Survey Reveals Top Five Challenges to Marketing Automation Success

CleverTouch Marketing, Europe’s leading Marketing Automation consultancy and service provider, recently surveyed 200 Heads of Marketing, Marketing Directors and CMOs in the UK, US and EMEA, to determine Marketing Automation adoption and usage in its State of Marketing Automation report, the first of its kind.

The survey, which compares opinions in key regions worldwide, reveals a gap in the perceived benefits of Marketing Automation in contrast to the reality of adoption, with many citing platform complexities and a lack of good content as the barriers to success.

The War for Talent

When it comes to Marketing Automation talent, the survey found that although 80% of respondents have already implemented Marketing Automation, there is a clear shortage in skills, with 48% of organisations that use Marketing Automation recruiting specialist talent.

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The survey also revealed that 49% of organisations that use Marketing Automation keep the majority of their delivery in-house, with some support from a partner. To develop their Marketing Automation knowledge and understanding within the business, 49% rely on vendors and 48% recruit specialist skills.

To develop the relevant skills, 33% of organisations use external consultants, and only 13% of respondents keep all Marketing Automation delivery in-house. Significantly, 70% of these companies without Marketing Automation in place plan to train and up-skill existing staff.

With 40% of respondents admitting that their biggest challenge in delivering a successful Marketing Automation strategy is a lack of skills and expertise, CleverTouch has developed and launched its War For Marketing Automation Talent campaign.

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Sales and Marketing Alignment

However, for Sales and Marketing alignment, the survey found that Marketing Automation is use for lead generation (44%), lead nurturing campaigns (41%) and account-based marketing (40%). Interestingly, 31% of respondents said that their marketing department is mostly perceived as an equally respected department to sales and 28% reported that their marketing department is mostly perceived within the organisation as a change agent and driver of new thinking.

Similarly, just over 3 in 10 (31%) of respondents who have implemented Marketing Automation said that CRM is more important to their business than Marketing Automation, whereas 51% say that both are equally as important.

Alongside the War For Talent campaign, CleverTouch has also launched its Sales and Marketing Alignment campaign. These campaigns will help organisations to develop a successful Marketing Automation strategy in the ever-changing marketing landscape.

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