MARKETING

AUTOMATION
BENCHMARKS BY REVENUE PERFORMANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 Executive Summary 9 Marketing Automation Features & Factors

4 Revenue Performance 10 Marketing Automation Metrics

5 Marketing Automation Objectives 11 About Marketo

6 Marketing Automation Success 12 About Demand Metric & Ascend2

7 Marketing Automation Obstacles 13 Appendix – Survey Background

8 Resources for Marketing Automation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Marketing automation has dramatically increased the effectiveness and efficiency of finding, nurturing and converting customers.

But what will marketing automation success look like in the year ahead and how will marketers achieve it?

To find out, Demand Metric, in partnership with Ascend2, fielded the Marketing Automation Benchmark Survey and completed
interviews with 291 business, marketing and sales professionals from around the world. We thank these busy professionals for
sharing their valuable insights with you.

The charts in this edition of our study, titled Marketing Automation Benchmarks by Revenue Performance, compare the
strategies and practices of companies that have achieved or exceeded their revenue goals with those that have not.

This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in your own marketing strategy planning and presentation
materials. Clip the charts and write about them in your blog or post them on social media.

Please share this research credited as published.

- Jerry Rackley, Chief Analyst – Demand Metric

3
REVENUE PERFORMANCE
Figure 1: Current Revenue Attainment for Organizations Participating in Study

Current Revenue Performance

13%
The charts in this report compare the strategies and
practices of companies responding to the Sales Experience
Exceeding
revenue goals Quality Benchmark Survey that are achieving or exceeding
42% their revenue attainment goals.
Achieving
revenue goals 58% of participating organizations are achieving or
exceeding their revenue goals, while 42% of
Not achieving participating organizations are not currently achieving
45% revenue goals
their revenue goals.

Marketing Automation Benchmark Survey, Demand Metric and Ascend2, July 2014, n=291

4
MARKETING AUTOMATION OBJECTIVES
Figure 2: Most Important Marketing Automation Objectives for the Upcoming Year

This study endeavored to understand the most important

Most Important Marketing Automation Objectives
goals for marketing automation programs.
Achieved or Exceeded Revenue Goals Did Not Achieve Revenue Goals

46%
Participants were asked to choose all objectives that apply
Improve lead nurturing
37% to their program. The collection of responses is presented
Improve marketing productivity
42% in Figure 2.
50%
Increase lead generation
42%
41% Companies achieving or exceeding their revenue goals
Increase sales revenue
41% indicated they were more likely to target the improvement of
49%
38% lead nurturing, lead generation and marketing productivity.
Improve lead quality
40%
Improve performance measurement
28% While companies not achieving revenue goals
24%
25% responded that an improvement in marketing
Improve marketing-sales alignment
20% productivity was their most important objective, they
Reduce sales cycle
18% were more likely to rate an increase in sales revenue as
13%
a key objective rather than lead nurturing or lead
0% 20% 40% 60%
generation. It is important to note that an increase in sales
revenue would be greatly impacted by an improvement in
lead nurturing and an increase in lead generation, which it
Marketing Automation Benchmark Survey, Demand Metric and Ascend2, July 2014, n=291
seems that achieving organizations have already learned
for their processes.
5
CURRENT MARKETING AUTOMATION SUCCESS
Figure 3: Self-Assessment Ratings of Current Marketing Automation Success

Study participants were asked to provide a self-assessment

Ratings of Current MA Success
of their current marketing automation success.
Achieved or Exceeded Revenue Goals Did Not Achieve Revenue Goals

80%
The aggregate data collected from these ratings can be
seen in Figure 3 to the left.
78%

60% Overall, the majority of participants, no matter their revenue

65%
performance, rated their marketing automation program as
either “Very successful” or “Somewhat successful.” 92% of
40% under-achieving companies reported some level of
success with marketing automation; and their
achieving counterparts reported a 93% success rate.
20% 28%
7% 8% Although most organizations are reporting some level
14% of success with marketing automation, companies that
0% are achieving or exceeding revenue goals were twice
Very successful Somewhat successful Not successful
as likely to rate their program as “Very successful.” On
the other hand, both categories of revenue performance are
reporting their programs as unsuccessful at an almost
Marketing Automation Benchmark Survey, Demand Metric and Ascend2, July 2014, n=291
equal rate.

6
 Log in and download
the complete report!
Not registered yet? Sign up for free to access
over 350 reports, guides, and more than 100 webinars.

CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

Research
Tools
Training
Software
Demand Metric has the world’s largest library of practical marketing
tools and templates, all ready for you to customize.
Playbooks & Training Webinars
Toolkits Courses

Our Playbooks are built with Stay on top of the marketing Industry professionals,
best practices in mind. They landscape and learn new skills. thought leaders, and Demand
contain proven processes Our on-demand video training Metric analysts share
and a detailed action plan courses will help you and your research results and best
that will help you achieve your team build effective marketing practices that will help you
objectives and deliver results. processes on more than 20 topics. achieve the best results.

Tools & Reports &

Templates Guides

Having clear insight into both key metrics Based on surveys conducted with our member
and what’s behind them is necessary to base, we share how your peers are tackling
improve your end results. Demonstrate a broad range of marketing topics in different
the value your marketing organization is formats such as Benchmark Reports, Solution
delivering with our tools and templates. Studies, Frameworks, and How-to Guides.

sign up for a free trial

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MULTICHANNEL MARKETING 4 / 64

It’s time to optimize your

core Marketing Processes.

Not registered yet? Sign up for free to access this report

and over 350 other practical resources for modern marketers.

GET STARTED