What are the best practices for managing customer data in Salesforce and Marketo?

Customer data is the lifeblood of any marketing operation. It helps you understand your audience, segment your campaigns, personalize your messages, and measure your results. But managing customer data across different platforms can be challenging, especially if you use Salesforce as your CRM and Marketo as your marketing automation tool. How can you ensure that your data is accurate, consistent, and compliant across both systems? In this article, we'll share some best practices for managing customer data in Salesforce and Marketo, and how to leverage the integration features of both platforms to optimize your marketing performance.

1 Sync your data bidirectionally

One of the key benefits of integrating Salesforce and Marketo is that you can sync your data bidirectionally, meaning that any changes made in one system are automatically reflected in the other. This way, you can avoid data silos, duplication, and inconsistency, and ensure that both your sales and marketing teams have access to the same information. To sync your data bidirectionally, you need to set up the Marketo-Salesforce connector, which allows you to map the fields and objects that you want to sync, and define the rules and frequency of the sync. You also need to make sure that your data quality is high, and that you have a clear data governance policy to avoid conflicts and errors.

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Nikhil Puri

HubSpot Aficionado | CRM and Marketing Automation Expert
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Data quality is a much bigger issue than it seems at first when you start using CRM and when you integrate it with marketing automation tools. Quarterly or semi-annual audits are required to check data issues like duplicate contacts and even duplicate properties.

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2 Segment your data based on criteria

Another advantage of integrating Salesforce and Marketo is that you can segment your data based on various criteria, such as lead status, lead source, lead score, industry, location, behavior, and more. Segmentation allows you to create more targeted and relevant campaigns, and deliver the right message to the right person at the right time. To segment your data based on criteria, you need to use the smart lists feature in Marketo, which allows you to filter your leads based on any field or activity that you track in Salesforce or Marketo. You can also use the dynamic content feature in Marketo, which allows you to customize your email or landing page content based on the attributes or preferences of your leads.

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Paul Butcher

Strategic Partner Alliances and Enterprise Business Development
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For B2B CRM and PRM systems, 1) Having a single record per customer with account additions managed by a central operations team and 2) Utilizing EIN/VAT as a unique key to distinguish legal entities. This can be a challenge in some countries. For example, some companies in China operate without a USCC or restructure frequently to take advantage of tax benefits for new legal entities. Regardless, it is better to embrace a practice that mandates accounts must have a government issued id.

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3 Track your data across the customer journey

A third benefit of integrating Salesforce and Marketo is that you can track your data across the customer journey, from awareness to advocacy. Tracking your data across the customer journey allows you to measure the impact of your marketing efforts, and optimize your strategies and tactics based on the insights you gain. To track your data across the customer journey, you need to use the campaign reporting feature in Marketo, which allows you to see the performance of your campaigns in terms of opens, clicks, conversions, revenue, and more. You also need to use the attribution reporting feature in Marketo, which allows you to see the influence of your campaigns on the sales pipeline and revenue, and assign credit to the different touchpoints that contributed to the deal.

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4 Protect your data with compliance and security

A fourth benefit of integrating Salesforce and Marketo is that you can protect your data with compliance and security measures. Protecting your data with compliance and security measures allows you to respect the privacy and preferences of your customers, and avoid legal or reputational risks. To protect your data with compliance and security measures, you need to use the GDPR and CCPA features in Marketo, which allow you to collect, store, and process your data in accordance with the regulations of the European Union and California. You also need to use the encryption and authentication features in Salesforce and Marketo, which allow you to secure your data from unauthorized access or misuse.

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5 Enrich your data with third-party sources

A fifth benefit of integrating Salesforce and Marketo is that you can enrich your data with third-party sources. Enriching your data with third-party sources allows you to enhance your data quality, completeness, and accuracy, and gain more insights into your customers and prospects. To enrich your data with third-party sources, you need to use the data enrichment feature in Marketo, which allows you to append your data with additional information from external databases, such as firmographic, demographic, or behavioral data. You also need to use the data integration feature in Salesforce and Marketo, which allows you to connect your data with other platforms, such as social media, web analytics, or customer feedback tools.

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6 Update your data regularly and consistently

A sixth benefit of integrating Salesforce and Marketo is that you can update your data regularly and consistently. Updating your data regularly and consistently allows you to maintain your data freshness, relevance, and validity, and avoid data decay or obsolescence. To update your data regularly and consistently, you need to use the data cleansing feature in Marketo, which allows you to identify and remove any invalid, duplicate, or outdated data from your database. You also need to use the data standardization feature in Marketo, which allows you to apply consistent formatting, naming, and values to your data fields and objects.

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Nikhil Puri

HubSpot Aficionado | CRM and Marketing Automation Expert
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One thing to make sure though, is that you need to have a single source of truth for each property, which needs to be defined before integrating Salesforce CRM and Marketo, or before putting in place any other third party integration to either of the tools.

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Ashley Langford

Director of Marketing Operations | 2x Marketo Champion | Marketo Certified Expert
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Consistently updating your data within the Salesforce-Marketo integration is like giving your marketing strategy a perpetual power-up. It's not just about keeping your data fresh; it's about ensuring that your insights and decisions are as sharp as they can be. Think of it as tending to a well-maintained garden. Regular updates through Marketo's data cleansing and standardization features are like pruning away dead branches and ensuring that every plant stands strong. Removing invalid, duplicate, or outdated data is akin to weeding out the unwanted to make space for the flourishing.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the best practices for managing customer data in Salesforce and Marketo?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Sync your data bidirectionally

2 Segment your data based on criteria

3 Track your data across the customer journey

4 Protect your data with compliance and security

5 Enrich your data with third-party sources

6 Update your data regularly and consistently

7 Here’s what else to consider

Marketing Operations

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What are the best practices for managing customer data in Salesforce and Marketo?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Sync your data bidirectionally

2 Segment your data based on criteria

3 Track your data across the customer journey

4 Protect your data with compliance and security

5 Enrich your data with third-party sources

6 Update your data regularly and consistently

7 Here’s what else to consider

Marketing Operations

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