This report accompanies the FUNNEL 2011 and FUNNEL 2012.



Marketing Automation Best Practices is a comprehensive guide to understanding marketing automation - the process of using technology to manage, scale, and measure marketing campaigns.   

  • What is marketing automation, and will it work for me?
  • When can I expect to see the results?
  • How can I use marketing automation to nurture leads?

About this report

Marketing Automation Best Practices was created to provide an unbiased look at the opportunities and challenges of marketing automation.

The reseach process began with interviews with marketing automation service and software vendors. We talked to the individuals within those organizations that are involved with hands-on implementation. We strived to get their unvarnished opinions on what specific tactics and strategies have been most successful for their clients, and what headaches a marketer can expect when attempting to implement them. We also turned to high-level individuals within these companies for their opinions on strategy and big-picture issues.

In addition to speaking with vendors, we turned to an online focus group of marketers that are currently using marketing automation software/services for their opinions. This group was randomly recruited from the current client base of multiple marketing automation vendors. They anonymously contributed their stories of success as well as their frustrations with marketing automation implementation within their own organizations.

The end result is a view of the industry that takes both vendor and marketer opinion into consideration, spans the services of many vendors and the experiences of many marketers. And, while we are optimistic about the potential of marketing automation software and services, the report does not endorse any one vendor, service, or product.

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. About this report
    2. About Econsultancy
  2. Background
    1. What to expect when you’re expecting marketing automation
    2. Selecting marketing automation solution, or not
  3. Why Marketing Automation?
    1. Realistically, how long will this take?
    2. Who should be in charge?
    3. Does marketing automation really work?
  4. Marketing Automation Concepts Explained, Then Expounded
    1. Listening tactics
    2. Preference centers, surveys, and progressive profiling
    3. Database integration
  5. Individualized Content Tactics
    1. Dynamic segmentation
    2. Lead scoring
    3. Medium as message
    4. Timing tactics
      1. Auto-responders or triggered email
      2. Lead nurturing
      3. Frequency and cadence
    5. Bringing it all together
  6. Continuous Testing and Optimization
    1. B2B vs. B2C considerations, length of purchase cycle
    2. Workflow considerations
  7. Getting on Your Way with Marketing Automation


How much does this report cost?

You can purchase just this report for $695.





Consider your options: Find out more about why you should subscribe