[Coffee Break] Inheriting a Marketo Instance as a Marketo Admin

[alysha_khan23]

Hello folks! Here are some answers to common questions that come up during an audit:

How do I keep track of what I find during my audit?

Use a spreadsheet to keep track for your findings as you go through your audit.

For each finding, note down what you found, where it is in Marketo, potential concerns or implications and give it a rating in terms of urgency (i.e. how important it is to fix) and difficulty (i.e. how easy or hard it is to fix).

What do I do after I complete my audit?

Use your notes to identify low-hanging fruit that can make a big impact and knock them out quickly. Then use the rest of your findings to create a roadmap for your marketing operations team. Make sure to account for how your audit findings can also support your company’s revenue goals to create an even more impactful roadmap.

[Zoe_Forman]

Compliance and Consent - areas to check

If you are working in a Country or region that has privacy policies and requires explicit consent  to receive communications such as UK, Canada, Brazil Australia, USA, India to name a few

You should have an up-to-date and robust Privacy Policy operational program in place.

• Do your forms that are gathering leads comply with local legislation? - displaying legal text (in local language) and checkboxes.
• Do all emails have Unsubscribe links in place? - and within your email templates/snippets
• Is there a preference centre? where people can choose which communications they want to receive from you ( Events, Blog, Training, newsletters) or select their preferred language as well as easy opt-out
• Has your legal team signed off on the Privacy Policies and are all policies up to date?

[robynhatfield]

What does your lead lifecycle look like in your new instance?

When you inherit a Marketo instance, it's important to dig into the lead lifecycle. Most instances will have a lead lifecycle set up (in the Operational programs).

Lead lifecycles can have different stages. A common setup is: MCL (Marketing Created Lead), MEL (Marketing Engaged Lead), MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead), SAL (Sales Accepted Lead), SQL (Sales Qualified Lead), Customer, Disqualified, Recycle.
Note: you can have many variations of the lead lifecycle and stages.

Questions to ask:

1) How is my current lifecycle set up for stage transitions (moving from MCL to MEL, MEL to MQL, etc.)?

2) How is data stamped? Am I date stamping? Am I stamping the campaign and campaign type at the movement into each stage?

3) How are qualified leads being passed to sales? For MQLs, are we sending alerts, setting up tasks, sending a Slack message?

4) Ensure all relevant smart campaigns are activated (and weren't accidentally shut off).

5) After a lead is passed to sales, how are we recycling it back to Marketing (do we have a trigger to recycle)?

6) Are scores reset when someone is recycled? Make sure the program is set up to 'listen' for activities in the CRM that are then passed to Marketo.

7) How are we handling disqualified people (people that are not valid leads/contacts for our business)? Do we have a process of removing them from being scored or removing them from being in the lifecycle? Is there a plan to remove these from the database completely?

[Maria_Cruz1]

How do I keep track of what I find during my audit?

Keeping track of your findings during a Marketo audit is crucial for effective analysis and implementation of changes. Here are some steps and tips to help you organize and document your Marketo audit:

1. Create a Document: Use a document or spreadsheet to record your findings. Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel are commonly used for this purpose.
2. Define Audit Categories: Break down your audit into categories such as Email Campaigns, Landing Pages, Forms, Smart Campaigns, Data Management, Integrations, etc.
3. Audit Checklist: Create a checklist for each category. This could include specific items to review or questions to answer. For example, in the Email Campaigns category, you might check for proper segmentation, content relevance, and email deliverability.
4. Record Configuration Settings: Document the current configuration settings for each element you are auditing. This includes things like email settings, form settings, workflow configurations, etc.
5. Note Customizations and Templates: If there are custom templates, scripts, or other elements in use, make note of them. This is important for understanding the unique aspects of your Marketo setup.
6. Document Campaign Performance: Analyze the performance of past campaigns. Note metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and any A/B testing results.
7. Check Data Quality: Review the quality of the data in your Marketo instance. Look for duplicate records, incomplete information, and any issues with data integrity.
8. Collaborate with Stakeholders: If you are working in a team, collaborate with other stakeholders involved in the audit. This could include marketing managers, sales representatives, or IT personnel.
9. Include Recommendations: Provide recommendations for improvements based on your findings. Include suggestions for optimizing campaigns, enhancing data quality, or implementing best practices.
10. Timeline and Priority: Assign a timeline to each category or task and prioritize based on criticality. This helps in managing the audit process efficiently.
11. Regular Updates: Regularly update your documentation as you progress through the audit. This ensures that you have a real-time view of the status and findings.
12. Final Summary: Provide a final summary that highlights key findings, recommended actions, and potential areas for future improvement.

By following these steps and maintaining a well-organized document, you can successfully keep track of your Marketo audit and facilitate effective decision-making based on your findings.

What do I do after I complete my audit?

After completing your Marketo audit, the next steps involve analyzing your findings, implementing necessary changes, and optimizing your Marketo instance for improved performance. Here's a guide on what to do after completing a Marketo audit:

1. Review Audit Findings: Thoroughly review the documentation of your audit findings. Ensure that you have a clear understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
2. Prioritize Recommendations: Prioritize the recommendations based on their impact and urgency. Identify quick wins and long-term strategies for improvement.
3. Develop an Action Plan: Create a detailed action plan that outlines the steps required to implement the recommended changes. Assign responsibilities to team members if you're working in a collaborative environment.
4. Implement Changes: Begin implementing the changes identified during the audit. This may involve updating email campaigns, refining landing pages, optimizing forms, or adjusting workflows.
5. Monitor Performance Metrics: Once changes are implemented, closely monitor the performance metrics of your Marketo campaigns. Track key indicators such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall engagement.
6. Iterate and Test: Continuously iterate and test different elements of your campaigns. A/B testing can help you identify the most effective strategies for content, design, and timing.
7. Data Cleanup: If data quality issues were identified during the audit, initiate a data cleanup process. Remove duplicate records, update incomplete information, and ensure data integrity.
8. Training and Documentation: If there were gaps in knowledge or skills identified during the audit, provide training to your team. Update documentation to reflect any changes in processes or configurations.
9. Communicate Changes: Communicate any significant changes to relevant stakeholders. This could include marketing teams, sales teams, or other departments affected by the modifications.
10. Monitor Integration Points: If Marketo is integrated with other systems (e.g., CRM), ensure that integration points are functioning correctly after changes. Address any issues that arise.
11. Document Updated Configurations: Document the updated configurations and settings in your Marketo instance. This serves as a reference for future audits and ensures consistency in your marketing processes.
12. Evaluate and Report: Periodically evaluate the impact of the changes made and report on the success of the optimizations. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure improvements.
13. Plan for Ongoing Optimization: Recognize that optimization is an ongoing process. Plan for regular reviews and updates to ensure that your Marketo instance continues to meet the evolving needs of your marketing strategy.

By following these steps, you can transform the insights gained from your Marketo audit into actionable improvements, leading to a more effective and efficient marketing automation setup. Regularly reassess and adapt your strategies to stay aligned with industry best practices and changes in your business environment.

[Jon_Chen · Accepted solution]

 For an additional resource on auditing an Instance, check out this Admin Checklist on the Experience League website!