Marketing Operations - Executive Breakfast in Toronto

• Pardot
• Marketo
• Salesforce
• Marketing Cloud
• HubSpot

In today’s marketing landscape, there are almost 7000 marketing technologies for companies to choose from. Bridging the gap between strategy and technology is an overwhelming and complex issue to address, as decisions surrounding the way forward can have wide ranging impacts. On March 5th, marketing professionals in Toronto convened for an exclusive breakfast organized by Macro and the Canadian Marketing Association. They listened to insightful input about the scope of marketing technologies and engaged with experts in the industry. The event was hosted by Dan Radu, President at Macro, and included the following panelists:  

• Brent Chaters, Head of Digital Customer and Marketing Practice at Accenture
• Katia Houbiguian, CMO of Microsoft Canada
• Jake Wells, Senior Value Engineer at Workfront

The panel began by discussing the importance of data and the customer experience, exploring themes like the evolution of technology and collaboration between marketing and IT departments. With marketing operations having gone through a significant transformation over the last five years, the panelists expanded on how to move forward with decisions that encourage innovation, engagement, and improve operational processes in marketing teams.

The Evolving Role of the CMO

A major point of discussion during the event was the evolving role of the CMO within the landscape of marketing technologies. According to research by Accenture Interactive & Forrester Consulting, 50% of the purchasing decisions for marketing happen outside of the department. Elaborating on this, Brent Chaters brought up the importance of cooperation between different channels, team management, and the challenges surrounding campaign orchestration and outcomes amidst an ever-changing industry.

The Importance of Data

The panelists also expanded upon the challenges facing marketing operations, particularly focusing on data management and integration, as well as improving connectivity not only between systems but also people and processes. Katia Houbiguian emphasized the need for companies to concentrate on core delivery, stating how data plays a crucial role in unlocking insights for businesses. Critical issues were examined in relation to data security and consumer confidence, with the panel touching upon the importance of having the right resources in place to reduce risk.   Also discussed were best practices for marketing operations and the importance of extending the life time value of a customer. The panelists talked about how organizations can support marketing operations through storytelling, and analytics - turning data into an impactful tool for effective campaign execution.

Takeaways

The Q&A period included insight into:  

• Skills firms should look for when hiring
• Tactics to execute during a digital transformation
• Maintaining a clear business objective while expanding

The event concluded with an insightful discussion on technology readiness and the importance of developing a growth mindset.  

Watch the full panel discussion to learn more!