Marketing Automation Milestone: Migrating Onboarding Flows

In the recent months we made some major progression in our marketing automation project. After some hurdles we had to overcome to create a connection between Eloqua (marketing database) and Exact Online CRM (sales database) we finally got it up and running last month. This means that we are able to register visitor behavior (e.g. clicks, downloads, call-to-actions) on our website and score it. So here is where we start to generate so called Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs). Our definition: persons within the target audience that show interest in our products by leaving (parts) of their contact details or start following us. When a certain scoring level has been reached we will automatically hand over this MQL to Exact Online CRM and create an opportunity for sales, a Sales Qualified Lead. On a frequent basis we will discuss the scoring model to see where to improve to generate the best quality of SQLs. It is up to sales to convert this SQL in a subscription contract. If not Exact Online CRM will return this lost SQL to the marketing database, Eloqua. Here it becomes a MQL and will be put into a remarketing campaign.

Queen of content

As of May this year we formed a Central Content Creation team consisting op copywriters, art directors and content managers. People that understand the content grid, and know how to create appealing content in the different lifecycle phases of prospects and customers. Having an automated system in place is number 1, creating cool content is probably even more difficult. Headed by our ‘queen of content’ I see some major improvements here. Headed by our ‘queen of content’ I see some major improvements here.In the course of this year she first had to organize the team in such a way it was able to serve up to 5 different countries (The Netjerlands, Belgium, UK, US and Germany). Next year the 6th country will follow, France. The team started with the basic marketing materials e.g. digital brochures, online demo’s, whitepapers and animations. Now the time has come that even cooler content is coming up like infographics, awesome animations and much more.

Multiple flows

The Central Marketing Automation and Content Creation team are working very close together to get the various flows up and running. We defined three types of high level flows:

• Basic MQL flow
• Extended MQL flow
• Onboarding flow

A MQL flow starts when a person within the target audience starts to engage with us. This can start in many ways. By following us, subscribe for a newsletter, do a download, view a online video etc. The basic flow is a simple one. In the UK we acquired an address list and do weekly email shots. Based on click behavior MQLs are converted into SQLs and followed up by sales. The extended MQL flow is a complex model, many content included, many call-to-actions with scoring in it. In one of the next posts I will elaborate in this one. The onboarding flow starts when a prospect signs up for a trial or becomes a customer. Here we want to make sure that we support companies and persons to activate and get up and running quickly in the most efficient way.

Complexity: multiple dimensions

The real complexity kicks in when you start to work on the drawing board realizing the number of different target audiences we are serving and the many call-to-actions we are offering. Put an additional dimension in place like the different lifecycle phases of companies and the party is on. We serve 5 different target audiences with about 10-15 persona’s. We defined 5-10 call-to-actions and need to serve 5 countries. We serve 5 different target audiences with about 10-15 persona’s. We defined 5-10 call-to-actions and need to serve 5 countries.So the number of information streams is increasing dramatically and which we all need to control. Because we need to make sure every SQL is unique which can be generated out of multiple call-to-actions a prospects responded on. The number of content pieces is close to 50.

Tracking cost and income

To engage with our target audience we use almost every type of media channel, online, offline and organic. Whether it’s radio, a webinar, an event or an online banner, we want to register the journey a prospects makes along all different media channels and call-to-actions. We build a unique ID that travels from the media type and media channel all the way thorugh the marketing and sales funnel untill the final contract. At the end I we can exactly measure which campaigns, which media channels resulted in a final subscription because all ID’s are related with the marketing spend. The ID, within the UTM code of each referral URL, contains country, type of budget, target audience, media channel, go-to-market model and media type.

Today D-Day

Today is literally D-Day for the Dutch marketing team. All onboarding flows are being migrated from the old system into the new Eloqua system. With this major milestone also mail templates are updated. Some additional one-dimensional flows are also migrated like newsletters and one-topic mails. A great result by the Dutch team together with the Marketing Automation and the Content Creation team. Kudos for the teams. In a couple of months I will share some results that we achieved by implementing these new flows. By the end of this month the extended MQL flow for The Netherlands will be released. Most exciting moment of truth! Can’t wait to share our experiences with these new ways of nurturing leads. TBC…