Is it outdated, incomplete, or inconsistent? Does it align with the marketing and business processes you’ve implemented? A comprehensive database health assessment will give you a clear picture of where you stand and what steps to take next. To get started, try our Database Health Quiz , a quick and easy way to uncover hidden issues in your database and get tailored recommendations for improvement. The quiz covers all the key areas of database health, from data accuracy to deliverability and business process alignment. Your results will help you prioritize the most critical improvements and set your team on a path to better performance. Take the quiz and see how your database measures up. Invest in Your Database, Invest in Your Success The best marketing technology and the most sophisticated strategies are only as effective as the data that powers them. Don’t let poor database health hold your B2B marketing organization back. By investing in a healthy, well-managed database, you can unlock new levels of efficiency, improve your campaign outcomes, and ensure long-term success for your business. Ready to take the next step? Start by assessing your database health today with our Database Health Quiz . It could be the most important step you take toward driving real results in your marketing efforts. That being said, if you've got questions, feel free to contact us to get a conversation started.

In today’s digital-first world, webinars are a powerful tool for marketers to engage audiences, generate leads, and establish thought leadership. But simply hosting a webinar isn't enough - effective webinars require seamless execution, audience engagement, and detailed insights to optimize performance. This is where Marketo’s Interactive Webinars, a feature of Adobe Marketo Engage, excels. Marketo offers an all-in-one solution for planning, executing, and analyzing webinars, helping businesses unlock the true potential of this format. If you are considering enhancing your virtual events, here’s why Marketo’s Interactive Webinars might just be the game-changer you need. Seamless Integration with Adobe Connect One of the standout features of Marketo’s Interactive Webinars is its integration with Adobe Connect , a robust platform that makes running virtual events smoother. This direct integration means you don’t have to manage multiple tools or switch between platforms to host a webinar. From within the Marketo interface, users can plan, promote, and execute webinars with ease. This seamless integration also reduces friction when preparing for an event, ensuring that everything, from registration to post-event follow-ups, flows naturally. Having an integrated system helps businesses save time and resources by centralizing their webinar efforts on one platform, making the whole process more efficient and reducing the risk of technical issues. Customizable Webinar Experiences Personalization is crucial in today’s marketing landscape, and Marketo’s Interactive Webinars allow marketers to create highly customizable events. Whether you want your event to reflect your brand’s aesthetic or tailor the experience based on the audience segment, Marketo provides customizable templates that allow you to design each aspect of the webinar. These templates give your webinars a professional look and feel while aligning with your brand guidelines. This level of customization not only enhances the user experience but also helps convey a more cohesive brand message to your audience. Real-Time Audience Engagement Engagement is one of the biggest challenges during webinars. It’s easy for attendees to become passive listeners rather than active participants, which can limit the effectiveness of your message. However, Marketo’s Interactive Webinars come packed with a suite of tools designed to maximize attendee engagement in real time. These features include: Live Q&A Sessions : Engage attendees by answering their questions during the webinar, creating a two-way dialogue. Polls and Surveys : Gather insights from your audience on the spot with live polls and surveys, which also help keep them involved. Interactive Chat : Foster interaction among attendees and between them and the presenters through a chat function that encourages real-time communication. These features ensure that your webinars aren’t just one-way presentations but interactive events where audience participation is encouraged and valued. Lead Generation and Qualification Webinars are not just for delivering content—they’re powerful lead generation tools. One of the greatest advantages of Marketo’s Interactive Webinars is the platform’s ability to track detailed engagement data from each attendee. Every interaction, from chat participation to poll responses, can be monitored and recorded, providing valuable insights into how engaged an attendee is with your content. Marketo’s platform automatically captures and scores leads based on their level of engagement during the event. This allows your marketing and sales teams to follow up more effectively with highly interested prospects, targeting them with personalized post-event content. With Marketo’s automation, you can easily set up workflows that send targeted emails based on attendee behavior, helping nurture leads more efficiently. Comprehensive Analytics and Reporting Post-webinar analysis is essential for understanding the success of your event and making improvements for future webinars. Marketo provides comprehensive analytics and reporting  that go beyond simple metrics like registration numbers or attendee lists. The platform tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) such as: Attendance and Drop-off Rates : See who stayed for the entire webinar and who left early, helping you assess the quality of your content or timing. Engagement Metrics : Track how actively participants engaged through questions, polls, and other interactions. Conversion Data : Monitor how many attendees converted into leads or customers, providing a clear ROI for your efforts. These analytics not only help you measure success but also offer actionable insights that can inform your future marketing strategy. The more data you collect, the better you can optimize your content and approach for future webinars. Streamlined Automation for Efficiency Managing a webinar, especially at scale, requires efficient processes. Marketo’s automation features handle many of the repetitive tasks that can bog down your team. From sending automated registration reminders to follow-up emails, Marketo helps automate key aspects of webinar management, so your team can focus on delivering great content rather than administrative work. By automating the workflow surrounding your webinars, you ensure that nothing falls through the cracks, and attendees are nurtured throughout the entire process—from registration to post-event engagement. This allows marketers to focus on strategy and content while Marketo handles the backend tasks that can take up valuable time. Scalable and Flexible Solution Whether you're hosting small niche webinars or large-scale global events, Marketo's Interactive Webinars can scale to meet your needs. The platform’s flexibility means you can run multiple webinars simultaneously, target different audience segments, and personalize content at scale. This scalability makes it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes looking to use webinars as part of their larger demand generation strategies. Marketo’s Interactive Webinars provide an all-encompassing solution for businesses looking to create engaging, data-driven, and scalable virtual events. The combination of seamless integration with Adobe Connect, real-time audience engagement tools, and powerful lead generation and analytics capabilities makes it a standout platform in the world of digital marketing. By leveraging these tools, marketers can not only deliver impactful content but also gain valuable insights to refine their future strategies. If you’re ready to take your webinar game to the next level, Marketo’s Interactive Webinars offer the ideal platform to engage audiences, drive demand, and generate leads efficiently. For more information, visit Marketo's Interactive Webinars Overview . Or contact us to see how we can help get you started!

B2B marketers have seen AI integrated into their martech tools for a while now. Some of the most popular AI use cases include conversational chatbots, email send time optimization (STO), and email subject line optimization (SLO) to name just a few. These limited forms of AI have been deployed to work on specific tasks. They've pulled from limited sources of data in order to “learn,” such as using a specific company’s digital knowledge base to inform how a conversational chatbot interacts with customer queries. Generative AI: ChatGPT launches On November 30, 2022, ChatGPT  (a free tool) was launched with much fanfare and has garnered widespread attention since then for its potential to transform B2B marketing content creation, from blog posts to emails to landing pages. Many copywriters and creative marketing types have wondered whether the emergence of ChatGPT - also called “generative AI” because it learns/trains itself based on a larger scope of online source data - would mean the end of their jobs. Some human writers have criticized ChatGPT for simply parroting the vast scope of online content it “learns” from, but if deployed effectively this AI parrot can sound pretty good. However, no matter how “well-trained” ChatGPT becomes on the back of human-generated content, it should not be used without a human reviewing the resulting content because: The generated content can be inaccurate.  For instance, if the majority of the source data ChatGPT scours through says “the moon is made of cheese” or “2 + 2 = 5,” its generated content would reflect that collective “wisdom.” Remember that ChatGPT is a form of large-scale crowdsourcing of information, with all the risks such an approach entails.  The generated content can “sound wrong,”  in terms of your desired tone and brand voice. You’d need a human marketer to review tone. The generated content might be non-compliant  with privacy standards and other strategic considerations defined by the B2B brand’s content strategy and guidelines.  Typing a generic prompt into ChatGPT (“write a landing page about our new product”), generating unreviewed content, and then deploying said content for your B2B marketing needs can create more brand harm than good. Like any tool, ChatGPT is best deployed by a knowledgeable and experienced practitioner who has a clear strategic direction and understands how to use the tool. ChatGPT for B2B Marketing: 2 warnings As a general rule, you should approach ChatGPT the way former President Ronald Reagan dealt with the old Soviet Union: “trust, but verify.” Why? 1. Generated content can be wrong or biased.  B2B marketers should never forget the oldest maxim in the world of data: “garbage in, garbage out.” The garbage can show up as inaccurate information and biased opinions that ChatGPT pulls from (or crowdsources). You need to be skeptical and check whatever content ChatGPT generates for you. 2. The quality of your prompts impacts content quality.  Veteran marketing copywriter David McGuire used ChatGPT for the first time, as described in his blog post , and quickly discovered that the quality of the generated content was closely related to the quality of his queries/prompts. McGuire found that the process of using the AI tool was highly iterative. For example, when he wrote a generic prompt asking for a blog post on “email best practices in B2B marketing,” he didn’t like the resulting content’s generic, boring tone and its complete lack of links to other sources.  So McGuire had to keep iterating his prompts to include [the initial prompt] plus [“in a chatty tone”] and [include links to other sources]. Think of ChatGPT as a honing or navigation system that can continually bring you closer to your destination. McGuire notes that B2B marketers will need new skills, “like writing an AI prompt that delivers good results, and knowing where to spot the weaknesses in AI-generated copy . . . Writing still takes skill, thought, and – above all – empathy.”  5 tips on using ChatGPT for B2B marketing campaign content The tips detailed below should be used when deploying ChatGPT to create B2B marketing copy for email campaigns, landing pages, or other content formats. 1. Start with your “why.”  Without a strategic context in place, you’re just flailing around. Don’t turn to ChatGPT for help generating copy until you clearly understand: (1) your audience (2) where they are in the buying journey (3) what message(s) will move them forward (of course, an email campaign can be orchestrated in a sequence) and (4) the requirements/standards for each content format (a blog post is different from a quick email). Pro tip: You can even, ironically, use the tool to help sharpen and formalize your “why.” 2. Write a basic prompt.  This is just the beginning of an iterative/learning journey of sharpening your prompt and improving the generated content. You might refer to this useful list of 120 Best CHAT GPT Prompts for Marketers , which includes these email-related prompts: “Write a persuasive email to increase attendance at our upcoming event” “Create a reminder email for our upcoming event” “Generate a thank-you email to send to customers who attended our event” 3. Define a tone of voice and length.  You can typically improve the quality of the prompt by asking ChatGPT to adopt/use a particular tone of voice, such as "act as an email marketing copywriter” or “use a chatty, fun tone.” You can also specify your content’s length by limiting the number of characters you want generated.  4. Ask ChatGPT follow-up questions.  The generated content will generally sound bland and generic out of the gate. B2B buyers/audiences are generally not blown away by cliches and calls to action they’ve heard a million times before. So keep iterating your prompt, asking ChatGPT to give you better, more “human-sounding” alternatives that you can mix, match, and stitch together into something that meets your needs. 5. Learn as you go.  Don't just treat ChatGPT as a mindless automation tool, but learn from each interaction. Ask it why it has chosen particular approaches to help inform your own copywriting approach as well as how you deploy the tool in the future. Just as ChatGPT will continue to learn and improve as a tool, so must you as a user. To better illustrate the "ask it why" point, we entered our example prompt "Write a persuasive email to increase attendance at our upcoming event," and ChatGPT generated a well-written email. We then asked it why it included such a sense of urgency in the email- its response was correct (and very polite):    Do you have any additional tips on using ChapGPT to help create B2B marketing campaign content? Or any questions to this point that we didn't address in this post? Contact us  to share / learn more.

In the dynamic realm of marketing, where change is the only constant, navigating the landscape has become increasingly complex. As a seasoned marketing executive, you are no stranger to the challenges posed by rapidly evolving technologies and buyer behaviors. One area that often demands your attention is Marketing Technology, or Martech, and ensuring that it aligns seamlessly with your overarching business objectives. Martech alignment with customer journey One critical question to ponder is: Is your Martech stack effectively aligned with your customer journey? As the custodian of the company's marketing vision, it's imperative to ensure that every piece of technology in your arsenal plays a role in enhancing the customer experience. The journey from awareness to advocacy should be seamless, and your Martech stack needs to be a cohesive force, not a collection of disparate tools. Supporting marketing use cases Does your Martech have the right capabilities to support your diverse marketing use cases? In a rapidly changing marketing landscape, where channels and strategies evolve swiftly, having the right tools for the job is paramount. Your Martech should be versatile, capable of adapting to the unique demands of your various marketing initiatives, whether it's a social media campaign, a personalized email outreach, or an immersive digital experience. Integration across technologies Integration is key. Can your Martech integrate seamlessly with existing and new technologies? In an era where data is king, the ability of your Martech stack to communicate and share information with other business-critical systems is non-negotiable. Siloed data is a roadblock to effective decision-making. Your technology should be an integrated ecosystem, fostering collaboration and ensuring a unified view of your marketing efforts. Evaluating license costs License costs can be a significant pain point. Are you getting the best value for your investment? As a seasoned leader, you understand the importance of optimizing budgets. Evaluate the costs associated with your Martech stack and ensure that the functionalities align with your needs. It's not just about cutting costs but maximizing the ROI on your Martech investments. Scalability for growth Is your Martech scalable to meet the growing needs of your organization? Your role is not just about meeting today's objectives but envisioning the future. Your Martech should be scalable, adapting to the evolving scope of your marketing strategies as your company grows. What serves you well today should seamlessly transition into a tool that propels you towards tomorrow's goals. Pro tip: Scalability is indeed important, but before scaling it's critical that you prove the martech and its supportive elements are positioned to be sustainable - if not sustainable, your scaling efforts will more than likely fail. Many see this as a failure of the martech, and while this might be the case, we typically see this in approaches that don't consider sustainability before scaling. People and enablement Having the right Martech is crucial, but do you have the right people and enablement strategies in place? Your team needs to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to harness the full potential of your Martech stack. Training and development should be a continuous process, ensuring that your team remains at the forefront of industry trends and technological advancements.  In a landscape marked by change, it's not just about addressing these challenges but turning them into opportunities for growth and innovation. As you steer through the complexities of the digital age, consider partnering with a consultancy that understands your unique challenges and offers both strategic insights and hands-on expertise. Tailoring solutions to your unique profile Given your background, goals, and pain points, a Marketing Operations consultancy can serve as a strategic partner in your journey towards marketing success leveraging your martech stack. A focused approach, when aligned with your vision, can provide innovative solutions to complex challenges, leveraging their deep understanding of market trends and buyer behavior. When selecting a consulting service, focus on their ability to align marketing operations strategies with your business objectives. Look for evidence of expertise through success stories and a consulting approach that resonates with your company's vision and values. Emphasize a partnership that not only solves problems but contributes to your strategic marketing success. The challenges you face in the realm of Martech are not obstacles but opportunities to evolve and excel. By ensuring alignment, embracing integration, optimizing costs, and fostering scalability, you pave the way for a marketing ecosystem that not only meets today's demands but anticipates and shapes the future. Questions? Let's talk! Contact us  or email us directly  today to get a conversation started. Update: In late 2023, Thomson Reuters (TR) and Sojourn Solutions (Sojourn) began an ambitious project to optimize the Thomson Reuters marketing technology stack, seeking to create an effective, efficient, and centralized operating model for long-term stack management. The project concluded in 2024 with great success - learn more: A StackTastic Project: How Thomson Reuters Transformed Its Martech Management and Performance.

In today’s digital-first world, the landscape of marketing is constantly evolving. Businesses are increasingly relying on a diverse array of marketing technologies to streamline their operations, engage customers, and drive growth. As the number of tools in a company's MarTech stack grows, so too does the complexity of managing these tools effectively. This is where a marketing technology audit, or MarTech audit, becomes crucial. Basically put, a MarTech audit is a comprehensive evaluation of all the marketing technologies, platforms, and tools that a company uses. The purpose of this audit is to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment of these tools with the company’s overall business objectives. Here we’ll explore what a marketing technology audit entails, why it’s important, and how it can benefit your business. Understanding the Marketing Technology Stack Before diving into what a MarTech audit is in detail, it’s essential to understand what constitutes a marketing technology stack. A MarTech stack refers to the collection of software, platforms, and tools that marketers use to execute, manage, and analyze marketing activities. This can include tools for email marketing, social media management, content management systems (CMS), customer relationship management (CRM), analytics, advertising platforms, and more. Over time, as companies grow and their marketing needs evolve, the MarTech stack can become unwieldy, with redundant tools, outdated platforms, and underutilized software. This is where a MarTech audit comes in. What is a Marketing Technology Audit? A marketing technology audit is a systematic process of evaluating and analyzing the MarTech stack to ensure that it is optimized, efficient, and aligned with the company’s strategic goals. The audit involves taking inventory of all marketing tools, assessing their performance, evaluating integration and data flow, identifying redundancies, and uncovering opportunities for improvement. Key Objectives of a MarTech Audit The main objectives of a MarTech audit include: Inventory and Categorization: Identifying and categorizing all the tools within the MarTech stack, including their functions, users, and costs. Performance Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness of each tool in achieving marketing goals, including its impact on ROI, customer engagement, and campaign performance. Integration Assessment: Evaluating how well the tools integrate with each other and with other business systems, such as CRM or ERP platforms. Cost Analysis: Analyzing the costs associated with each tool, including licensing fees, subscriptions, and hidden costs, and comparing these costs to the value delivered. Data Flow and Management: Reviewing how data is managed across the stack, including data accuracy, consistency, and accessibility. Compliance and Security Review: Ensuring that the tools comply with relevant data privacy regulations and that security measures are in place to protect sensitive information. Strategic Alignment: Determining whether the MarTech stack aligns with the company’s broader business objectives and marketing strategy.   Why is a Marketing Technology Audit Important? Conducting a MarTech audit is essential for several reasons, all of which contribute to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of a company’s marketing efforts: Optimizing Tool Utilization One of the most significant benefits of a MarTech audit is the ability to optimize the use of existing tools. Often, companies invest in sophisticated platforms with numerous features, but only use a fraction of their capabilities. A MarTech audit can identify underutilized tools, enabling the company to either maximize their use or switch to more cost-effective alternatives. This optimization can lead to better resource allocation and improved marketing performance. Reducing Redundancies and Costs Over time, as companies add more tools to their MarTech stack, redundancies can occur. Multiple tools may be performing the same or similar functions, leading to wasted resources. A MarTech audit helps identify these redundancies, allowing the company to consolidate tools and reduce unnecessary expenses. This not only saves money but also simplifies the management of the technology stack. Enhancing Data Integration and Flow Data silos—where information is isolated within different systems—are a common challenge in many organizations. These silos can lead to inefficiencies, inaccuracies, and missed opportunities. A MarTech audit assesses how well the tools within the stack integrate and whether data flows seamlessly between them. By improving data integration and flow, companies can gain a more comprehensive view of their customers, make better-informed decisions, and deliver more personalized marketing experiences. Ensuring Compliance and Security With increasing data privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, ensuring compliance is more critical than ever. A MarTech audit reviews whether the tools in use comply with relevant regulations and whether adequate security measures are in place. This helps protect the company from potential legal risks and ensures that customer data is handled responsibly. Aligning Technology with Business Goals Marketing technology should support and enhance a company’s strategic objectives. However, as new tools are added, it’s easy for the MarTech stack to become misaligned with these goals. A MarTech audit ensures that all tools are working towards the same objectives, whether it’s increasing customer engagement, improving lead generation, or enhancing brand awareness. By aligning technology with business goals, companies can ensure that their marketing efforts are both effective and efficient. Facilitating Continuous Improvement The digital landscape is constantly changing, and so too are the needs of businesses. A MarTech audit is not just a one-time activity but part of a continuous improvement process. Regular audits help companies stay up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices. This continuous evaluation and adjustment ensure that the MarTech stack remains relevant, efficient, and capable of meeting the company’s evolving needs.     The Value of a MarTech Audit A marketing technology audit is an essential process for any business that relies on digital marketing tools to drive growth and engage customers. By evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment of the MarTech stack, companies can optimize their resources, reduce costs, improve data management, and ensure that their marketing efforts are aligned with their strategic goals. In an increasingly competitive digital landscape, the value of a well-conducted MarTech audit cannot be overstated. It’s an investment in the future success of your marketing efforts, providing the insights and direction needed to stay ahead of the curve and achieve lasting business success. Schedule your MarTech stack review with us today.

The biannual (twice per year) CMO Survey has just been released, and it offers some eye-opening revelations about the state of marketing operations. Almost 300 marketing leaders participated in the survey, and the topline findings are not good. In fact, the surveyed CMOs say that: Only 56% of the martech tools they’ve purchased are being used at all , Only 34% of martech tools are meeting expectations in terms of delivering on anticipated results, and The biggest challenge cited by the CMOs, related to the two data points above, is "integrating marketing technologies across other data systems in the organization." That last problem around integration, as every MOPs professional knows, is a foundational one. Most marketing orgs are currently exploring how to leverage artificial intelligence in order to drive marketing ROI. But a lack of martech and data integration has a huge negative impact on any marketing organization’s ability to access the benefits of AI, now and/or in the future (more on this key challenge below). After we’ve fully explained the key findings of the CMO Survey, we’ll offer a few recommendations for how you can drive improvement in how you optimize your martech stack. CMO Survey: 6 Key Findings Martech investments continue to increase Most companies plan to increase their martech budget annually, from the current 19% of the marketing budget to 23.5% next year. Martech investments are expected to be 31% of total marketing budgets in 5 years, so the “spend trend” is clearly upward.  But as martech budgets continue to increase, there’s growing pressure on CMOs to deliver a seamless integration of newly-purchased martech tools in order to drive a sufficient return on their martech investments. 2. AI is making an impact The marketing leaders surveyed say that AI is beginning to drive significant impacts. In fact, they say AI has:  Improved sales productivity by an average of 5.1%, Enhanced customer satisfaction by an average of 6.1%, and Decreased marketing overhead costs by an average of 7.0%. Impressive results, yes, but we’ve only just begun to integrate AI into marketing workflows. AI must be built on top of a firm foundation of (1) integrated martech tools and (2) martech tools that share data with each other and across the entire organization. 3. A disconnect between martech purchases and organizational goals Martech purchases have little or no value unless they’re supported by strategic goals and connected to specific use cases (such as enhancement of customer experience). When purchases are not clearly aligned with business goals and specific use cases, organizations are tossing their money out the window.  The CMO Survey shows that one of the root causes of martech underutilization is a lack of connection to any strategic focus on specific use cases. “Buying stuff” doesn’t necessarily drive ROI. 4. Martech tools are going woefully underutilized CMOs may be purchasing more martech, but a failure to maximize their value is the rule, not the exception. About two-thirds (66%) of purchased martech tools are not delivering on expectations. When CMOs were asked “how well is your company performing on each of the following marketing technology activities?,” on a scale from 1 (poorly) to 7 (very well), CMOs responded as follows: “Designing the broad architecture of our marketing technology systems” rated 4.4. So CMOs seem to be just bolting on parts to a machine that’s disjointed and increasingly difficult to manage. “Generating ROI from marketing technologies” and “Developing capabilities for using marketing technologies” both rated 4.5. So CMOs understand that they’re not maximizing martech value, not enabling their people to use it, and not driving sufficient ROI. “Integrating marketing technologies into our customer funnel,” “Leveraging data for tactical decision making” and “Leveraging data for strategic decision making” all rated 4.6. Again, failures around integration lead to a fragmented funnel and an inability to implement AI. 5. More focus placed on top of the funnel, and not enough on full funnel The CMO survey clearly shows that the main focus of martech tools and investments are on lead generation (top-of-funnel) activities, while bottom-of-funnel (e.g., customer acquisition and nurturing) and driving long-term customer value are viewed as secondary concerns.  Meanwhile, marketing leaders and marketers know – at least in theory – that all steps in the buying journey matter to customers, not just the moment of closing. Therefore, connecting your current tech stack to all the stages of the customer journey is foundational.  Focusing on lead gen and neglecting the rest of the funnel journey is like having an incomplete map to where you’re headed – it’s a great way to get lost as you seek to optimize your martech stack. 6. Martech effectiveness metrics misaligned with full funnel focus Related to the point above, marketing organizations are also using internal metrics that are skewed towards the top-of-the-funnel and fail to map the entire buying journey. The most common metrics cited by CMOs to measure martech effectiveness are lead generation, sales, and lead conversion, which are all (of course) relevant indicators. But the three least common metrics cited by the CMOs are also important ones: lifetime customer value, customer loyalty, and pipeline acceleration. 5 Recommendation for Optimizing Martech Every MOPS and marketing organization is different, and confronts a different set of problems. With that said, we suspect that every organization struggles to optimize its martech. As such, and based on the challenges described above, we’d like to offer you a few recommendations for improvement: Audit your martech stack regularly. You can’t improve what you don’t monitor and measure. We at Sojourn Solutions know from long experience that some marketing organizations don’t even know what martech tools they’ve purchased, let alone understand: (1) the strategic focus of each purchase and (2) the specific use cases the purchases were/are intended to support. Start by auditing what you have, and then map each listed martech tool to a strategic focus and its specific use cases. Dump whatever isn’t aligned to a marketing strategy or use case. Once you’ve mapped each tool to a strategic focus and/or specific use case, you can begin evaluating what tools are actually delivering business value and which ones are just taking up space and wasting budget. If a martech tool isn’t earning its keep, move on from it as soon as you can. Evaluate the level of integration within your martech stack and across all your systems. This is a big one, because tools that aren’t connected and sharing data with each other make your stack impossible to optimize. That’s especially true when it comes to a present and future featuring AI. Map your existing integrations and identify areas where you need to integrate. Evaluate your marketing metrics, especially those around martech efficiency. The CMO Survey showed an overemphasis on top-of-the-funnel metrics like lead generation and a relative neglect of metrics related to the full customer life cycle.  Customers expect you to add value at every step of the customer journey. The marketers who focus on the entire funnel are the ones who succeed in good times and tough times. Get outside help, if and when needed. If you don’t have the internal resources to implement the first four recommendations above, consider bringing in outside expertise to help. You can read the full CMO Survey for Spring 2024 (free). If you’d like to improve your marketing operations and maximize the ROI of your martech investments, Sojourn Solutions can help.  Reach out to us today!