Six in 10 Marketers Note Increased Quantity and Quality of Leads Thanks to Automation

Lenskold Group’s “2012 Lead Generation Marketing Effectiveness Study” contains a wealth of information and findings regarding how marketing automation affects lead generation. Long story short, marketing automation is something all lead-generation marketers should look into, if they haven’t already.

According to the survey of 373 B2B marketers whose groups generated leads for a sales organization or channel partners, 61 percent of respondents note more leads generated as a result of integrating marketing automation, while 60 percent note better leads passed to sales as a result of marketing automation.

Lenskold Group notes that 28 percent of marketers report an increase in revenue per sale, a metric that is growing in importance thanks to the growth of content marketing.

The study also looks at the metrics used by lead-generation marketers. Lenskold Group notes that lead metrics are measured by 79 percent of marketers, engagement metrics by 76 percent and response metrics by 73 percent. Meanwhile, sales metrics are measured by 65 percent, revenue metrics by 53 percent, cost-efficiency metrics by 52 percent, forecast metrics by 31 percent and perception metrics by 23 percent.

However, companies using integrated marketing automation are notably more likely to use cost-efficiency metrics and engagement metrics when compared to those that don’t use automation. Overall, companies that use integrated marketing automation use all metrics more than their non-automated counterparts.

Lead-generation marketers who utilize integrated marketing automation also appear to have an advantage over those that don’t utilize automation when it comes to key competencies. For instance, 75 percent of lead-generation marketers say they have the tools to manage lead-gen marketing effectiveness, while 25 percent of those without automation say the same, leaving a 50 percent rift between the two sides.

Meanwhile, 56 percent of lead-gen marketers who have automation say they have established processes to manage lead-gen marketing effectiveness, while 22 percent of those without automation say the same, leaving a 33 percent gap. The study also finds that 52 percent of lead-gen marketers with automation say they are able to proactively manage the marketing funnel, while 34 percent of marketers without automation say the same.

Lenskold Group offers four takeaways for marketers:

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