First-of-its-kind Marketing Automation Survey Report on Adoption in the UK, USA, and EMEA Released by CleverTouch Marketing

In order to determine marketing automation adoption and usage for its groundbreaking State of Marketing Automation report, CleverTouch Marketing, the premier marketing automation consultancy and service provider in Europe, recently polled 200 heads of marketing, marketing directors, and CMOs in the UK, US, and EMEA. The survey, which examines views across important global areas, shows a discrepancy between the anticipated advantages of marketing automation and reality. Many respondents point to platform complexity and poor content quality as obstacles to success.

The War for Talent

Regarding talent for marketing automation, the poll revealed that while 80% of participants had already put marketing automation into practice, there is a glaring skills gap, with 48% of organizations using marketing automation hiring specialists.

According to the poll, 49% of organizations using marketing automation maintain internal control over the majority of their delivery, with some external assistance. In order to expand their knowledge and comprehension of marketing automation within the company, 49% turn to vendors, and 48% hire experts.

Just 13% of respondents said that all marketing automation delivery is done internally, while 33% of organizations employ outside consultants to help them develop the necessary skills. It is noteworthy that 70% of these businesses that do not already use marketing automation intend to train and upskill their current employees. CleverTouch created and launched its War for Marketing Automation Talent campaign after 40% of respondents acknowledged that a lack of skills and knowledge is their largest obstacle to implementing a successful marketing automation plan.

Sales and Marketing Alignment

But when it comes to the alignment of sales and marketing, the poll discovered that marketing automation is used for account-based marketing (40%), lead nurturing programs (41%), and lead generation (44%). Remarkably, 28% of respondents stated that their marketing department is primarily viewed within the company as a change agent and catalyst for innovative ideas, while 31% of respondents stated that their marketing department is generally regarded as a department with the same level of respect as sales.

In a similar vein, 31% of respondents who have used marketing automation stated that CRM is more crucial to their company than marketing automation, while 51% believe both are equally vital. These respondents have all used marketing automation. CleverTouch has started a campaign called Sales and Marketing Alignment in addition to the War for Talent campaign. These initiatives will support businesses in creating an effective marketing automation plan in a dynamic marketing environment.