Personalization and precision are key to driving engagement and conversions in marketing automation. Marketo, one of the leading marketing automation platforms, offers various tools to help marketers achieve these goals. One such tool is Program Member Custom Fields (PMCFs). These fields allow you to capture and utilize specific data about program members, enabling more tailored and effective marketing campaigns.
In this blog, we’ll be covering:
What Are PMCFs?
PMCFs are additional data fields that can be created and associated with members of specific programs within Marketo. Unlike regular fields tied to a lead or contact record, PMCFs are unique to the program member. This means you can track and store data relevant to a member’s participation in a particular program, providing a granular level of detail that can be crucial for segmentation, reporting, and personalized marketing.
Benefits of Using PMCFs
PMCFs enhance marketing automation by capturing detailed information about program members, enabling personalized communications and improved segmentation. They also provide better reporting and streamline data management, making marketing efforts more effective and organized. Here are some key benefits:
Enhanced Personalization
PMCFs allow you to capture detailed information about a program member’s interactions and preferences within a specific program. This data can be used to personalize communications and offers, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.
Improved Segmentation
With PMCFs, you can create highly targeted segments based on specific criteria related to program participation. This enables you to send more relevant messages to the right audience, improving the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Better Reporting & Analytics
PMCFs provide additional data points that can be used for in-depth reporting and analysis. You can track and measure program performance more accurately, gaining insights that help you optimize future campaigns.
Streamlined Data Management
Using PMCFs lets you keep your lead and contact records cleaner and more organized. Program-specific data is stored separately, reducing clutter and allowing for more accessible updates.
How to Implement PMCFs in Marketo
Identify Your Data Needs
Start by determining what additional data you need to capture for your program members. This data could include anything from event attendance details to specific preferences or actions taken within a program.
Create Custom Fields
In Marketo, navigate to the Admin section and select Field Management. From there, you can create program member custom fields that will be used at the program member level. Be sure to name them clearly and consistently.
Capture Data
Use local forms, landing pages, and other data collection methods to capture information for your PMCFs. Ensure that your marketing automation workflows are set up to populate these fields accurately.
Utilize Data for Campaigns
Leverage the data stored in PMCFs to create personalized and targeted campaigns. Use dynamic content, segmentation, and other Marketo features to deliver tailored messages to your program members.
Monitor & Optimize
Review the data captured in your PMCFs regularly and analyze its impact on your marketing efforts. Use this information to refine your strategies and improve future program performance.
Examples of PCMFs in Action
Event Attendance
Capture details such as session attended, food restrictions, t-shirt size, feedback, and engagement level for participants at an event. Use this data to follow up with personalized content and offers.
Product Trials
For programs offering product trials, use PMCFs to record trial start and end dates, usage statistics, and feedback. This helps tailor communications and offers to encourage conversion to paid customers.
UTM Parameters
Program Member Data is specific to an individual’s participation in a program, making UTM tracking a game changer. This method eliminates the need to use person-level fields where UTM data may get overwritten. PMCFs tie data directly to the program, ensuring accuracy and specificity. Even better, this data can seamlessly translate into a Salesforce Campaign Member field, enhancing data integrity and reporting.
Conclusion
Program Member Custom Fields are a powerful feature in Marketo that can significantly enhance your marketing automation strategy. By capturing and utilizing detailed data about program members, you can achieve higher levels of personalization, better segmentation, and improved campaign performance. Implementing PMCFs may require some initial setup and planning, but their benefits make it well worth the effort.
Ready to take your Marketo programs to the next level? Start leveraging Program Member Custom Fields today and see the difference they can make in your marketing success.
by Beth Corby | Senior Revenue Operations Strategist
