Up until now, there has been no explicit, formally organized and broadly shared view of what the conditions for success include and what is involved in setting and maintaining them on a Marketing Automation implementation project. It has been strictly a matter of individual project management interpretation, experience and a little bit of art. Our goal at TopRight is to bring greater rigor, discipline, and science to help companies assure that the conditions for success are in place before, during and after they embark on their Marketing Automation journey. TopRight research and direct client experience has identified five conditions for success in Marketing Automation implementations. 1. You made explicit linkages to business value 2. Your executive team is fully aligned and on board 3. Your executive sponsor is highly visible on the front row and taking full accountability 4. Your organization is behind you and actively committed at every level 5. Your project team is proactively managing the undercurrents of expectations, energy and myth If one or more of the conditions for success are not in place, your Marketing Automation implementation may be at risk.

1. Quantifying Explicit Value
Generating Full
Alignment
Showcasing
Sponsorship &
Accountability
There is a specific plan associated with the marketing automation project. The
sponsoring executive and the project team mutually agreed a business case that is
clearly defined and measurable in terms of strategic, operational, economic and
organizational benefit; and a case for user adoption at an individual level.
Securing Active Commitment
There is a track of work for testing active commitment regularly with leadership and
the project team. Rooting out “passive” commitment to the project and/or passive
aggressive behaviors regarding marketing automation is imperative. Marketing
leaders take personal responsibility for the program, take a stand for success and
are seen to take sides on conflicts and difficult issues.
Managing Performance Risk
Managing Performance Risk – Activities are defined in the plan to assure that team
performance is routinely monitored and risks are mitigated. Scope for the
marketing automation team must be appropriate to obtain the business results
desired. A performance evaluation process is in place to assure that the project is
appropriately staffed - representing the cross-functional expertise needed to meet
the business objectives.
The process is defined for generating
and sustaining executive alignment;
the executive sponsor and associated
business leaders are aligned of the
marketing automation effort and
achievement of intended business
outcomes. There is an informed
understanding about the complete
journey to marketing automation
results, and its many challenges and
personal implications for employees
in their role.
Activities are outlined in the plan to
demonstrate how leadership is
personally “at stake” and visible to
the organization throughout the
project. An executive leader or
executive leadership team is in
place with the positional authority,
credibility, skill, resolve, and time to
get the marketing automation
implementation moving, and
maintain its momentum through to
results.