Tag Archives: Marketing Automation Platform
Marketo Files for IPO
- 3rd April 2013
On April 2, marketing automation vendor Marketo filed for a $75 million initial public offering; its ticker symbol on NASDAQ will be MKTO.
Continue Reading....Top Three Reasons to Use Marketing Automation for Influencer Relations
- 26th March 2013
Here are the top three reasons to use marketing automation for influencer relations.
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The AQL: A Missed Opportunity With Lead Scoring?
- 12th March 2013
SiriusDecisions recently launched the Demand Waterfall Conversion study, a new survey that focuses on conversion rates of leads as they progress through stages of the demand waterfall. The objective is to determine what best-in-class performance looks like for different types of b-to-b businesses. This is the second in a series of posts focusing on the questions the survey is designed to help answer. Today’s topic is the automation qualified lead (AQL) in the marketing qualification phase of the demand waterfall.
Continue Reading....A SiriusView on Marketing Automation Platform Providers
- 17th January 2013
Today, a press release announced that SiriusDecisions has published its first SiriusView™ on the marketing automation platform (MAP) market. This research study features reviews of 12 leading MAP vendors: Act-On, Aprimo, Eloqua, eTrigue, IBM Unica, LoopFuse, Marketo, Neolane, Pardot, Sales Engine International (formerly Manticore Technology), Silverpop and TreeHouse Interactive. They were scored on their depth of functionality, essential elements (services/support) and vendor strength.
Continue Reading....What Is Lead Scoring, Anyway?
- 14th January 2013
I have never found a description online that succinctly explains what exactly lead scoring is, and the value it can drive in a b-to-b organization. With this in mind, I have laid out SiriusDecisions’ perspective. Lead scoring is a methodology used to rank prospects against a scale that represents the perceived value each lead represents to the organization. The resulting score is used to determine which leads a receiving function (e.g. sales, partners, teleprospecting) will engage, in order of priority.
Continue Reading....Oracle Buys Eloqua, Part 2
- 20th December 2012
Earlier today, Jonathan Block discussed here what Oracle’s acquisition of Eloqua means for Eloqua and the MAP market as a whole. I agree with the points Jonathan raised, especially his opinion on Oracle’s poor track record of capitalizing on the marketing technologies it acquires and on what this acquisition might signal for Salesforce.com. Here are my additional thoughts on the roadmap, competitive positioning, lifecycle marketing and Eloqua employees.
Continue Reading....Oracle Buys Eloqua
- 20th December 2012
On December 20, 2012, Oracle announced its intent to purchase marketing automation platform (MAP) provider Eloqua for $871 million, a 31 percent premium over the Eloqua share price on the day of the announcement. The deal should be completed in the first half of 2013. Oracle is sending out a “business as usual” message to outline its plans regarding the acquisition, at least in the short term.
Continue Reading....MAP Functionality: Sometimes It’s the Small Things
- 23rd October 2012
Sometimes small things can make a huge difference – heated handles on a snowmobile, cruise control in a car, a flask in the handle of an umbrella. It’s true that one would not likely purchase these products just because they have those features, but these extras are attention-getting and convenient. The same is true for marketing automation platforms (MAPs). While attending recent MAP vendor briefings, I’ve noted several features that, while not groundbreaking, are innovative enough to warrant recognition. Each of these features is offered by only two MAP vendors, at most.
Continue Reading....ExactTarget Acquires Pardot
- 12th October 2012
Email marketing provider ExactTarget announced yesterday (October 11) that it is acquiring privately held marketing automation platform (MAP) vendor Pardot. ExactTarget (NYSE: ET) paid $95.5 million total for Pardot, consisting of $85.5 million in cash and $10 million in ExactTarget common stock. ExactTarget had previously partnered with MAP vendor Marketo, but one can deduce that this acquisition effectively ends that arrangement. High-performance b-to-b organizations have long recognized the limitations of relying primarily on email marketing in today’s multi-touch, multi-channel buyer-centric world, and have been adopting MAPs for years. This acquisition immediately makes ExactTarget more relevant to small and medium-sized b-to-b organizations.
Continue Reading....Six 2013 Predictions for Marketing Automation
- 9th October 2012
In my last post, I discussed how the marketing automation platform (MAP) space has evolved during the last 12 months. This week, I present six ways SiriusDecisions predicts the MAP market will evolve during the next 12 months. I have broken these into three broad categories – marketplace dynamics, MAP technology and customer usage.
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