Did you know that companies migrating to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement see an average ROI of $5.44 for every $1 spent on marketing automation? While that’s impressive, the migration journey can be challenging. For example, FloQast’s migration from Pardot to HubSpot coincided with their first virtual event, leading to a 35% increase in event conversion. However, there’s an increasing trend of HubSpot users moving to Salesforce Marketing Cloud as they aim to boost revenue. Switching marketing automation platforms is not just about costs; it’s a multi-month commitment requiring team resources and focus, often resulting in both systems running simultaneously.
At VALiNTRY360, we’ve helped many B2B companies successfully migrate to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot). In this guide, we’ll outline the key steps for migrating from Marketo to Pardot, ensuring you maximize benefits and minimize disruption.
Overview
Preparing for Migration
Successful migration from Marketo to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement begins with thorough groundwork. Unlike quick software updates, platform migration requires strategic planning to ensure minimal disruptions to your marketing operations.
Define your B2B marketing goals
- What specific marketing challenges do you need to solve?
- Which capabilities are critical for your future campaigns?
- What ROI metrics will determine success?
Evaluate current platform limitations
Conduct a thorough assessment of your current Marketo setup by inventorying marketing assets like emails, landing pages, forms, workflows, and contact lists. This evaluation helps identify what should be migrated, optimized, or discarded. Many organizations switch to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement for better Salesforce integration and a more intuitive, wizard-style interface for creating assets. At VALiNTRY360, we’ve assisted clients in evaluating platforms to align Marketing Cloud Account Engagement’s pricing and editions with their business needs.
Align stakeholders and set expectations
Identify key stakeholders early in the migration process, especially “champions” in departments like sales, IT, and marketing. Ensure connections with your Salesforce and CRM administrators for smooth integration. Document realistic timelines and resource needs, as migration often requires dedicated teams and external expertise. VALiNTRY360’s specialists can enhance your internal team and help avoid common pitfalls.
Cleaning and Auditing Before the Switch
The quality of your marketing data directly impacts the success of your migration to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. A migration presents an ideal opportunity to enhance data accuracy and organization—much like moving to a new house gives you the chance to discard items you no longer need.
Audit existing assets and campaigns
- Email templates and campaign assets
- Landing pages and forms
- Automation workflows and triggers
- Scoring models and segmentation rules
Clean and segment your contact database
Data cleansing is essential for creating an accurate marketing database in your Marketing Cloud Account Engagement implementation. Start by removing duplicate records to enhance CRM efficiency, then standardize data formats—ensuring consistency in dates and job titles.
Remember, poor-quality CRM data can harm marketing performance, leading to lost customers and missed sales opportunities. VALiNTRY360’s migration specialists can assist with automated data cleansing tools that identify duplicates, correct inaccuracies, and update outdated information, saving time and improving data integrity.
Back up performance data and reports
Historical performance data is vital for measuring success post-migration, showcasing the ROI of switching to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. Before migration, ensure comprehensive backups of marketing analytics, campaign metrics, and reports using the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies on two media types, with one off-site. Document critical KPIs and reporting structures, and test restore procedures in a staging environment to validate backup integrity and recovery effectiveness.
Proper data preparation is key for a smooth transition to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, helping transform this process into a strategic advantage.
Executing the Migration from Marketo to Pardot
Moving into the actual migration phase, technical precision becomes the determining factor for success. The migration process requires careful coordination across multiple systems to ensure data integrity throughout the transition.
Map fields and data structures
Integrating Marketing Cloud Account Engagement with Salesforce starts with proper field mapping. The connector creates a one-to-one relationship between prospects and Salesforce leads or contacts, using CRM ID as the matching criterion for bidirectional synchronization. VALiNTRY360’s technical team specifically focuses on configuring sync behaviors for each field, ensuring that the dominant system (typically Salesforce) correctly pushes critical information back to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement.
Rebuild forms, emails, and landing pages
- Copy and paste text content directly from Marketo
- Save images locally before uploading to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement
- Export HTML for complex emails with dynamic content
Set up automation rules and lead scoring
Marketing Cloud Account Engagement utilizes automation rules consisting of two parts: rules (criteria) and actions (what happens when criteria are met). Initially, set rules to define which prospects trigger automation, then establish actions like assigning sales representatives or updating fields.
Similarly, prospect scoring indicates interest level based on actions taken, whereas grading standardizes lead quality from F through A+. VALiNTRY360’s migration specialists can help align these scoring models with your sales team’s priorities.
Test integrations with Salesforce CRM
The integration user serves as the connector between systems, synchronizing approximately every 2 minutes. Moreover, thoroughly test this connection by validating that records properly sync in both directions. VALiNTRY360 recommends running both platforms simultaneously during testing, allowing your team to verify deliverability and engagement metrics before complete transition.
Managing the Transition and Going Live
The technical implementation phase marks just the beginning of your journey with Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. Successful platform adoption requires careful coordination throughout the transition period.
Run both platforms in parallel
Timing proves crucial when switching marketing automation platforms. Generally, companies allocate between three to four months for full implementation. Throughout this period, both platforms should operate simultaneously, creating a carefully structured crossover period that prevents operational disruptions. Instead of attempting to replicate everything from day one, focus first on launching core business requirements, subsequently enhancing additional functionality as needed.
Monitor deliverability and engagement
After setting up proper domain authentication, closely track email performance metrics as you transition sending responsibilities to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. Practically speaking, email migration requires strategic warming of your sending domain – gradually increasing volume while building trust with inbox providers. Begin by sending to your most engaged contacts first, steadily expanding your audience reach as deliverability metrics stabilize.
Train marketing and sales teams
User adoption directly impacts your ROI with Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. Designate internal champions to master the platform and support colleagues through the learning curve. VALiNTRY360 provides comprehensive training programs tailored to various user roles, ensuring team members confidently utilize core functionality from day one. Consider offering refresher sessions and advanced training modules to maximize platform capabilities.
Document processes for future reference
Establishing a centralized knowledge base proves invaluable for ongoing platform success. Document all post-migration configurations, best practices, and workflows. VALiNTRY360 assists clients in creating comprehensive reference guides that accelerate onboarding for new team members while maintaining consistent operational standards across your marketing organization.
Conclusion
Migrating from Marketo to Marketing Cloud Account Engagement provides B2B organizations an opportunity to enhance marketing capabilities through careful planning and stakeholder alignment. Ensuring data quality through asset audits and database cleaning helps avoid costly rework and accelerates value realization. The technical execution phase, which includes field mapping and automation setup, often benefits from partnering with Salesforce experts like VALiNTRY360. Effective transition management is essential for maximizing ROI. Running platforms in parallel, monitoring deliverability, and training teams allows organizations to fully leverage Marketing Cloud Account Engagement.
At VALiNTRY360, we view migrations as strategic transformations, emphasizing the importance of blending technical expertise with a marketing vision for successful outcomes.
