Connecting Account Engagement, Marketing Cloud, and Salesforce – the case for all three.

A common inquiry we often encounter from clients is: “Should I opt for Salesforce Marketing Cloud or Marketing Cloud Account Engagement?” “How do we choose which one is right for us?” This query may appear peculiar since Marketing Cloud Account Engagement is typically acknowledged as the go-to B2B solution, while Salesforce Marketing Cloud is favored for B2C endeavors.

The conventional wisdom suggests that businesses select one of these platforms based on their organizational setup and target demographic.

Our perspective on the question at Tectonic diverges from this norm. Depending on your primary marketing channels, it can be highly effective for any business to utilize both platforms!

Connecting Account Engagement, Marketing Cloud, and Salesforce

Permit me to explain. Marketing Cloud Account Engagement excels in automated email marketing, lead capture via forms and landing pages, and engagement tracking through scoring and grading tools. Moreover, it boasts unequeled integration with Salesforce.

Yet, there are instances where marketers require an additional channel to strategically retarget accounts or re-engage with prospects who may have become disconnected from email communication.

Marketing Cloud Advertising Studio

This is where Marketing Cloud’s Advertising Studio module becomes invaluable. Leveraging Salesforce’s architecture, you can craft a seamless experience for your audience with personalized journeys.

The system architecture integrating MCAE for data entry and automated email marketing, Sales Cloud as the CRM and database of record, and Marketing Cloud Connect as the mechanism for triggering targeted ads.

Automated Processes

The process initiates in Account Engagement upon initial record creation or update. Subsequently, a prospect may enter a MCAE Engagement Studio campaign or journey, trigger an Automation Rule, or prompt a Completion Action.

With seamless Sales Cloud integration, the contact record update synchronizes with the CRM, generating or updating a specific Salesforce Report for an Audience.

The Marketing Cloud Connector facilitates this activity to trigger an automation in the Marketing Cloud Automation Studio, importing the contact record into a Data Extension. This Data Extension serves as the source for an Audience set up in Advertising Studio, enabling advertising campaigns across digital channels such as Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn.

This is just one example of the seamless integration within the Salesforce suite of marketing products!

From a user perspective, the familiarity in the look and feel of each platform empowers teams to craft sophisticated journeys without being confined to a single platform. Whether one focus on B2B and the other B2C, or one on prospecting and one on customer communications, there is a time and a place to use both.

Connecting Pardot, Marketing Cloud, and Salesforce Together?

When is it appropriate to leverage both platforms? Depending on your core marketing channels, for any business it can actually be very effective to use both Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Pardot for great results. Utilizing both Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Marketing Cloud Account Engagement is most suitable for businesses that:

• Utilize Sales Cloud as their CRM of choice.
• Run, or aspire to run, regular digital advertising campaigns targeting known prospects.
• Maintain active social media presence.
• Possess the marketing budget to invest in all three Salesforce solutions.

Pricing

The pricing structure of Marketing Cloud, based on the Studios (features) you require access to, ensures businesses pay a flexible premium tailored to their needs.

In this insight, Advertising Studio is showcased to illustrate how Account Engagement and Marketing Cloud can collaborate. However, there are other studios within Marketing Cloud that marketers can leverage for comprehensive marketing campaigns.

Other studios within Marketing Cloud include:

• Social Studio: Assists marketers with social media management, featuring a robust listening function to engage with prospects in Marketing Cloud, update Salesforce fields, and create lists in Pardot.
• Interaction Studio: Empowers real-time personalization of digital experiences. Pardot can drive traffic to your website, while Marketing Cloud tailors content based on real-time interactions.

Intrigued? Consider adopting Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Marketing Cloud Account Engagement)in tandem for a comprehensive, multi-channel automated marketing strategy.

The Tectonic team and I are available to assist with Salesforce architecture setup, integration, or serve as an extension of your team to devise effective Marketing Cloud strategies for long-term success. Reach out to us to learn more.

The Account Engagement Plus, Advanced, and Premium editions offer a range of features designed to empower marketing teams with sophisticated tools for analyzing performance, implementing automation, and enhancing campaign effectiveness. Let’s break down each edition’s offerings:

Account Engagement Plus Edition:

• Advanced Marketing Analytics and Reporting: Gain deep insights into marketing effectiveness with comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities.
• Sophisticated Automation and Personalization: Implement complex automation, personalization, and lead qualification processes to deliver targeted messaging.
• Prospect Engagement Tracking: Track prospect engagement across multiple scoring categories and products/business units.
• Multi-Touch Attribution Models: Understand the customer journey with multi-touch attribution models to attribute revenue and success metrics accurately.
• Advanced Dynamic Content and Integration with Google AdWords: Enhance campaigns with dynamic content and seamlessly integrate with Google AdWords for optimized performance.
• Unlimited Landing Pages, File Hosting, and API Calls: Enjoy unlimited landing pages, 500MB file hosting, and up to 50,000 daily API calls.

Account Engagement Advanced Edition (Includes Einstein AI-powered features):

• Salesforce Einstein AI-powered Features:
  • Predictive Lead Scoring: Identify high-potential prospects for conversion based on AI-driven predictions.
  • Behavior Scoring: Gauge purchase readiness based on prospect activities and engagement.
  • Optimize Send Times: Determine the best times to engage with potential clients for maximum impact.
  • Account Identification: Target ideal candidates for marketing initiatives using AI-driven account identification.
  • Campaign Insights: Leverage AI insights to evaluate campaign effectiveness and optimize strategies.
• Custom User Roles and Permissions: Configure custom user roles and permissions to manage system access and responsibilities effectively.
• Advanced Features: Access custom object integration, dedicated IP address, up to 100,000 daily API calls, and 10GB file hosting.

Account Engagement Premium Edition:

• Enterprise-Grade Tools: Tailored for sophisticated marketing teams with the following features:
  • MCAE Business Units: Manage multiple business units with separate branding and messaging.
  • Developer Sandboxes: Test and develop marketing initiatives in isolated environments.
  • B2B Marketing Analytics Plus: Advanced analytics for deep insights into marketing performance.
  • Premier Success Plan: Premium support plan for dedicated assistance and accelerated success.

These editions cater to different levels of marketing sophistication, offering scalable features and capabilities to meet the diverse needs of marketing teams within organizations. Whether it’s advanced analytics, AI-driven insights, or enterprise-grade tools, Account Engagement editions empower marketers to optimize performance and drive business growth effectively.

Connecting Account Engagement Marketing Cloud and Salesforce for Distributed Marketing

The Distributed Marketing & Marketing Cloud Connect solution offers seamless integration of corporate marketing, employees, channel partners, and brand engagement to ensure cohesive experiences across corporate and partner networks. With this solution, marketers can create and distribute on-brand content using Marketing Cloud.

Key features of Distributed Marketing & Marketing Cloud Connect include:

1. Content Creation and Distribution: Marketers can create on-brand content within Marketing Cloud and distribute it efficiently across different teams and channels.
2. Customization and Collaboration: Teams can customize and collaborate on content directly through the CRM system, ensuring consistency and efficiency in content creation and distribution.
3. Efficient Content Circulation: The package facilitates efficient content circulation, leveraging Marketing Cloud’s capabilities for reliable and scalable business engagement.
4. Enhanced Brand Engagement: By enabling marketers to engage with employees, partners, and customers effectively, the solution enhances brand engagement and ensures a unified brand experience.

Overall, Distributed Marketing & Marketing Cloud Connect simplifies content collaboration, strengthens brand consistency, and facilitates efficient engagement across diverse networks within an organization. This integration of marketing efforts fosters better communication and alignment across all stakeholders involved in brand promotion and customer interactions.

By Tectonic Salesforce Marketing Cloud Solution Architect, Shannan Hearne