Cara Clanton-Pope, Author at The Spot https://thespotforpardot.com A home for marketers on Salesforce to shape the future together Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:24:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://thespotforpardot.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/circle-150x150.png Cara Clanton-Pope, Author at The Spot https://thespotforpardot.com 32 32 238606145 4 Must-Ask Questions Before Building a Data Dashboard That Drives Results https://thespotforpardot.com/2025/02/14/4-must-ask-questions-before-building-a-data-dashboard-that-drives-results/ https://thespotforpardot.com/2025/02/14/4-must-ask-questions-before-building-a-data-dashboard-that-drives-results/#respond Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:24:06 +0000 https://thespotforpardot.com/?p=7799 4 Must-Ask Questions Before Building a Data Dashboard That Drives Results

I  must confess that I have built my fair share of boring unremarkable dashboards.  It haunts me to think of all those past reports that are now collecting dust like a Betamax tape in a world of streaming services.  If you are reading this, I bet I am not alone. We can put so much […]

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4 Must-Ask Questions Before Building a Data Dashboard That Drives Results

I  must confess that I have built my fair share of boring unremarkable dashboards.  It haunts me to think of all those past reports that are now collecting dust like a Betamax tape in a world of streaming services.  If you are reading this, I bet I am not alone. We can put so much effort into a dashboard and have the reports hold so much potential but they so often get left on the cutting room floor. But why? Why do our dashboards seem to fall flat when there is clearly a need?

Because effective dashboards require more than just data. They need a clear purpose, a targeted audience, and a design that compels engagement. There are four key questions you can ask yourself to align and truly transform your next dashboard from a snoozefest to a success story.

Target Audience | “Who is this dashboard for”

Imagine building a cockpit for a pilot instead of a dashboard for a car. A pilot wouldn’t be helped by a speedometer and radio – they need critical flight information displayed clearly and concisely. The same goes for dashboards. The first question to ask is: who’s the key decision-maker this is designed for? Are they executives seeking a high-level financial health pulse, or analysts needing to dive deep into specific metrics?  Understanding your audience gives you the lens to curate the right information. Too often we want to cram all the information into one dashboard and end up overwhelming viewers with a data buffet, thus a dashboard becomes unused. By pinpointing who will use the dashboard, you can tailor the data to speak directly to their needs and drive actionable insights. 

Goal Setting | “What are the top 3 goals of this dashboard”

Okay, we’ve identified the audience, but what exactly do we want them to achieve with this dashboard? Just throwing data at viewers isn’t enough. We need to set clear goals for what this dashboard should help them accomplish.  Is it to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for a quick health check for the marketing manager? Or maybe it’s a unified dashboard for sales and marketing on lead generation ? Defining the top goals keeps the focus tight and ensures the data presented directly addresses those objectives. This also doesn’t have to be overly complicated either. Start with 3 main goals and then you can build upon them!

Actioning  | “Where will this dashboard be used”

Here’s the thing: dashboards need a clear path to “aha moments” and real-world application or they are going to be forgotten like the bagged salad in the back of your fridge. We can break down the lack of action into two key areas.

First, is the information on the dashboard actually driving insights? Are users gleaning valuable trends, identifying potential issues, or getting the data they need to make informed decisions?  The second area is the “where” question.  Will this dashboard be a daily touchpoint for a specific team, a strategic tool for presentations, or something else entirely?  Building a dashboard “just because” is a recipe for neglect.  By understanding how the dashboard will be used and what kind of action it should inspire, you can transform it from a static report into a dynamic driver of results. This is your sign to build in a retrospective process with reporting if you haven’t done so already! 

Goal Setting | “What do you love and hate abour your current process”

Before diving headfirst into building your new masterpiece, take a moment to reflect on your organization’s current dashboards or reporting tools. What reports are being used religiously? Conduct a post-mortem on these existing dashboards – both the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.  

By understanding what resonates with your audience and what falls flat, you can identify successful elements to carry over and steer clear of pitfalls that led to neglected reports.  We don’t always have to reinvent the wheel! Is a specific visualization particularly clear and engaging? Note that down! Conversely, are there any charts or metrics that consistently go unnoticed? Those might be prime candidates for removal.  

Remember, your current dashboards are a treasure trove of insights waiting to be unearthed. Utilize this intel to make informed decisions about the data, design, and functionality of your new dashboard, ensuring it becomes a go-to resource.

Honorable Mentions

Truthfully I can go on and on about questions you should ask before preparing your dashboard, but I did want to also throw a few honorable mention questions that help focus the data quality. Which let’s behonest, is always a hurdle!

  1. “Is the data reliable and up-to-date? “  Ensure the data feeding your dashboard is accurate and reflects the current state of affairs.  Inaccurate data will lead to misleading conclusions. How often will the data be updated to ensure it reflects the current state of affairs?  Stale data is like watching yesterday’s news – interesting, perhaps, but ultimately not very actionable.”
  2. “How can I use the data to tell a compelling story?” Effective dashboards don’t just present facts and figures; they weave a narrative that resonates with the audience. This question encourages the creator to consider the flow of information, highlight trends and patterns, and use visuals to make the data come alive. By crafting a data story, the dashboard becomes more engaging and memorable, ultimately driving a deeper understanding and fostering action.

Design with Purpose, Deliver with Impact

By asking the right questions upfront, you can design dashboards that are anything but boring. Remember to target the right audience, set clear goals, and prioritize actionable insights.  By following these steps, you can create dashboards that become central hubs for informed decision-making and drive real results. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your data and get started crafting your next dashboard masterpiece!

Original article: 4 Must-Ask Questions Before Building a Data Dashboard That Drives Results

©2025 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

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The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Salesforce Reporting Tool https://thespotforpardot.com/2024/01/10/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-the-right-salesforce-reporting-tool/ https://thespotforpardot.com/2024/01/10/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-the-right-salesforce-reporting-tool/#respond Wed, 10 Jan 2024 13:48:46 +0000 https://thespotforpardot.com/?p=7077

We get it. With all the reporting tools out there it is hard to know which one is correct (or what a tool is named this week). In this blog, we will guide you with four questions to help you decide which Salesforce reporting tool fits best with your goals.   4 Things to help you […]

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We get it. With all the reporting tools out there it is hard to know which one is correct (or what a tool is named this week). In this blog, we will guide you with four questions to help you decide which Salesforce reporting tool fits best with your goals. 

 4 Things to help you choose which Salesforce reporting tool to go with

To help you figure out what Salesforce reporting tool fits your situation, we are comparing these tools:

  • CRM Analytics (Formerly Tableau CRM, Einstein CRM, and Wave)
  • Salesforce Marketing Cloud Intelligence (Formerly Datorama)
  • Tableau
  • Salesforce Reports
CRM Analytics (Formerly Tableau CRM, Einstein CRM, and Wave)Salesforce Marketing Cloud Intelligence (Formerly Datorama)TableauSalesforce Reports
Data InputSalesforce, Data Warehouses, Data Lakes, CSV150+ APIs out of the box and numerous flat file optionsOver 50 standard data connectors If it’s a field in Salesforce, it is available to report on
Audience: Where does it live, and who needs to see it?Lives in Analytics Studio or native in the app under the Analytics Tab. You can also embed it on Salesforce Lightning pages. Most users will access via platform.datorama.com. You can embed dashboards for anyone you want to view. Tableau has desktop and cloud-based versions, and you can buy licenses that include full data control or just view accessNatively in the Salesforce Org
Staffing considerations: Who will build it?This can be done by someone who has an intimate knowledge of salesforce schema and object relations. If you can create a custom report type, you can be proficient in CRMAMarketers can take Trailhead training and try to self-implement, or marketing agencies and consultants can also implementTableau is a widely adopted tool with knowledgeable users in many organizations, and there is a consultant marketplace on Tableau’s websiteWhoever has a permission set that gives access in Salesforce
Licensing CostsAdditional Cost by how many seats and licenses you purchase. Licensing is mainly determined by data row usage, with user licensing costs as wellLicensing is heavily user and enablement subscription-centric, with a pricing calculator found hereComes out of the box with your Salesforce Edition. Wouldn’t count toward data storage, but they do have configuration limits

Data input

“Where is my data coming from, and how should I harmonize it?”

CRM Analytics

When it comes to CRM Analytics… it is all about Salesforce data. Think of it like Salesforce reports on steroids. If it is in Salesforce, you can easily pull it into CRM Analytics. That doesn’t mean there aren’t connectors for additional insight, (Hello Data Cloud!), but generally are limited to data lakes and warehouses. 

Unlike Salesforce reporting, which imposes significant restrictions on the data sources (objects) you can include in a single report, CRM Analytics overcomes this limitation and lets you get pretty creative with joins. The downside is that you have to know your data really well so when you are joining you are confident what you report on is accurate.

Marketing Cloud Intelligence

When it comes to Marketing Cloud Intelligence… this is where Marketing Cloud Intelligence shines. If you have numerous marketing sources you need to report on — for instance, site data from Google Analytics, CRM data from Salesforce, and engagement data from Google AdWords — this is a marketer’s delight in terms of tools to work with.

You can see the breadth of out-of-the-box marketing-centric connectors below — from Facebook, Adobe Analytics, or any other tool you have credentials to as simply as logging in, or simply uploading any data file you can imagine using the TotalConnect function. Intelligence also has a set of recommended data models for each type of connector with variation allowed upon ingestion and after the fact as well.

Tableau

When it comes to Tableau… you can find a holistic source list here (including numerous Salesforce connectors, among them Marketing Cloud Intelligence). Like Intelligence, you can upload raw files to Tableau and visualize the data accordingly with flexibility.

There are no standard data models, however, so you will need to set these up upon ingestion for your data sources (they will often mirror source data models).

Salesforce Reports

When it comes to Salesforce Reports… The adage “if it’s not in Salesforce it doesn’t count” is a phrase in the ecosystem for a reason!

Whatever data is physically available in Salesforce, generally a standard or custom Salesforce report can see it. This one is pretty easy and probably the piece you are most comfortable with, but don’t count it out.

Sometimes you need something quick and visible to a multitude of people. Let’s just say… if it was a horse, its name would be Ole Faithful. There is no limitation on company size per se, but be cognizant of data storage limits, data fatigue, and how clean that data is in your Salesforce org.

Final Thoughts 

  • If you are an Enterprise customer, really think through different departments that need analytics and if there are data row limits for your products. Processing power can mean all the world when trying to load a report that takes 20 minutes. 
  • What are you already paying for? There might be a way to reach your goal without purchasing an additional tool- this can help guide you to what your pain points are and to decide on a new tool if necessary.

Audience

Where does this report/dashboard live, and who needs to see it?

CRM Analytics

When it comes to CRMA… there are two answers. Most people view this in Analytics Studio,  which opens a new browser window when you click on it from the app launcher in Salesforce. However, you can have a tab right in your Salesforce app that points to Analytics or embed the dashboard on objects in Salesforce. The caveat is that to view those reports you would need a license and permission set.

A great silver lining is that you can give the correct permissions to users even where they cannot edit or mess with anything just like you can in Salesforce. Based on the cost, that it requires licenses could limit who in your organization can engage with those dashboards. Another silver lining is that you can always download the dashboard as an image and include it in presentations or post in chatter.

Marketing Cloud Intelligence

When it comes to Marketing Cloud Intelligence… You need credentials to get into the Intelligence platform, and that can come in the form of admins (who can see everything and upload new data sets), power users (who can do reports and dashboard maintenance but not update data sources), and viewers who can, to certainly much surprise, view dashboards. You can also freely send out embedded versions of dashboard pages or activate reports to send to tools like Google Drive, Slack, or email regardless of platform access.

Tableau

When it comes to Tableau… Tableau has numerous views and versions of the tool. There is a desktop version of the tool as well as web versions that allow users to freely access data views as they would like. Recently, Salesforce has allowed users to embed Tableau dashboards into Salesforce Lightning pages as a simple way to broaden their viewer base. Otherwise, you will be paying for different types of licenses in the form of Creators, Explorers, and Viewers.

Salesforce Reports

When it comes to Salesforce Reports…Locking down sensitive data is really easy in Salesforce and a great way to make sure you are being cognizant of data security internally. On the opposite end, Salesforce reports also let you be very open and transparent across your organization leading to the breaking down of silos.  Whether you need to get super granular for one individual or macro for company reporting, Salesforce reports can get the job done for your internal teams. 

✨

Final Thoughts

  • Some tools can host an online dashboard through a URL that your customers can see and engage with. (Great for certain industries like the public sector). 
  • A lot of these tools are integrating or have integrated with Slack. Be aware of any gotchas or limitations if that is a priority.
  • Breaking down of silos can really be achieved with most of these tools. Just try and meet your audience where they live day to day. Make it easily accessible for them.

Staffing considerations 

Who will build it? What do people on your team know how to use?

CRM Analytics

When it comes to CRMA… This is easy to learn if you have Salesforce experience. The interface is very user-friendly and once you get over the initial learning curve you can move pretty quickly. 

But being transparent, if you haven’t really had experience with building report types on Salesforce or how objects interact in Salesforce it might be a challenge. There are also coding with SAQL and JSON that add an additional layer of flexibility and creativity that isn’t required, but really helpful. 

Generally, you want someone who has a few years of Salesforce Report building experience or SQL/ JSON experience/ data modeling. To gain experience, there are great Trailhead Resources as well as getting your Salesforce Admin Certification to help get you started.

Marketing Cloud Intelligence

When it comes to Marketing Cloud Intelligence… There was previously a set of free certifications, but those have transitioned into Trailhead learning modules, found here. The tool is based on a very user-friendly UI for modeling and building out views of your data is relatively easy to learn, and is made even easier by the access to standard API connections. 

This tool is also used heavily in marketing agencies and well known for marketing data. Some Salesforce Marketing Cloud users may also be familiar with Intelligence Reports for Engagement, which has some light versions of the full-fledged Intelligence platform’s features.

Tableau

When it comes to Tableau… Tableau is one of the most widely adopted visualization tools on the market right now. While the back-end processes may be a bit of a deep dive for newer users, familiarity with data mapping and formula creation in other tools will go a long way.  You can also get certified or find Tableau knowledgeable on Tableau’s certification page at https://www.tableau.com/learn/certification.

Salesforce Reports

When it comes to Salesforce Reports… Salesforce reporting and who has access to build is dependent on permission sets. This means you can give the ability to users as you, the admin, see fit. The ability to create custom report types is also customizable through a permission set but should be thought of as to who would best serve to manage because that can get out of hand. (Too many cooks in the kitchen if you catch our drift).

Final Thoughts:

  • Who is going to build it might not be who is going to use it. Can you imagine your manager trying to piece together a Tableau report? Let’s let them spend time on other things :] 

Licensing costs for users and data 

CRM Analytics

When it comes to CRMA… CRM Analytics is generally an additional cost for licensing. However, some clouds have app templates in Analytics Studio that give you a degree of access. Be on the lookout for tools that have app templates (B2B Marketing Analytics) or can be added on at an additional cost (Sales Cloud Analytics). 

Another thing to note, you aren’t charged for creating dashboards, transformations, or filtering, but your org has a limit on how much data is being processed called a data row limit (basically how much data you bring in). Just something to keep an eye on home data you are bringing in.

Get the pricing list here

Marketing Cloud Intelligence

When it comes to Marketing Cloud Intelligence… You can read the full pricing breakdown here-the main difference between these options is best captured in row usage (though users also scale according to package), which is best determined by the breadth and depth of the data you are pulling (for instance, keyword level data across ten sources will be more row-heavy than campaign and media buy data across four or five sources). 

Tableau

When it comes to Tableau… You can find the pricing here, which breaks down on a user-by-user basis depending on the type of user license, all of which come with different features and permissions (ranging from viewer-level permissions to interact with already built dashboards to Tableau Creators, who have the full tableau suite of features available to them). There is even a pricing calculator on Tableau’s website if you want to get a clear sense of what it would look like for your organization.

Salesforce Reports

When it comes to Salesforce Reports… Thankfully this is fairly easy! Reports and dashboards are considered metadata and are native out of the box with your Salesforce edition and wouldn’t count toward data storage. They do have configuration limits that you might want to consider when looking at your Salesforce Licensing and Cost. 

No wrong answers for Salesforce reporting tools 

In conclusion, there isn’t a wrong answer when it comes to which reporting tool to use. Many of them overlap and have similar functionality. But to make heads or tails of which reporting tool fits your goals best, you can start with these 4 simple questions:

  1. Data input. “Where is my data coming from and how should I harmonize it?”
  2. Audience. Where does this report/dashboard live, and who needs to see it?
  3. Staffing considerations. Who will build it? What do people on your team know how to use?
  4. Cost of use. What are Licensing costs for users and data?

We hope that the tidbits we’ve given in service of these questions are helpful, and welcome you to reach out to our team if you have any further questions on these topics or other reporting tool questions.  

Keep it going

Here are a few resources to get you started as you figure out which reporting tool works best for you and what it takes to manage those tools.

Original article: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Salesforce Reporting Tool

©2025 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

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Create a Custom Recipe in B2BMA with Account Engagement Campaign Influence Model https://thespotforpardot.com/2023/10/13/create-a-custom-recipe-in-b2bma-with-account-engagement-campaign-influence-model/ https://thespotforpardot.com/2023/10/13/create-a-custom-recipe-in-b2bma-with-account-engagement-campaign-influence-model/#respond Fri, 13 Oct 2023 18:09:47 +0000 https://thespotforpardot.com/?p=6968

One of the biggest trouble spots I see with customers customizing in CRM Analytics and B2B Marketing Analytics (B2BMA) is using recipes and joins — specifically when it comes to the Account Engagement customizable Campaign Influence model.  Recently, a customer and I were diving into their Campaign Influence Model, and the numbers were just not […]

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One of the biggest trouble spots I see with customers customizing in CRM Analytics and B2B Marketing Analytics (B2BMA) is using recipes and joins — specifically when it comes to the Account Engagement customizable Campaign Influence model. 

Recently, a customer and I were diving into their Campaign Influence Model, and the numbers were just not right. They had done a great job of knowing what objects to select in the recipe. On the surface, everything looked great, but once they started reviewing the data in a lens they saw a lot of data discrepancy. This type of recipe can get tricky if you aren’t aware of some of the nuances of CRM Analytics.

In this blog, I want to walk you through step by step so you can build your custom recipe in B2BMA utilizing Campaign Influence and feel confident about the data you have on your CRM Analytics dashboards.

What is Campaign Influence? 

Now I don’t want to go on a diatribe on Campaign Influence. Chances are if you are reading this, you are already aware of it and how great it is. But on the off chance you just stumbled upon this blog, I will give you a brief overview.

Quite frankly, besides CRM Analytics, Account Engagement influence models and Campaign Influence are my favorite Salesforce reporting features. Account Engagement Campaign Influence models are a way to give a campaign credit for a closed opportunity. 

As a recovering marketer myself, I know how important it is for the marketing team to identify which campaigns are performing well and leading to closed deals and revenue.  The magic is that Account Engagement’s Campaign Influence Models go way beyond just the first touch like the Account Engagement’s campaign source. 

3 Models Included in the Account Agagement Customizable Campaign Influence Pack

There are three different models included in the Account Engagement Customizable Campaign Influence pack. 

These different models showcase each part of the marketing funnel. The best part is, they are each reflected based on the opportunity. That means they’re great for cross-selling, add-ons, and upgrades!

First-Touch Model

Influence will be attributed to the campaign associated with a contact role whose Campaign Membership Created Date is the earliest of all contact roles associated with an opportunity.

account engagement b2bma screenshot - graph example first touch model

Even Attribution Model

Attribution is divided evenly across all campaigns associated with each contact role on the opportunity. As an example, imagine a scenario where there is a contact associated with four campaigns. Each campaign would receive 25% of the attribution. If they were only on two campaigns it would be 50%.

account engagement b2bma screenshot - graph example influenced by pipeline

Last-Touch Model

Influence will be attributed to the campaign associated with a contact role whose Last Modified date of the campaign member is last for all contact roles associated with the opportunity.

account engagement b2bma screenshot - graph example

There is so much you can do with these models, and it gives you great insight into how assets are performing all across the marketing funnel. For even more information on why campaign influence should be a part of your strategy, check out this blog on Salesforce and Account Engagement Marketing Reporting here. 

We at Sercante even have a great starter pack that has the report types built out automatically making the process easy to set up! You can check out the Campaign Influence Starter Pack here. 

Step-by-Step Instructions to Build the Custom Recipe in B2BMA Using Campaign Influence Models

Now to the fun part!

Step 1: Selecting the Objects in the recipes

Before we get too far, we want to make sure we select the right objects in Data Manager.  Open Analytics Studio from the app launcher. From there, select Data Manager.

account engagement b2bma screenshot

Now we are in Data Manager. We want to make sure the Campaign and Campaign influence objects are syncing. Select the Connections tab and review the list of currently syncing objects.

Pardot Screenshot -  b2bma custom recipe

Once you have verified your objects are there and ready to go, we can build out the recipe!

Step 2: Selecting joins

First, select the recipes tab. You can create a brand-new recipe or group it into an already-created recipe.

Pardot Screenshot - b2bma select joins

Then Add in your data. Select Add Input. 

* Note: If you are using an existing recipe, you can click on the Add Input button at the top left. 

Pardot Screenshot - b2bma add input data build recipe

Select Campaign object.

Pardot Screenshot - add input data campaign

This will be the step where if there are specific campaign fields like budget, leads in campaign, or any additional campaign fields, you will make sure they are selected in the fields’ columns.

Don’t worry, the party isn’t done yet!

To add in Campaign Influence, hit the plus button next to the campaign. Then, select Join.

Pardot Screenshot - b2bma add node

Then select Campaign Influence: again if you see any Campaign Influence field you want, select it here!

Pardot Screenshot - select data input to join

This next part is KEY to get the whole thing to work. When selecting the join make sure you select an Inner Join. Make sure your Join Keys are IDs.

Pardot Screenshot - b2bma inner join

Final step: do one more join. Select the plus button again, and this time add in Campaign Influence Model.

Pardot Screenshot - Select data input to join

This is key because it allows us to have the model name versus just the model ID. Jin Keys will be the Campaign Influence Model ID.

Pardot Screenshot - campaign influence model join keys

Step 3: Output and Review

The last step is adding an output! Now from here, if you want to do any data manipulation or transformation, you can simply click the plus button and apply them in the data model. Filtering is great to break down by business units or even specific campaigns or campaign types. If you don’t need anything additional, that is it! 

Your recipe should look something like this:

From there, it is always best to check naming conventions and make sure you know where the dataset will be hosted. You can leave it in your private app if you want to do some testing before you move it to the B2B Marketing Analytics app.

After the dataset has been created, you want to begin testing. Take a small set of data (I personally like using a month date filter — makes the data easier to digest!) and see if it matches up to the data you are seeing in Salesforce. 

Once you feel good. you are ready to hit the ground running!

Let’s wrap it up so you can start building your custom recipe in B2BMA!

Creating this custom recipe in B2BMA can open up a ton of possibilities, from looping in additional campaign and contact fields to even making a whole dashboard that reflects your ABM Strategy and what campaigns helped influence those results! 

Either way, you now have more accessible Campaign and Campaign Influence data with the enhanced features of CRM Analytics. And remember, you can always reach out to team Sercante for help along the way.

Original article: Create a Custom Recipe in B2BMA with Account Engagement Campaign Influence Model

©2025 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

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Deciding If It’s Time To Bring in an Analytics Reporting Partner https://thespotforpardot.com/2023/09/12/deciding-if-its-time-to-bring-in-an-analytics-reporting-partner/ https://thespotforpardot.com/2023/09/12/deciding-if-its-time-to-bring-in-an-analytics-reporting-partner/#respond Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:58:34 +0000 https://thespotforpardot.com/?p=6874

Deciding if you’re ready to team up with an analytics reporting partner or consultant can be a real head-scratcher. How do you even know if you are ready? But fear not, we’ve got your back!  In this blog, we’re going to break down key areas to review and help you figure out if it’s time […]

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Deciding if you’re ready to team up with an analytics reporting partner or consultant can be a real head-scratcher. How do you even know if you are ready? But fear not, we’ve got your back! 

In this blog, we’re going to break down key areas to review and help you figure out if it’s time to bring in a marketing analytics consulting partner or if you’re good to go solo. 

Let’s dive in and find out if you’re ready to rock the CRM and marketing analytics world.

How do I know if I need a partner for analytics reporting? 

Picture this: you’re sitting at your desk, staring at a seemingly never-ending spreadsheet filled with numbers, charts, and graphs all from different marketing sources. The mere thought of analyzing and making sense of it all makes your head spin. You know that harnessing the power of data is crucial for your business’s growth, but where do you even begin? 

That’s when the idea of hiring a Salesforce partner for analytics reporting starts to flicker in your mind. Is it worth it? Will they truly make a difference? How do you even know if you need one? 

Well here are a few questions to ask yourself to help point you in the right direction.

Limited Internal Resources: Do I have enough time to do this?

Granted this is a bit of a softball point to begin with, but don’t sleep on it. Too often I see marketers spinning their wheels on the reporting instead of being able to spend their time on the actual marketing piece of the job! 

When I worked at a startup I had the head of marketing say to me “Is the money better spent with me spinning my wheel trying to get this to work or paying someone who can do it in half the time freeing me up to work on my actual job?”

That has always resonated with me.  If the marketing team lacks the necessary time, expertise, or resources to dedicate to analytics reporting, it may be a clear signal to seek a consultant’s assistance. 

Hiring a consultant can provide additional bandwidth and expertise, allowing the team to focus on their core responsibilities while ensuring that analytics reporting receives the attention it deserves. A consultant can help fill the resource gap and ensure timely and accurate reporting.

Actionable Insight: But where do we go from here? 

Next let’s start with a pretty big question. Once you get the reports, do you know what you want to do next? And I will tell you most people aren’t ready right away and that is absolutely okay. When marketers struggle to derive actionable insights from their analytics reports, it may be an indication that a consultant’s assistance is needed. 

A consultant can help interpret the data, identify trends, and provide strategic recommendations that can drive marketing performance and decision-making. They can offer a fresh perspective and expertise to unlock valuable insights that may have been overlooked. Who doesn’t like being able to bounce ideas off an expert?

How do I know if I am ready to engage an analytics partner?

Okay you’ve crunched the numbers, and after your review, you have decided your organization would benefit from working with a consultant. 

That’s fantastic! But before you jump in headfirst, are you fully prepared? 

Believe it or not, there are actions you can take right away to give your collaboration a turbo boost and get things moving swiftly. Let’s explore these steps together and make sure you’re all set for an amazing journey ahead.

Clearly Define Objectives: KPIs and goals to lead the way! 

It is essential to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with your analytics reporting. It is hard to reach the finish line if you don’t know where it is! 

A simple way to make sure your analytics reporting is going to have an impact is defining your marketing goals.

It doesn’t have to be every goal or that doesn’t mean it might not pivot when new insights arise, but if you know you want to improve lead generation, you might want to focus on analytics that lead to increasing website traffic, improving conversion rates, or optimizing ad spend. This clarity will help both you and the consultant align your efforts and ensure that the analytics reporting addresses your specific goals. You can see where you need to improve and where you are hitting it out of the park! 

Got reports or CSVs you are working on currently? That is a great jumping off point to see what is working and what isn’t. 

Gather Relevant Data: Is my data ready? 

Most marketers manage a multitude of different data points. From Salesforce to omni channels used for outreach, you basically have to be a trained juggler to balance it all. 

You can perform your own audit collecting and organizing the relevant data points that are required for your analysis and see where there are gaps.  By having a uniformed view on the data you are analyzing this also has the added benefit of bringing together other teams and can unify your organization on goals.

Plan of action for access 

When B2B marketers gather insight on the departments and audiences reviewing analytics reporting, it helps them create customized reports that speak directly to the needs of each department. By aligning the reports with the goals of the different teams and end users, it helps get everyone on the same page. Plus, they can communicate in a way that makes sense to each audience, using the right language and level of detail.

Knowing who will be reviewing the reports also lets marketers address any specific concerns or areas of interest upfront. By being proactive, they can provide relevant insights and solutions during the meeting. 

Also by having a plan in place, it shows that they have a clear understanding of the data and insights available, which allows them to make the most of their meeting with the consultant and each department that might need access to the reporting.

Big timelines

Timelines and important dates seem to creep up on you, especially when you are spinning your wheel on a report that just doesn’t want to cooperate. Before you jump on with your partner to cover reporting needs, make sure you note any important dates coming up. 

Include things like:

  • Product launches
  • Marketing campaigns
  • Industry events
  • Sales milestones
  • Big executive presentations

The consultant can schedule reporting activities accordingly. 

By informing your consultant about important dates, you ensure timely and customized reporting aligned with your marketing goals. It helps them schedule reporting, tailor insights, support strategic planning, solve problems proactively, and foster collaboration.

Top 3 challenges

At the end of the day, you don’t have to have everything perfect before you engage a partner. That’s what they are there for! 

But ask yourself: what are 3 things that if you got them taken off your plate or solved right now, life would be a little easier? What keeps you up at night? 

That is your starting list! The consultant can help break those down in easy digestible chunks so you can make progress.

Let’s bring it home

In conclusion, deciding whether to team up with a partner or consultant for analytics reporting can be a daunting task. However, by considering key factors, you can determine if it’s time to engage a partner or if you’re ready to tackle analytics on your own. 

If your internal resources are limited, and you find yourself spending more time on reporting than actual marketing activities, hiring a consultant can provide the necessary expertise and bandwidth to ensure timely and accurate reporting.

Additionally, if you struggle to derive actionable insights from your analytics reports, a consultant can offer fresh perspectives and strategic recommendations that drive marketing performance.

Steps when you’ve decided to contact an analytics reporting partner

 When you’ve decided to engage a partner, it’s important to:

  • Clearly define your objectives
  • Gather relevant data
  • Create a plan of action for access and timelines

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your collaboration with a consultant is productive and aligned with your marketing goals. 

Remember, a consultant can help address your top challenges and alleviate the burdens that keep you up at night, ultimately making your journey towards impactful analytics reporting a smoother and more successful one.

So, hint hint, nudge nudge. We’re a team of marketing consultants who can guide you through marketing and CRM analytics implementation and optimization. Drop us a line to start the conversation.

Original article: Deciding If It’s Time To Bring in an Analytics Reporting Partner

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