Comments on: Beware Marketing Automation Without Data Clarification

By: Toronto SEO

Toronto SEO — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:42:46 +0000

Well said sir, I feel that automation is key for marketing, but in order to do so effectively you need to target your demographic and have your numbers/testing down in order to minimize loss.

Nonetheless, great post, keep up the good work!

By: Henry

Henry — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:22:46 +0000

Excellent point
however,i wanna say bad data will misunderstand people and have terrible effect on automation tool.

By: Kevin Ertell

Kevin Ertell — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:29:21 +0000

Great points, Bryan. I would also point out that not all data is not created equal. Bad data can have very bad effects on any automation tool, and as you and other have pointed out, it takes people who proper understanding of numbers and analytics to ensure the data is as accurate as possible.

By: John : Site Doublers

John : Site Doublers — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:43:53 +0000

Great post, Bryan.

I like to make an analogy with a construction site. All kinds of machines to help with productivity from a tower crane down to an electric drill.

But it’s human beings that are in control making it all happen. It’s their skill and motivation that makes the job work – not the quality of the machinery.

By: Create A Profitable Blog Part 2

Create A Profitable Blog Part 2 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:32:22 +0000

[...] Beware Marketing Automation Without Data Clarification [...]

By: Maria Pergolino

Maria Pergolino — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:39:22 +0000

I really like your wrap-up to the post, stressing insight not just data. To me, I am able to use marketing automation to save time with email campaigns, lead nurturing, and lead scoring so that I can spend time analyzing the results of these campaigns. This ‘extra’ time is what allows me to improve my return and make Marketo (the marketing automation tool I use) worth the cost. The added benefit is built in tools that allow for testing campaigns (A/B testing for email and landing pages) so that I can do my web analysis, email analysis, and campaign analysis all in one system.

Regarding the analytics problem for the customer above, I think that regardless of what marketing automation tool you use you should always use a 2nd (or backup) web analytics tool like Omniture or Google Analytics to ensure that you aren’t missing any data.

By: Greg Donahue

Greg Donahue — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:22:51 +0000

I had similar thoughts as Jim. Since CRM has been around much longer than marketing automation, they have gone through the “bleeding edge.” One of the biggest problems is dirty data. Most firms I worked at outsourced data cleansing once a year or every other year. Not an inexpensive option but always seems to have been worth it.

By: Jim Novo

Jim Novo — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:32:43 +0000

In CRM circles, I called this “automating worst practices”.

It’s so easy to take a faulty Marketing framework and make it run faster, without ever addressing the root cause of the problems.

With the result you spend a lot of money for a system that bankrupts you even faster.

What a world.

By: David Cross

David Cross — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:25:00 +0000

I am reminded of the time 10 years back when a client wanted to test personalized emails so they asked for email, First and Last Name at signup. One reader obviously felt this was no business of the client in question. The subsequent personalized email campaign addressed to “Dear F*** You” highlights the need to check that both the data and processes you have in place are accurate!

By: Justin Blase

Justin Blase — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:23:09 +0000

Great post. I see many people (including myself in past years) rely on the heavy use of automation to the point where it is almost like a drug. Looking for the fastest way to accomplish vital marketing tasks leads to pure laziness for a lot folks.

By: Alex Cohen

Alex Cohen — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:20:18 +0000

Hey Bryan,

Great points, all. I’d underscore your point that the analytics foundation has to be solid before you start your optimization journey.

From there, I think we need visibility and guidance. Where are the areas of opportunity and potential loss? Where should I start?

We need a clear view and information, not just a data dump. One of my college professors once said “Data + Insight = Information” and that’s more true of online marketing than ever.

Automation is one part of the marketing arsenal. But, as you’ve shown with OnTarget, prioritization is just as important. Without great data, you can’t prioritize correctly.

Cheers,
-Alex
Marketing Manager, ClickEquations

PS: Full disclosure, Bryan is on our board and I’m a committed fan