WORKBOOK PLANNING: PEOPLE
The implementation of attribution reporting requires involvement of all people, processes and technologies that impact the funnel. If these elements are not leveraged and teams are not motivated, they may become an obstacle to the acquisition and usage of accurate data. For this reason, it is essential to re-examine the scope of the organization’s entire funnel to ensure that attribution reporting will be set up for success.
When we look at people, processes, and technology in the context of attribution reporting, we are not just referring to your immediate Marketing team and its platforms. The overall goal is to track prospects from first contact to final sale, so everyone from web and demand generation through to sales comes into play.
People: Establish governance and clarify roles
Establishing governance over the measurement of marketing activities is essential to the implementation of an attribution reporting system. Who will ensure the right tracking codes are placed within each campaign? Who will check that information is properly flowing through the Marketing Automation systems and CRM? A strong attribution reporting initiative requires a team that is responsible for funnel performance measurement, systems and data, and team enablement.
Based on our extensive experience in the field, a team committed to leading the process of attribution reporting is needed to get results. In most companies, the team in the best position to oversee the implementation and continued support of attribution reporting is Marketing Operations (MarkOps). Regardless of the team selected within the company, for brevity we will refer to this team as MarkOps from here on in.
Along with MarkOps, there are other teams who will interact with your attribution reporting system. Sales Operations are the next most important group. They must ensure CRM data is accurate and retains attribution IDs as a lead progresses through the funnel. Additionally, Demand Generation and IT/web teams must make sure new campaigns are synced up to the tracking system. Strategists and Executives will need ready access to KPIs generated via reports and dashboards.
Solid change management and clearly documented governance is needed across the organization for attribution reporting to be implemented and maintained. Use the following planning exercise to get started.
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OWNING THE MAJORITY OF YOUR ATTRIBUTION REPORTING, MARKOPS MUST:
Provide a transparent, efficient and accountable view of the funnel and Marketing’s role within it;
Work to increase Marketing efficiency and organizational agility; and Define what process and technology MarkOps is responsible for.
Planning Exercise 1: Identify the roles and responsibilities
DEPARTMENT ROLE IN ATTRIBUTION REPORTING PROJECT
MARKETING /AGENCY
• Share key information about campaign processes and execution
• Attach a campaign ID to every tactic
WEB TEAM / IT
• Play an essential role as owners of CMS, through which all digital marketing activities flow
• Report on level of engagement audience has with digital marketing assets
MARKETING OPERATIONS
• Oversees attribution reporting
• Tests campaign data flow (forms, CRM integration, etc)
• Consults with marketing team to create a plan for tracking attribution in new campaigns
• Develops regular attribution reports
INSIDE SALES / FIELD SALES
• Support a change in sales process that will see leads converted to opportunities, instead of new opportunities created for existing qualified leads
SALES OPERATIONS
• As owners of CRM, SalesOps plays a critical role in insuring marketing leads are connected to revenue outcomes
PITFALLS TO AVOID (THREATS)
• May not understand their need for involvement and why attribution reporting is critical
• May not see that attribution reporting ultimately benefits them and will enable them to optimize their efforts
• May have a vested interest in not exposing campaign ROI as they are likely successful by current measurements
• May not see what benefits they gain from attribution reporting
• Resist reporting because it is seen as an add-on to their jobs
• Failure to align with other departments involved
• High degree of responsibility for one department means high risk of knowledge loss in the event of turnover
• Possible power struggle as all teams must look to it as an authority on measurement
PLAN TO ENSURE ROLE IS MET
• Communicate the benefits to involvement, especially larger budgets
• Ensure they commit to a change in process that will add slightly more time to campaign execution
• Apply strong change management to highlight the importance of transformation and minimize resistance
• Enable Web Team to see how their participation in attribution reporting will raise their profile
• Connect this team to revenue
• May not understand how the current process is preventing attribution reporting
• Inside Sales/Field Sales do not support the change in process and continue to create net new opportunities (as opposed to converting the leads), thereby giving Sales full credit and erasing the tracking (note the vested interest you will need to overcome)
• Not defining WIIFM (What’s In It For Me)
• Potential for “source of truth” tension with MarkOps as reporting process is established
• Failure to align with other departments involved
• MarkOps must position themselves authoritatively as leaders of implementation to stakeholders
• Hold monthly meetings with sales and marketing stakeholders to review campaign measurement
• MarkOps to test all campaigns before they go live
• Cross training and manuals must be developed to ensure continuity through any turnover
• Understand what drives them – their concerns and why they always create a new opportunity
• Define what’s in it for them (stronger marketing with larger budgets to create more qualified leads)
• Facilitate change management discussions with an aim of understanding the greater goal
• Identify common goals that unite SalesOps with MarkOps and all other stakeholders
• Focus on building inter-department relationships through team-building activities
• Provide SalesOps with data and insights that empower them to improve their efforts
PERSON /DEPARTMENT
MARKETING /AGENCY
WEB TEAM / IT
MARKETING OPERATIONS
INSIDE SALES / FIELD SALES
ROLE IN ATTRIBUTION REPORTING PROJECT
PITFALLS TO AVOID (THREATS)
PLAN TO ENSURE ROLE IS MET
SALES OPERATIONS