What many of our Marketo customers would have liked to have known and done long before implementation

Unclear objectives and strategy

One of the most common uncertainties when introducing Marketo is the unclear definition of goals and strategies. Before you begin implementation, you should work with us to set clear goals for your marketing automation programme. This includes identifying your target groups, defining campaign objectives and setting key performance indicators (KPIs).

Solution: Let's start with a thorough analysis of your marketing objectives. Set clear, measurable goals and work with us to develop a strategy that is tailored to the needs of your target group. This creates a clear roadmap for the implementation of Marketo.

Lack of integration with existing systems

The seamless integration of Marketo with existing systems is crucial for success. Problems can arise if the platform does not work smoothly with CRM systems, email platforms and other tools.

Solution: We conduct a comprehensive system analysis together prior to implementation to ensure that Marketo is seamlessly integrated with your existing technologies. In doing so, we explore existing Marketo integration options for you (e.g. the Marketo interface to Salesforce CRM) or look for custom solutions together to ensure a smooth data exchange between Marketo and all other systems. At Thought Leader Systems, we have our own team of solutions consultants who are also familiar with future-proof and professional integration platforms such as Webmethods from Software AG and can implement them end-to-end - so that Marketo becomes a player in the optimal tech stack.

Complex workflows and automation

Creating complex workflows and automations can lead to confusion, especially for teams new to using marketing automation.

Solution: We provide training and resources to familiarise your team with Marketo's features. We create clear documentation and provide training to ensure your team is able to understand and manage complex workflows.

Lack of content and customer dialogue optimisation

Effective use of Marketo requires high-quality content. However, creating and optimising content can be a challenge.

Solution: Implement a content strategy that takes into account the needs of your target audience. At Thought Leader Systems, we have a dedicated team called Customer Dialogue Development. These experts don't just think in terms of content products such as whitepapers or blog posts, they look at every single email from Marketo and every landing page as the important conversion opportunity that each marketing asset is.

If emails are not opened or not clicked through, the customer dialogue dies and the conversation with a prospect is unlikely to continue. Customer Dialogue Development keeps an eye on ALL Marketo emails, Marketo landing pages and all downloads so that the dialogue continues - right up to the point of purchase and well beyond. In this way, all communication and conversion opportunities with Marketo are systematically utilised. Of course, the team also makes sure that Marketo collects the right and important data in forms (e.g. for content downloads) that you need in lead management to further develop leads (lead nurturing) and develop them to sales maturity for discussion with sales and for transfer from Marketo to your CRM.

This job is never finished - because together we want to become better and more successful in lead management. So let's use Marketo's extensive A/B test functions to measure the effectiveness of content and adjust your strategy based on the results.

Data protection and compliance challenges

With today's extensive data protection requirements, your organisation needs to ensure that all marketing automation processes in Marketo are compliant.

Solution: Understand the data protection regulations in your target markets and implement appropriate measures in Marketo. We will be happy to provide you with comprehensive advice and support - also with the international data protection experts from our network. In this way, you can ensure that your processes comply with the applicable data protection guidelines in order to avoid legal problems.

Conclusion

The introduction of Marketo can be invaluable to your organisation if you are aware of the challenges and proactively implement solutions. With clear objectives, integration optimisation, training, content optimisation and data protection compliance, you can ensure a smooth implementation process and reap the full benefits of Marketo. We are happy to help you.