Marketing Impact on Closed Opportunities: Need Attribution Period

[Michael_Langell]

Hi guys,

When my team signed up for RCA, this was a report that we were all very excited about because it can help with ROI a lot.  I think one of the largest issues with this report is the fact that you cannot set an attribution period in which leads successfully touched or acquired by the program will cease to attribute to opportunities under an account.     

What I have below is a screenshot of the report highlighting a single opportunity where many programs were involved.  The opportunity was closed in July 2014 and 3 programs from May/June 2012 are attributed to the opportunity.  One of the acquisition programs is from 2011!  

There needs to be a global setting that can be updated that turns off the program attribution after a certain number of years or any time period of your choosing for that matter.  Otherwise, your reporting will be skewed and the oldest programs will always seem to be the best performers, because they are indefinitely getting attributed to opportunities.  This is especially an issue if your customers repeat purchases and are transactional.   This is a must have.  




Any feedback and likes are appreciated. 

Thanks,
Mike

[Michael_Langell]

On another note, I have been told to help you can archive programs after that amount of time passes, but that completely sacrificies your historical rpeorting.  

-Mike

[Anonymous]

It's good feedback. FYI- the archive function has zero impact on reporting, so you don't lose old data when you do that.

[Michael_Langell]

I guess someone earlier had told me incorrect information.  Then it sounds like there is no solution to this currently.  It looks like archiving just removes the program from the search pane basically.  Only information I found on this was below:   

http://www.marketingrockstarguides.com/archiving-assets-in-marketo-1197/

[Anne_Wang]

Hi Michael,
I have exactly the same issue. I actually opened a case today for this to see if Marketo can find some work around to help me out.

We definitely need to have a way to specify the 'qualified' time frame in which a touch will be counted for any oppty attribution. Right now it is all time which as you said skewed towards older campaign.

It will also hurt marketing's credibility with sales.

Great idea. Hopefully Marketo will incorporate this to their roadmap.

Anne

[Josh_Hill13]

Michael,

My article above should say that archiving has zero effect on reporting, this is why you do that. Only deletion will cause reporting issues. Also, removing a lead from a Program or Engagement will also remove that reporting data.

Another option is to change the Reporting Behavior to Not Included/Operational after a certain period.

[Michael_Langell]

Hi Josh,

Sorry if I was not clear, meant to say that your article confirmed that archiving does not remove the program from reporting and that it is the only information I found confirming that.  

Your option would work, but if I wanted a historical report, I would have to keep on going back and forth between switching the reporting behavior to operational which would be a pain and not very efficient.  

Mike