Marketing Automation is becoming a buzzword and is finally beginning to mature. Companies have invested in ERP, CRM and a whole host of other technologies but poor lonely marketing has been the one area of the organization that has been largely ignored in the rapid adoption of technology. However with CMO's under fire to bring results, the only way to measure that success is through technology, process and return on investment. Hey as a fellow marketer, it is only going to make us better at our job! The old adage that "50% of my marketing is working, I just don't know which 50%" is a tough place to be these days.

Early adopters in consumer packaging, financial services and pharmaceutical sectors have implemented sophisticated marketing automation tools. "Companies that invest in workflow technology that integrate into business systems will be 30% more competitive in the markets they serve" according to Gartner, A Return To Growth Fuels Marketing Automation, 2007. Most marketing research firms project increasing budgets for automation in the years ahead as firms look to capture that competitive advantage. Few firms can afford to overlook what this can do to maximize their marketing spend. Few marketers can afford to not be part of the process.

Just think if you could address some of these issues in your daily routine of trying to push campaigns out the door:

• Better visibility into what campaigns are currently running
• A project management process that all parties are engaged in and is managed by a system to push it through the organization
• Global access to campaign ideas and concepts
• Accurate budget & expense management
• Campaign alignment of work with strategic business goals.
• Campaigns that can be analyzed and adjust early in the running to account for market needs

We will flush these topics and more out in the coming weeks so check back!