The Great Resignation: Filling Gaps on the Marketing Team

The Great Resignation has impacted businesses throughout the US for the last two years and more specifically, it has created a talent gap for many departments. Marketing teams in particular seem to be taking a big hit, mainly when it comes to specialty roles like digital marketing and marketing operations/technology. 

One theory behind the Great Resignation is that it can be traced to the earlier part of the Covid-19 pandemic; workers reevaluated their current employment and determined if their role at said company was still in alignment with their needs and wants. Whether that was tied to company policies around PTO, working from home or their level of pay, workers started to seek out new opportunities and leave their sometimes long-held positions.

Whatever the impetus behind the Great Resignation, it has caused many business leaders to take pause and evaluate both how they retain and hire top talent. 

Retaining and hiring marketers in the Great Resignation

Retention often means understanding what your current marketers want and need in their job to stay satisfied. It’s time to break down some of the old traditions of once a year, one-sided evaluations as an indicator of worker satisfaction. Do those evaluations fully articulate satisfaction anyway? Probably not. Internal surveys, informal check-ins and reverse evaluations can offer both qualitative and quantitative  insight. 

When hiring is the next feasible option, your company’s reputation, training and benefits are what will be of most import to the job seeker. If resourcing becomes more critical in terms of immediate need, there are additional options to consider and supplement until top talent can be brought in or even in lieu of onboarding new employees. 

Use your company website as a talent pipeline

A company career page isn’t solely a place to post job descriptions, it also provides insight into the culture and values that a particular company holds. This can be articulated through mission statements and core values, but also pictures of team building trips and activities. First impressions hold true in many circumstances, but especially for potential candidates searching your site for a glimpse into your company’s culture and overall vibe. 

Since review sites like Glassdoor.com exist and often display as a top search result, establishing your company’s image first can make a significant difference when it comes to reputation management and drawing in the top candidates you seek. 

On this career page, within job descriptions themselves, you have another opportunity to snag the attention of top marketing candidates. Give the job description a broader appeal and provide a vision of what the position’s “day in the life” can be like. 

Crafting a story within the job description can help job seekers envision themselves in that role with greater ease and get a better understanding of expectations and cross departmental functionalities. Here’s an example from the Sercante website.

Another way to capture the attention of the ideal marketing technology candidate is to include a pay range within the position description. This can make your company stand out and create good faith moving forward, especially for previously underpaid demographics.  Pay transparency is the new unlimited PTO. 

Train marketing talent from within 

Instead of looking outside the company for the ideal marketing ops candidate, empower existing team members to learn something new by offering training opportunities. 

Many “traditional” marketers can feel pigeonholed and often want to learn a new skill to expand their expertise. For example, a PR professional might be tired of writing press releases and want to delve into the social media world, or content writers might wonder how their email copy is being used within a particular marketing automation platform. 

Giving your internal team members the time to learn on the clock can be a major confidence booster. Assign a task in Asana (or other project management tool) with 3-5 hours per week to team members open to learning new technology. 

Allowing company time for learning and growth opportunities may help build toward a positive impression with your current employees. Salesforce Trailhead is one of the best platforms to turn marketing-minded individuals into marketing technology powerhouses. Likewise, HubSpot offers free marketing certifications. Take it one step further by paying for certification tests and/or tying certification completions to additional bonuses. 

To supplement self-guided training, setting up a company catered Lunch & Learns results in a pro-learning environment and is a beneficial team building tool. When the training models are checked off and certificates produced, the next step is aligning team members on openings and evaluating opportunities for advancement in title and pay. 

Offer solid benefits + competitive pay to stand out 

Competitive pay will often be the number one indicator of a company’s ability to obtain top talent. In addition to pay though, a generous and even unique benefits package can help your company stand out among competitors. 

The standard (or expected) benefits such as a tech stipend, retirement investment account, healthcare and PTO are now considered the bare minimum. Here are additional benefits that businesses have recently started offering:

  • Fitness reimbursement 
  • eBook subscriptions
  • At home office stipend
  • Meditation app subscriptions
  • Nap pods 
  • Food delivery/meal prep service discounts 
  • Unlimited or extra PTO

As family structures change, more forward-thinking companies are aligning to different parental leave benefits or PTO for recent adoptions or foster care placement. Perhaps some of the more sought after benefits aren’t just tangible, they are about breaking down the very structure of how folks are seeking to work such as 100% remote workplaces or even 4-day work weeks. 

Leverage external resource for team expansion 

So you’ve tackled your reputation, finessed the job descriptions and looked internally for resources but have a gap and have an immediate resource need. After all those emails won’t trigger themselves and that landing page won’t magically layout on its own. For some companies, the immediate need for marketing technology individuals can hold up business processes and slow down the marketing to sales pipeline if not fulfilled. 

So who can you turn to when looking to supplement your internal team? This is where hiring managers can tap into freelance marketing professionals or consultant agencies. Agencies, like Sercante can act as an extension of the team, function on a project basis lending expertise or fill in for someone on health leave. Sometimes you can even have a fully trained team but too many projects that are all priorities. This is where the external support can assist with minimal ramp-up time.  

The Sercante motto is we make marketers wildly successful with the Salesforce platform. This means we share our expertise for all things automation and Sales Cloud and training teams to use the tools themselves. 

Looking toward the Great Resignation bright side 

One of the benefits of the Great Resignation is opportunity for realignment both inside companies and for the new job seeker. 

The last two years have shown us that workers want to feel valued and seen for their contributions and companies are starting to see the importance of finding the right talent or resources to assist with marketing technology projects. 

Are you looking to become or obtain top marketing talent within the Salesforce ecosystem? Feel free to check out the Pardot & Marketing Cloud Job Hub.

Original article: The Great Resignation: Filling Gaps on the Marketing Team

©2022 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

The post The Great Resignation: Filling Gaps on the Marketing Team appeared first on The Spot.

By |2022-06-17T15:07:00+00:00June 17th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Real Talk, revive|
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The Great Resignation: Filling Gaps on the Marketing Team

The Great Resignation has impacted businesses throughout the US for the last two years and more specifically, it has created a talent gap for many departments. Marketing teams in particular seem to be taking a big hit, mainly when it comes to specialty roles like digital marketing and marketing operations/technology. 

One theory behind the Great Resignation is that it can be traced to the earlier part of the Covid-19 pandemic; workers reevaluated their current employment and determined if their role at said company was still in alignment with their needs and wants. Whether that was tied to company policies around PTO, working from home or their level of pay, workers started to seek out new opportunities and leave their sometimes long-held positions.

Whatever the impetus behind the Great Resignation, it has caused many business leaders to take pause and evaluate both how they retain and hire top talent. 

Retaining and hiring marketers in the Great Resignation

Retention often means understanding what your current marketers want and need in their job to stay satisfied. It’s time to break down some of the old traditions of once a year, one-sided evaluations as an indicator of worker satisfaction. Do those evaluations fully articulate satisfaction anyway? Probably not. Internal surveys, informal check-ins and reverse evaluations can offer both qualitative and quantitative  insight. 

When hiring is the next feasible option, your company’s reputation, training and benefits are what will be of most import to the job seeker. If resourcing becomes more critical in terms of immediate need, there are additional options to consider and supplement until top talent can be brought in or even in lieu of onboarding new employees. 

Use your company website as a talent pipeline

A company career page isn’t solely a place to post job descriptions, it also provides insight into the culture and values that a particular company holds. This can be articulated through mission statements and core values, but also pictures of team building trips and activities. First impressions hold true in many circumstances, but especially for potential candidates searching your site for a glimpse into your company’s culture and overall vibe. 

Since review sites like Glassdoor.com exist and often display as a top search result, establishing your company’s image first can make a significant difference when it comes to reputation management and drawing in the top candidates you seek. 

On this career page, within job descriptions themselves, you have another opportunity to snag the attention of top marketing candidates. Give the job description a broader appeal and provide a vision of what the position’s “day in the life” can be like. 

Crafting a story within the job description can help job seekers envision themselves in that role with greater ease and get a better understanding of expectations and cross departmental functionalities. Here’s an example from the Sercante website.

Another way to capture the attention of the ideal marketing technology candidate is to include a pay range within the position description. This can make your company stand out and create good faith moving forward, especially for previously underpaid demographics.  Pay transparency is the new unlimited PTO. 

Train marketing talent from within 

Instead of looking outside the company for the ideal marketing ops candidate, empower existing team members to learn something new by offering training opportunities. 

Many “traditional” marketers can feel pigeonholed and often want to learn a new skill to expand their expertise. For example, a PR professional might be tired of writing press releases and want to delve into the social media world, or content writers might wonder how their email copy is being used within a particular marketing automation platform. 

Giving your internal team members the time to learn on the clock can be a major confidence booster. Assign a task in Asana (or other project management tool) with 3-5 hours per week to team members open to learning new technology. 

Allowing company time for learning and growth opportunities may help build toward a positive impression with your current employees. Salesforce Trailhead is one of the best platforms to turn marketing-minded individuals into marketing technology powerhouses. Likewise, HubSpot offers free marketing certifications. Take it one step further by paying for certification tests and/or tying certification completions to additional bonuses. 

To supplement self-guided training, setting up a company catered Lunch & Learns results in a pro-learning environment and is a beneficial team building tool. When the training models are checked off and certificates produced, the next step is aligning team members on openings and evaluating opportunities for advancement in title and pay. 

Offer solid benefits + competitive pay to stand out 

Competitive pay will often be the number one indicator of a company’s ability to obtain top talent. In addition to pay though, a generous and even unique benefits package can help your company stand out among competitors. 

The standard (or expected) benefits such as a tech stipend, retirement investment account, healthcare and PTO are now considered the bare minimum. Here are additional benefits that businesses have recently started offering:

  • Fitness reimbursement 
  • eBook subscriptions
  • At home office stipend
  • Meditation app subscriptions
  • Nap pods 
  • Food delivery/meal prep service discounts 
  • Unlimited or extra PTO

As family structures change, more forward-thinking companies are aligning to different parental leave benefits or PTO for recent adoptions or foster care placement. Perhaps some of the more sought after benefits aren’t just tangible, they are about breaking down the very structure of how folks are seeking to work such as 100% remote workplaces or even 4-day work weeks. 

Leverage external resource for team expansion 

So you’ve tackled your reputation, finessed the job descriptions and looked internally for resources but have a gap and have an immediate resource need. After all those emails won’t trigger themselves and that landing page won’t magically layout on its own. For some companies, the immediate need for marketing technology individuals can hold up business processes and slow down the marketing to sales pipeline if not fulfilled. 

So who can you turn to when looking to supplement your internal team? This is where hiring managers can tap into freelance marketing professionals or consultant agencies. Agencies, like Sercante can act as an extension of the team, function on a project basis lending expertise or fill in for someone on health leave. Sometimes you can even have a fully trained team but too many projects that are all priorities. This is where the external support can assist with minimal ramp-up time.  

The Sercante motto is we make marketers wildly successful with the Salesforce platform. This means we share our expertise for all things automation and Sales Cloud and training teams to use the tools themselves. 

Looking toward the Great Resignation bright side 

One of the benefits of the Great Resignation is opportunity for realignment both inside companies and for the new job seeker. 

The last two years have shown us that workers want to feel valued and seen for their contributions and companies are starting to see the importance of finding the right talent or resources to assist with marketing technology projects. 

Are you looking to become or obtain top marketing talent within the Salesforce ecosystem? Feel free to check out the Pardot & Marketing Cloud Job Hub.

Original article: The Great Resignation: Filling Gaps on the Marketing Team

©2022 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

The post The Great Resignation: Filling Gaps on the Marketing Team appeared first on The Spot.

By |2022-06-17T15:07:00+00:00June 17th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Real Talk, revive|
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9 Essential Rules for Attending Salesforce Community Events

I just returned from an action-packed week at Connections (Salesforce’s banner event for marketers) and I gotta say — it feels good to be back with the Ohana.

It’s been a hot minute since in-person Salesforce community events were in full force. Dreamforce 2019 is the last big thing I attended prior to this event. As we ramp back up, I’m realizing that some of my team members, customers, and friends in the ecosystem actually have never attended a Salesforce event. And those who have are a little rusty (I know I was.)

If you’re looking to get more involved in the Salesforce ecosystem through events, here are a few rules/guidelines you can follow to maximize the benefits.

Rule 1. Mix it up and attend both “official” and “community” Salesforce events

There are a few types of Salesforce community events that might come across your radar. And there’s value in attending all of them.

Each event type brings something unique to the table. If you have the opportunity to, I’d recommend engaging with a mix of Salesforce-sponsored and community-led events. 

Salesforce User Groups

Local events led by a community member, customer or partner. Topics are often how to/best practice oriented. They’re usually 20-30 people, sometimes more in bigger metro areas. 

Search for Salesforce user groups in your region here.

Erin Duncan welcomes attendees to an Atlanta Pardot User Group meeting.

Salesforce World Tours

These are usually in a big city and are official events put on by Salesforce (free to attendees). Expect a couple thousand people, a big expo hall, dancing mascots, and a high energy keynote full of product news and big logo customers. Oh, and post-event happy hours from vendors and partners. 

A few Sercante dragons were spotted in the wild at Salesforce World Tour London 2022

Dreamin’ Events

Although increasingly virtual or hybrid, these are usually in a big city and put on by members of the Salesforce community for a modest fee (usually $100-300). In other words, they’re created by Salesforce users, for users, and are loosely sanctioned/supported by Salesforce. 

The content is totally different in comparison to Salesforce World Tours. There’s no “selling” angle in mind — instead, you’ll find “in the trenches” advice from admins and hands-on folks with lots of real talk. This is a great place to find your people and meet someone you can call with an SOS when you’re stuck on something.

MarDreamin’ (formerly ParDreamin’) is a marketing-focused Salesforce community event

Dreamforce

This is the Superbowl of Salesforce. There’s a huge volume of content catered to almost any audience, and Salesforce pulls out all the stops to make this a fun, flashy, and engaging event. And the entire partner ecosystem rallies to woo customers, throw parties, and celebrate headline product news. 

The price tag is $1-3Kish depending on discounts and how early you buy your Dreamforce ticket. 

Pre-covid, they shut down multiple city blocks in San Francisco and had nearly 200K people. This year, rumor has it that attendance will be capped at 30K (but limited info out about that yet.) 

Here are scenes from the last big Dreamforce in 2019.

Salesforce Connections

Already happened this year, but for future reference, Connections is like a mini Dreamforce for marketers (also Salesforce sponsored). It’s been in Chicago for the last several years, and is the place to be for customers (or would-be customers) of Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud.

The Sercante team was happy to gather and learn at Connections 2022.

Rule 2. Define your goal for participating 

Do a little soul searching to figure out your ‘why’ for attending these events. Your objectives for attending Salesforce community events might include:

  • Tactical, how-to learning
  • Getting ideas & inspiration
  • Networking with other users 
  • Meeting your Salesforce account team
  • Recruiting 
  • Sales & prospecting
  • Learning about interesting products that work with Salesforce 
  • Evaluating prospective partners
  • Building a personal brand in the ecosystem 

Determining what’s most important to you will inform what events you should prioritize. As a rule of thumb, I would say user-led events are the best for tactical, how-to learning. 

Rule 3. Get digital business cards

I completely forgot business cards were a thing until Connections. Surely I have a stash of pre-covid cards somewhere in my house… but it didn’t even enter my mind until I was ready to swap contact info with someone.

I was surprised to see A LOT of people using QR codes for an efficient contact info swap. Some people connected this to their Linkedin, and others had a QR code that created a contact record in the scanning user’s phone. I will definitely be doing this before the next event! 

Image credit

Rule 4. Don’t just attend… speak and volunteer! 

Once you have a feel for what these events are all about, I highly recommend throwing your hat in the ring to speak. I’ve found speaking at events to be incredibly rewarding and fantastic for networking. 

You know you’ve found your people when you can get up in front of a group and say

 “I worked on XYZ, I struggled with ABC, and here’s where I’m at,” and see heads nodding. It’s validating to find others who have the exact same challenges and know we’re all figuring this thing out together.

I’m a big believer that we all have something to learn and something to teach. If you’re reading this thinking “I have nothing to speak on” — check that imposter syndrome. 

Another great way to get more engaged is through volunteering. As someone who isn’t a particularly natural networker, working badge check in desks used to be my go-to to meet people in a low-pressure way.

Rule 5. Pick what sessions you want to prioritize

When it comes to the bigger conferences and Dreamin’ events, it’s not uncommon for popular sessions to fill up and not be able to accommodate everyone who wants to join. Skim the agenda before you go and pick three things you really want to attend.

Pro tip: If you see Circles of Success on the agenda, pick those! They’re group discussions and rarely disappoint.

Rule 6. Try to figure out who you want to meet… in advance of the event 

Ask around (i.e. customers, partners, friends, Salesforce AEs) and see who’s going. Events are a great opportunity to get some facetime with people you only work with online. Skim the speaker list — anyone with an interesting background? 

Ping these folks before the event and set up a coffee or lunch date, or plan to go find them the day of.

(And if you don’t know anyone who’s going — not to fear. You can still have a great networking experience attending live! This extra step ensures you get the value you were hoping for out of the event.) 

Rule 7. Check out Twitter 

The Salesforce ecosystem is active on Twitter. That means it’s the place to be for social connection during the actual event. 

For bigger events, follow the event hashtag to see pictures, find information about happy hours and adjacent events, read people’s hot takes, and more. Many user groups also have their own Twitter accounts and hashtags.

Pro Tip: Follow the #SalesforceWorldTour hashtag.

Rule 8. Don’t skip the “real life” social parts 

After a long day of networking, you might want to head home or get back to your hotel room to decompress. But you’d be missing the best part — happy hours, dinners, and spontaneous post-event hang outs are some of my favorite memories from Salesforce events. That’s because people tend to be more relaxed and aren’t rushing to the next thing.

If the idea of unstructured open networking makes you green in the face, then try thinking of a few questions to keep in your back pocket. 

For example: 

  • What was your biggest takeaway from the event? 
  • Are you working on anything you’re excited about?
  • What do you see as the biggest barrier or struggle with Salesforce at your organization? 
  • Have you ever seen a ghost? (Seriously — someone asked me this once at a happy hour, and it led to the most interesting group conversation ever.)

Rule 9. Say thank you and follow up 

Most people consider the event over when it’s…. well, over. But the magic is staying connected and building on value you got from the event. 

What relationships can you nurture? Who can you say thank you to? Do you have any thoughtful resources or help you could offer a new acquaintance? 

If all else fails, at least fire off a few Linkedin requests. 

Salesforce community events propel careers

I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met at Salesforce community events who later became teammates, clients, and partners. And I get it. These things aren’t easy for natural introverts like me. 

What I can tell you is someone else in the room is likely experiencing the same anxiety you’re feeling about being in these situations. And there’s luckily a big enough variety of Salesforce community events to accommodate all social situation comfort levels.

  • Not a fan of crowds? Check out an intimate user group meeting in your area. 
  • Don’t wanna be around people at all? Connect with Trailblazers through a virtual community group meeting (this blog post has a few examples).
  • Rather blend in with a crowd? Dreamin’ conferences have a spot for you to soak in all the educational in-person sessions.

Bottom line is — get yourself out there. You’ll connect with people who have similar work experiences and learn a few things. And, who knows, it may lead to your next big opportunity.

Have any nuggets of wisdom for attending Salesforce community events that we forgot? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Original article: 9 Essential Rules for Attending Salesforce Community Events

©2022 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

The post 9 Essential Rules for Attending Salesforce Community Events appeared first on The Spot.

By |2022-06-16T21:09:39+00:00June 16th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Events, Real Talk, revive|
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8 Tips for Passing the Marketing Cloud Administrator Exam

Passing the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrator exam demonstrates that you have the skills to configure and administer Marketing Cloud products using industry and product best practices. And having that distinction puts you in a position where employers will compete to welcome you to their team.

That’s because people with Marketing Cloud skills are among the most difficult to find and retain, according to research by 10K. Based on supply and demand, there are great opportunities for those who put in the time and energy to develop these skills.  

Use these tips to pass the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrator exam

There are a lot of Salesforce-approved exam prep resources available. So, we’re not going to dive too deeply into them (we’ll touch on them a bit in tip #3). 

This post will instead focus on eight tips that helped me pass the Marketing Cloud administrator exam — and I hope they will help you too.

Tip #1: Pregame with the Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Certification 

While there is not an official practice exam for the Salesforce Marketing Administrator exam, the Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Certification is a worthy stand-in. There’s a fair amount of crossover between the email specialist and administrator exams. Sure, the weights are different and the admin exam goes into more depth, but the overall concepts are similar.

There are different schools of thought as to the order in which the marketing cloud exams should be taken. But I firmly believe you should not take the Marketing Cloud Administrator exam until you’ve passed the specialist exam. It will ensure that you have a solid foundation in place and it will let you beef up your LinkedIn profile with another cool certification!

Tip #2: Setup is king in the Marketing Cloud admin exam

Setup is a whopping 38% percent of the Marketing Cloud Administrator exam. The next closest section is  Subscriber Data Management at 18%. This is basically make it or break it territory. Ace the Setup section, and you are well on your way to adding a new credential to your collection. 

With that said, I take a very methodical approach to exam preparation. I study the exam guide, make sure I understand the weight of each section, and then budget my study time accordingly. This may seem like common sense, but I see people stressing over sections with low weighting all too often.

Tip #3: Don’t trust the internet

We all know the policy about exam dumps and questions floating around on the internet. In short, don’t use them. If you have any questions about this topic, be sure to review the Salesforce Credential Code of Conduct.

Not only is the use of exam dumps and non-approved study materials in violation of the code of conduct, they are often wrong. The only thing worse than studying for hours is studying the wrong information for hours! 

Do yourself a favor (and the right thing) and stick to Salesforce-approved materials.

Here are Salesforce-approved resources I found to be helpful.

Tip #4: Focus on key Marketing Cloud terminology 

I’ve taken my share of Salesforce exams, and I would classify the Marketing Cloud Administrator Exam to be more straightforward than most. If you’ve taken any of the Salesforce Administrator certification exams, you’ve no doubt seen the scenario based questions that are about a paragraph long! 

The questions on the Marketing Cloud Administrator Exam are pretty simple and to the point. The point of confusion lies in the list of answers provided. Outside of a random term here and there, most are terms that you’ve seen in Marketing Cloud. This tends to lead to second guessing as you’ll be telling yourself “Yeh. I remember that one.”

 My advice is to create a list of key terms and know it like the back of your hand. These questions become VERY easy — if you know the terminology and can quickly eliminate the wrong answers.

Here’s a list of terms I made for myself. I compiled these from a variety of Salesforce-approved resources. This list is NOT inclusive of all the terms you’ll see on the exam. Use this as a starting point and add more terms based on your experience level with Marketing Cloud.

Term Definition
Access Log List of non-allowlisted IP addresses and login names logged into Marketing Cloud accounts for network.
Audit Trail Allows security admin users to view Marketing Cloud access and activity records.
Burst Sending Burst Sending allows you to send emails fast. The audience is locked down and the emails are built when the schedule send time is set. Use this feature for flash sales or emergency messaging.
Contact In Contact Builder, it is an individual added to any contact database. A contact is also any other individual to whom you sent a message via any channel using Marketing Cloud.
Contact ID A system defined, unique identifier representing a Contact.
Contact Key A user defined attribute that is used as a unique identifier for the contact model, and other models (Journey Builder) except Email Studio.
Content Detective Tool in Email Studio that will identify spam triggers in your email content. Scans the preheader, the subject line, the body copy for words, patterns, and phrases that it views as spam.
Delivery Profiles Specifies the delivery information for a message (Company, IP Address, Header and Footer).
Domain Allowlist Trust all email addresses within that domain to receive your data.
Export Email Allowlist Individual email addresses that can receive exports via email from your Marketing Cloud account.
Identity Verification Requires you to authenticate the browser or app used to access the application.
IP Allowlist Range of IP addresses who can access your account to prevent unauthorized logins.
Multi-factor Authentication Another layer of protection so users must provide two factors when logging in.
Primary Key A unique field on a data extension that identifies a specific and unique data point. Often this is the contact key, but it can be something unique to that data.
Reply Address Definition Configure reply-to info like email display name, reply subdomain, and email reply address.
Reply Rules How reply mail management identifies and responds to the replies that subscribers send.
Routing Address Email address that replies are sent to when the reply is not defined in the Reply Rules.
Safehouse Decrypt or encrypt files before import or extract without exposing these files to the Enhanced FTP directories. Only authenticated users can access the Safehouse, which resides on highly redundant, highly available central storage servers.
Send Classification Composed of Sender Profile, Delivery Profile, and CAN-SPAM classification
Sender Authentication Package (SAP) Purchased from Salesforce and includes a collection of products, including a private domain with link and image wrapping, a dedicated IP address, and reply mail management (RMM).
Sender Profile Specifies the From information for a send in a central location (from name).
SFTP A secure method for transferring data from one computer to another over the Internet.
Subscriber A person who opted in to receive communications from your organization.
Subscriber ID A system defined, unique identifier representing a Subscriber.
Subscriber Key A user defined text field that contains a value that uniquely identifies a subscriber. Shouldn’t contain email addresses.
Tokenized Sending Used to send contact data that is too sensitive to store in your Marketing Cloud account database. Instead of storing sensitive information in your Marketing Cloud account database, your account stores a single token per send attribute. Support must activate this feature.
Web Analytics Connector (WAC) Free feature that appends a ‘string’ to every Email Studio email link. Simply put, it adds data to the end of your links for tracking purposes. The string is typically used to add Google Analytics UTM Parameters, but it can really be used for anything you want.

Tip #5: The devil is in the details 

Pay attention to details when taking your exam, and be sure to read all options before selecting your answer. I noticed several questions on the exam that had several answers that were seemingly correct.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.

How would a Marketing Cloud Administrator add new users in EMEA to the correct business unit?

  1. Setup > Users > Edit Business Units
  2. Setup > Business Units > Manage Business Units
  3. Setup > Users > Manage Business Units

There are a couple things to note when looking at this question. The first is the navigation path. Can you add users to BUs under Business Units? Nope! This is where you would go to set up your business units. We can now cross answer B off the list.

The second thing to note is the action referenced in the answer. “Edit Business Units” and “Manage Business Units” both sound correct, but you have to choose one. This is where paying attention to details is really important. Inside Marketing Cloud, “Manage” is the action that’s used to add users to business units (and roles).  

So the answer to our relatively straightforward looking question is “C”. You would add users to the EMEA business unit by navigating to Setup > Users > Manage Business Units. 

Tip #6: Pay attention to product names  — new and old

Salesforce recently updated the names of several products, and Marketing Cloud was impacted (Salesforce Name Changes: Pardot & Marketing Cloud Get A Rebrand). When I took the Marketing Cloud Administrator exam, these changes had not yet been integrated. I’m sure this will be addressed quickly in the next release, but it’s worth mentioning as every question counts! Don’t be too surprised if you see something like this.

The Marketing team would like to be able to pick the next best action based on real-time interaction data. Which Marketing Cloud add-on best addresses this purpose?

  1. Journey Builder
  2. Interaction Studio
  3. Automation Studio
  4. None of the above

So where’s Personalization? We all know that the correct answer is Marketing Cloud Personalization, but it’s not included in the list. The first instinct would be to select answer D “None of the above,” but that would be incorrect. 

The correct answer is B “Interaction Studio.” This was the name of that add-on at the time the exam was written. Be sure to know the new and old names — just in case!

Tip #7: Activate those Einstein features 

Salesforce is really excited about the Einstein features in Marketing Cloud (as they should be). A lot of time and effort has gone into enabling marketers with AI, and you are going to be asked about these features.

To make sure that you understand the capabilities of Einstein, activate ALL the features available in your account. I guarantee that you’ll learn something you didn’t know! 

Keep in mind that data is not instantly available in your account after activation. Depending on the feature, it could take 24 to 72 hours.

Tip #8: Get hands-on practice! 

This exam focuses a lot on how to DO things in Marketing Cloud. If you are anything like me, the best way to learn is by doing. There are a lot of great Trailhead modules on Marketing Cloud, but no hand-on challenges. It’s really easy to read the content and answer a couple of questions to get your badge, but did you really learn anything?

My advice is to make those modules hands-on. Login to your Marketing Cloud account and follow along. You don’t need to save all your work in your account, but the act of navigating to the correct sections and clicking the buttons will reinforce your learning. Sure, it’s going to take you a lot longer to complete the modules, but it’s not a race!

As I said  in tip #4, the devil is in the details. You are going to need to know how to navigate Marketing Cloud to pass this exam. If you don’t know your way around (very well), save your $200 and don’t take the exam until you have more hands-on experience.

You can do it — now go pass the Marketing Cloud admin exam!

I would not rate the Marketing Cloud Administrator Exam as one of the toughest Salesforce exams that I’ve taken (that honor goes to the Salesforce Advanced Administrator exam). But it should not be taken lightly.  

You’ll have 105 minutes to take the exam, which I found to be very generous. Don’t rush and take the time to read the question and all the answers before making your selection. With adequate preparation and a good amount of hands-on experience, you’ll pass this exam.

If you don’t pass on your first try, don’t be discouraged. Look at it as a learning opportunity. While exam results don’t show results by individual questions, the section level scoring is a great way to see your strengths and areas for improvement.

If you have any specific questions about the exam or just want to talk Marketing Cloud, drop a note in the comments section or hit me up on LinkedIn.

Good luck — you got this!

Original article: 8 Tips for Passing the Marketing Cloud Administrator Exam

©2022 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

The post 8 Tips for Passing the Marketing Cloud Administrator Exam appeared first on The Spot.

By |2022-06-15T19:52:33+00:00June 15th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Real Talk, revive|
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Salesforce Connections 2022: A Conference Preview

Salesforce Connections is a digital marketing and commerce two-day conference that takes place annually. 

It’s happening in person in Chicago, Illinois, from June 7-9, 2022. And you’re invited (to attend virtually if you can’t be there in person, of course).

You may be sitting there thinking to yourself,

These things always take a whole bunch of effort to attend. And I’m not sure what I actually get from it.

We’re here to tell you that the benefits of attending these big tech industry events are gifts that keep on giving. 

I know so many people who made connections with other Trailblazers at Salesforce events that lead to job opportunities, collaborative partnerships, and client contracts (if you’re on the consulting side). And some of these happened years after the initial connections took place!

What is Salesforce Connections?

Salesforce Connections is a two-day conference that’s chock full of educational and inspirational content that’s geared toward marketers who use the Salesforce platform to reach their goals. 

Not to be confused with the series of the same name on Salesforce+, it happens annually and brings together all the big names you’ve learned to associate with Salesforce and marketing.

Salesforce Connections 2022 is happening June 8-9 in Chicago at McCormick Place.

Who attends Salesforce Connections?

Salesforce Connections is where all types of marketing and commerce professionals can learn how to use technology effectively and discover the latest innovations as they look toward the future. 

The event grew steadily from a humble 600-person conference to one that welcomed about 13-15,000 attendees in recent years (with the exception of the pandemic years). We expect to see a similar number of in-person attendees this year.

If you’re a marketer or work in a marketing operations capacity for a company or organization that’s on the Salesforce platform, then Salesforce Connections is a conference that can open doors for you. 

This conference is for anyone who supports marketing and commerce efforts using Salesforce tools like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud (including all products under the Marketing Cloud umbrella, like Pardot), Customer Data Platform (CDP) Slack, and CRM Analytics (Tableau).

Photo Credit

How do I attend Salesforce Connections?

You have two ways to attend Salesforce Connections — in person or virtual.

In person in Chicago, IL

If you can attend the conference in person, then you (or your employer) will have to shell out $999 for the Full Conference Pass. (register here)

Attending the conference in person is the way to go if you can swing it (or get your company to send you). 

In-person attendees have access to: “the main show, luminary session, breakouts and theater sessions, hands-on workshops, Circles of Success roundtable discussions, and networking with your Community and Trailblazer Celebration event, as well as daily a.m. and p.m. breaks and lunch.” 

You have over 180 sessions to sort through and build your agenda. And don’t forget about the after parties!

Salesforce reserves a block of hotel rooms near the conference location, but you have to get on it before the May 13, 2022, deadline. You’ll see information about reserving a room when you complete the registration process.

Virtual from anywhere in the world

You still have access to high-impact content — even if you’re taking the low-stress/low-cost route by attending Salesforce Connections from home.

Tune into Salesforce+ June 8-9 to catch highlight videos from the event.

Salesforce Connections 2022 Agenda

Yeah, yeah. We know you want to attend Connections to learn and whatnot. But have you SEEN the parties and networking events?

You can sort through the 180+ session descriptions and filter by product, role, and industry. And here are a few highlights we’re looking forward to.

Marketing Cloud Innovation and Releases: Live

In 2022, marketers have more tools than ever to exceed customers’ sky-high expectations. Learn about the most impactful Marketing Cloud innovations to date, and see what’s coming next.

Thursday, Jun 9 | 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM CDT | Lake Erie Theater

Session Description

Build Marketing Integrations with Account Engagement V5 API

Account engagement has a new API built from the ground up with ease of integration in mind. Build marketing assets, manage your campaigns, and create custom activities easier than ever.

Thursday, Jun 9 | 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM CDT | Lake Michigan Theater

Session Description

The Party at Connections 2022 Musical Guest: OneRepublic

I usually have something to say about all the Salesforce musical guests, but this one is new to me. I’ll be tuning in with all of you to check them out. (It’s not them. I apparently don’t know any pop music made after 2005.)

In the past, Salesforce Connections has welcomed talented musicians like Gwen Stefani, Train, and They Might Be Giants. And, I’m sure this will be one for the books!

Photo Credit

Into the Night: An After Party for Salesforce Marketers

If you’re attending Salesforce Connections 2022, then you have to get on the list for Into the Night: An After Party for Salesforce Marketers.

Taking place June 8 immediately following The Party at Connections, you can continue the party into the night with good vibes and new friends.

It’s taking place on the 22nd floor rooftop terrace of the VU Rooftop Bar, which is a few minutes’ walk from the convention center. Keep the party rolling with a live DJ, open bar featuring exclusive rooftop cocktails, breathtaking star-gazing over the Windy City, and a tapas menu developed by the James Beard-nominated restaurant group.

Space is limited and the party is a hot ticket. So, RSVP to secure your rooftop spot!

See you at Salesforce Connections!

While 2 days and $999 plus hotel costs may seem like a huge investment, the benefits you’ll get from attending Salesforce Connections extend far beyond the educational aspects.

Attending these Salesforce conferences is a great way to stake your claim as part of the greater Salesforce ecosystem and get to know your peers. We’re all very friendly. I promise.

Tell us if you’re going to Salesforce Connections this year in the comments!

Original article: Salesforce Connections 2022: A Conference Preview

©2022 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

The post Salesforce Connections 2022: A Conference Preview appeared first on The Spot.

By |2022-05-31T20:32:00+00:00May 31st, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Events|
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How to Pass the Pardot Consultant Certification Exam

You’ve conquered the Pardot Specialist exam* (Yipee!) and you’ve caught the Pardot bug. Next on your hit list is the Pardot Consultant exam, but what does it take to pass the Pardot Consultant exam?

First and foremost, not everyone needs to take the Pardot Consultant exam. The exam is aimed at those who are implementing Pardot or solutioning with clients. 

In this post, I share the steps I took to pass the Pardot Consultant Certification exam — from study resources and practice exams to preparing for your exam and what you can do on the day of the exam

Note: Yes, we know Pardot is now called Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. However, as of the time of this blog publication, Salesforce is still calling the exam the Pardot Consultant Certification. We’ll update this blog post if/when Salesforce updates the certification name.

*Passing the Pardot Specialist exam is a requisite of taking the consultants exam.

Preparing for your Pardot Consultant Exam

Before you start studying for your Pardot Consultant exam, have you booked it? 

No? Go and book it now (we’ll wait here). There is no better driver to studying than having a set date to work toward. 

Download the Exam Guide

Let’s start with the basics, download the Exam Guide! 

It can be tempting to jump straight into the practice exams and study material but if you don’t know what areas you need to study for you may end up spending time on topics that feature very little in the exam. 

How do YOU study?

This won’t be the first Salesforce exam you’ve taken so use what you learnt from the specialist exam, by this I mean how do YOU study best? Are you a practice test taker, a reader, a watcher or a discussion leader. 

Spoiler Alert! The length of  the questions in the consultant exam are MUCH longer than in the specialist exam, there is a lot more detail to consider, so bear this in mind when choosing your study resources. You’ll need to not only talk the talk when it comes to Pardot but you will also need to master the art of understanding Salesforce exam questions. 

I’m a firm believer that the time in which you take the exam and how you take it (online vs onsite) makes a difference. Every Salesforce exam I have taken has always been at 11 a.m. and online (and 2 out of three have been strangely on a Tuesday, call me superstitious!). 

The 11 a.m. exam slot gives me time to fully wake up, exercise and get my brain in gear. It also means I don’t sit and worry about the exam all day. Taking the exam online means I don’t have to worry about traffic or finding a parking spot. 

If you prefer to take the exam in person then great. Do what works best for YOU!

Understand your strengths and weaknesses

We can’t be experts on all topics. But what we can do is break the exam down (using the guide) and find the areas that hold the most weight. These are going to give you the biggest percentage of marks, so focus on these. 

Don’t sweat over the small stuff! There is little value in worrying and trying to learn everything about all topics if they only count for a small percentage of the exam (Salesforce Engage). 

The number of questions you will get on them is very small. So get a good understanding of the topics with the larger percentage. More on that coming up!

Pardot Consultant Certification Study Resources

It’s probably the main reason you found yourself here on this post — what study resources should I be using for the Pardot consultant exam!? 

There are so many resources out there when it comes to mastering the Pardot ropes and you clearly have a solid foundation as you have gained your specialist exam. However, the consultant exam pushes your understanding of the tool outside of the basics. 

You’re required to advise and provide detailed solutions. So when it comes to study resources, the best thing out there is hands-on experience. Try and get as much experience working in Pardot as possible. If you’re after some resources to supplement your hands-on experience, then read on. 

Video Content

If video is your thing, check out this Pardot Consultant Bootcamp video series. 

This is a great way for those who are newer to Pardot and consulting. It does take time to get through all the content. So, set aside 45 minutes – 1 hour a day to watch all the videos before your exam. If you don’t have time to watch all the videos, watch those covering the areas you lack knowledge in.

Flashcards and Quizzes

If you’re more of a quizer, Quizlt has a whole host of flashcards to test your knowledge. Consider buddying up and test each other, there’s nothing better than a healthy bit of competition .

 The flashcards will also help you get familiar with the wording used on the consultant exam. 

Jenna Molby also provides flashcards, quizzes and study games found here. You’ll also want to bookmark her website as she has lots of additional resources related to Pardot features!

Practice Exams

When I took the Pardot Consultant Exam, I found it hard to find quality practice exams. However, these Pardot Consultant practice exams have been tried and tested by the Sercante team, so if you learn better by putting your knowledge to the test, these may just work for you. 

With all practice exams, bear in mind that some may be a little outdated. 

  • TestPrep.com – For a small fee (about 10 USD) you’ll get access to 6 full-length practice exams and a set of practice questions. 
  • Udemy – Again for a fee (anywhere between 10 – 30 USD) Udemy provided access to full-length  practice exams. These exams mimc the exam pretty closely. 

Reading Material

There are a ton of resources available to read through but let’s focus on the areas that have the biggest weight. 

Automating Business Processes: 17%

You’ll need to know your automation tools inside out.

Given a scenario, recommend the best automation tool(s) (automation rule, segmentation rule, dynamic list, completion action).

Given a scenario, design a sequence of events in Pardot to complete a marketing initiative (assets, automations, notifications, etc.).

Given a scenario, develop and implement a lead nurturing strategy

Account Configuration: 20%

This is the difference between the specialist exam and the consultant exam, you’ll need to know Pardot implementation and setup.

Articulate the implications and importance of technical setup.

Develop a plan to maintain data integrity during data migration.

Given a usage governance plan, develop and recommend a strategy that addresses organization and authorization (or access).

Evaluation: 17%

This is a pretty vague area, but one not to be ignored. Carrying an impressive 17% of the exam you’ll need to master this topic. 

The exam guide notes that you should have at least 12 months hands-on experience of implementing and administering Pardot. This is because of sections like this one. It’s going to be pretty hard to study for this section without hands-on experience — memorizing answers for this section won’t be enough. 

For this reason, I’d recommend reading through this post for tips on how to approach this section of the exam. But don’t go anywhere just yet!

Spoiler Alert! Think like Salesforce… There may be multiple ways to achieve the end goal but what would Salesforce advise. Brush up on Salesforce Pardot best practices. 

Day of the exam

The day has arrived, you have studied and practiced all you can… it’s exam day! I’d consider the next set of tips as important as studying. 

Even though you have been through the process of a Salesforce exam before you shouldn’t neglect prepping your mind and environment before this one. After all, who wants to be let down by a bad internet connection just as you log in to take the exam. Believe it or not, this happened to me twice during this exam. Either way, you have to keep your cool and focus.

  1. Get a good night’s sleep. Studies show that the key to transitioning what we learn from short-term memory to longer-term memory (so you can recall it on a test!) is getting enough sleep. 
  2. Eat brain food. Blueberries, eggs, and whole grains are known to improve brain performance. Make a healthy meal the day of your exam to keep you full and energized during the exam. 
  3. Relax! Perform breathing exercises, meditation and reserve 30 minutes before your exam to relax. 
  4. Exercise. Endorphins can improve brain function. Take 15-30 minutes to take a walk, do yoga or stretch the day of your exam. 
  5. Last-minute studying. Is there a topic you’re still unsure about? Use the day of your exam to review those areas. 
  6. (Online exams) Check your technology and remove any distractions. By taking the exam remotely, you are in a less controlled environment. Prep your space with good lighting, remove watches, phones and pets and children from the room, as well as keep the door shut to avoid any unwanted interruptions. 

You do have an online proctor, so pay attention to messages that come through and if something does happen, you can work with support to reschedule your exam.  Finally, run a speed test and check your webcam is working.

How to succeed during the exam

  • Read the question and each answer a few times (at least 3) to make sure you know what it’s asking. You may know what the question is asking but reading it a few times through may indicate what you need to answer. 
  • Reversely, reading the answers before the question can sometimes be useful. Particularly with the Consultant exam, the answers are recommendations based on the question. Try this time with a few practice questions to get the hang of it. 
  • Eliminate the obvious wrong answers. Are there any answers that you know are just wrong? This narrows your answer options significantly when you remove the clearly incorrect answer. When you have your remaining options, think about what answer satisfies the whole question. 
  • Decipher the right answer for the question. This is particularly true for the Consultant Exam as there are multiple “right” answers based on the client’s need. Remember that since this is a Salesforce exam, try to select the answer that you believe Salesforce would recommend. 
  • Trust your gut instinct. Even if you aren’t 100% sure, your first instinct is probably correct. 
  • Be mindful of the time. This is a timed exam, so you’ll want to make sure you finish the entire exam before the time runs out. The best approach is to answer every question once through, and “mark for review” those questions you aren’t confident on. Save 30 minutes at the end of the exam to review those questions and think thoroughly on your answers. 

Come prepared and leave happy

The Pardot Specialist certification exam may have been a walk in the park for you, but the Pardot Consultant certification exam is on a whole new level. While it is possible to pass the exam without hands-on experience, there really is no substitute for getting in there and working inside the platform so you can fully understand it.
Need structured Salesforce training to get you where you need to be? Check out our current roster of training courses. And tell us all about your best study secrets in the comments section below.

Original article: How to Pass the Pardot Consultant Certification Exam

©2022 The Spot. All Rights Reserved.

The post How to Pass the Pardot Consultant Certification Exam appeared first on The Spot.

By |2022-05-04T15:52:00+00:00May 4th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Real Talk, revive|
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The Spot: A Community Resource for Marketers on Salesforce

Your Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) doesn’t exist in a vacuum. And neither do we.

The Spot for Pardot is following a natural evolution we’re seeing in the marketing technology industry. As demand for integrations with MAPs increase and Marketing Operations Professionals (MOPs) are finally finding voices among the big players, we’ve shifted our focus to the MarTech stack as a whole.

We’re still The Spot for Pardot. But now we’re so much more.

Moving forward, you’ll find community resources for ALL marketers who use the Salesforce platform. The ones who use Pardot. Or Marketing Cloud. Or both. Or some other MAP they’re integrating with Sales Cloud.

We’ll share what we know about using marketing technology and the Salesforce platform together.

A new focus for “The Spot” (and a new name)

It started as a personal blog sharing quick tips and solutions from one Pardot user. Then others joined to share their knowledge. And more readers followed. Now it’s a community hub for marketers on Salesforce who work together to reach their goals. 

Here’s a message from the original The Spot blogger, Andrea Tarrell, to share how we got here.

A message from Andrea, OG blogger at The Spot

I am thrilled to announce a fully revamped, reimagined, relaunch of “The Spot.”  Shout out to the amazing marketing team at Sercante — especially Sarah, Ambre, and Christina — for bringing this to life.

The new site looks infinitely better than the old WordPress site I hacked together in 2017. 

But it’s much more than a face lift.  The content, authors, categorization, and overall focus are evolving to better serve you, dear reader — and I couldn’t be more excited about it.  

Where The Spot got its start

I started The Spot for Pardot in August of 2017.

It was a side project.

Actually, if I’m being honest — it was a bit of a stall tactic.

I was thinking about starting a business, but I was scared.  So, I started the blog instead.

As a marketer, I wrote hundreds of blog posts for various clients and employers, on everything from insurance best practices, to architecture, to industrial printing, to trucking firms, and more.

But I had never had a place to write about things that mattered to me.

I created The Spot as a place to express myself and share learnings, hot takes, and the occasional war story.  I half expected no one to read it.

But it picked up steam shockingly quickly.  Turns out that a lot of other marketers had been grappling with the exact same problems that kept me up at night.  And before I knew it, the blog became a magnet for my PEOPLE — the kinds of marketers that I want to work with, both as team members, clients, and community members.

The authors on The Spot: More insights from the best minds in MarTech

For the first two years of The Spot, it was just me penning posts.

But today, it is supported by authors from the Sercante team, and across the entire martech community.  (Shout out to Brittany Rhyme for being our first ever “guest post” back in 2018 and opening the flood gates!)

Do you have a perspective you’d like to share?  We welcome guest posts and paid, long-term contributor gigs.

The Name: Welcome to “The Spot”

To reflect our new focus, we’re dropping the word “Pardot” from our blog name.  Instead, you can just call us “The Spot.”  (And actually, most people called us that anyway.)

We’re keeping thespotforpardot.com as the URL right now for SEO juice, and will be phasing that out over the next 12 months.

What’s not changing: Our relentless zeal for learning & sharing

To recap — in addition to a new look for The Spot, you’ll now see:

You’ll also continue to see our team share content and resources through:

When I started The Spot back in 2017, I had no idea what it would grow into.  Thank you for being here, for sharing this content with your friends and colleagues, and for constantly challenging my team and I to bring our best to this community.  

Cheers to the next chapter!

Content on The Spot: Hello Marketing Cloud, martech & more

The Spot started out as content about Pardot with the goal of sharing insights to help marketers be successful on the Salesforce platform.

To meet that goal, we’ve branched out beyond Pardot. We’re covering topics and platforms like:

Expect to see a wave of new content covering all kinds of martech — especially other parts of Salesforce Marketing Cloud that we see growing in relevancy for savvy digital marketers. 

We’ve also added a categorization system to our posts. Now, it’s easier to browse and find what you’re looking for:

Why marketers on Salesforce need third-party resources

Yes, we realize Salesforce has Trailhead. And product-specific blog posts. And webinars. And all kinds of other resources. But you’re only getting information from the Salesforce perspective. 

You’re a real marketer with real-life challenges. And you know your tech stack includes more than just Salesforce products.

The Spot has resources to find solutions and better utilize all of your technology tools — all from the perspective of a marketer who uses the Salesforce platform.

On a mission to mobilize marketers

Our mission is simple — to provide an online home for marketers on Salesforce to learn and collaborate. It’s a central location to find Pardot resources across all levels — from getting started guides to launch an org to expert tips for advanced integrations that extend marketing technology stacks.

We want marketers to realize “what could be” and feel empowered to take their marketing campaigns and lead generation efforts to the next level. 

Get involved and claim your spot

Contributors from around the world represent all kinds of digital marketing specialties on The Spot. It’s filled with easy-to-digest (and sometimes cheeky) content for marketing professionals who use Salesforce and want to automate all the things.

Join us by getting involved and connecting with the community.

3 ways you can get involved with The Spot

  1. Become a contributor.
  2. Post an open job listing.
  3. Join the conversation in our Slack community group.

And remember to become a subscriber! The Spot newsletter delivers a healthy dose of martech to your inbox — and nothing more.

The post The Spot: A Community Resource for Marketers on Salesforce appeared first on The Spot for Pardot.

By |2022-03-29T11:30:38+00:00March 29th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Community Spotlight, Real Talk, revive|
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Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Exam: All the Things to Study

Earning the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Certification is the first step to becoming a full-fledged Marketing Cloud consultant. But, it doesn’t come easy. 

Salesforce Marketing Cloud has robust capabilities. And there are lots of nuances and specific features to understand before you can pass the test. So a word of caution, this isn’t something you can cram for the night before if you don’t have experience working inside the platform.  

Getting hands-on Salesforce Marketing Cloud experience

As someone who has worked within Pardot their entire marketing automation career, I was in a unique position when I decided to start studying for this exam.  Fortunately, Salesforce Trailhead had just started using their Trailhead Simulator tool on Marketing Cloud modules.  

Even though I couldn’t do anything in the simulator like I could with a regular Trailhead playground, it was still beneficial to get an actual look into Marketing Cloud when I didn’t have access otherwise. Between the Trailhead Simulator and many YouTube Marketing Cloud product demo videos, I was able to have a decent understanding of the Marketing Cloud environment and how to build and send an email through Email Studio.

For Pardot peeps dipping their toes in Marketing Cloud

For anyone else coming from Pardot when studying for this exam, I recommend also comparing concepts between the products.  

It was helpful to connect Marketing Cloud terminology to the Pardot terms I used on a daily basis in order to understand Marketing Cloud better without having the full-hands on experience that is necessary for this exam.

As mentioned throughout this article, you should make sure you have a great understanding of Marketing Cloud and Email Studio by trying to get as much hands-on experience as possible, even if you don’t have access to an actual Marketing Cloud environment.

The following guide includes all the things you should study as you’re preparing for the Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Certification exam from my Pardot-centric perspective.

As always, hands-on practice is going to equip you with the experience and knowledge you need to pass the test. Combine that with real-world application you can get by networking with people who use it regularly, and you’ve got yourself the golden ticket to passing. 

Marketing Cloud Email Specialist certification exam topics and weighting

Here’s what the Marketing Cloud Email Specialist exam grading breakdown looks like.

  1. Subscriber & Data Management: 28%
  2. Marketing Automation: 19%
  3. Content Creation & Delivery: 18%
  4. Email Marketing Best Practices: 15%
  5. Email Message Design: 13%
  6. Tracking & Reporting: 7%

Subscriber & Data Management

Key Concepts and Terminology

  • Lists
  • Data Extensions
  • Subscriber Key: a unique identifier for a subscriber
    • If email address, each email address can only exist once
    • If populated by another unique identifier (customer number, CRM ID, etc.), each subscriber key can only exist once and email address can be used multiple times ***best practice
  • Primary Key: Uniquely identifies row of data in Data Extension
    • Not required
    • Enables marketers to add/update data when importing to DE
    • When a field is marked as a Primary Key, that field becomes required
    • If no Primary Key, the only way to import data is to Overwrite all data in the DE
  • Send Relationship: Can be understood as the answer to “In this Data Extension, which field defines the person that is being sent to?”.
    • The “person” relates to the Subscriber Key, so this is typically chosen for the send relationship
  • Sharing and Visibility
  • Profile and Subscription Center
    • Profile Center:  Web page where subscribers enter and maintain the personal information that you keep about them. When you import a list in Email Studio, you can import attribute values for your subscribers. Subscribers can see this information in the Profile Center and update and add to it.
    • Subscription Center: Same concept as an email preference center
  • Import Wizard: Used to manually import information from files into Data Extensions or Lists
  • Import Activity: A step available in Automation Studio that allows you to automate file imports to update Data Extensions or Lists. The files typically come from the Import folder in an FTP account
  • Data Filter: A group of criteria that segments a subscriber list or data extension. Used to apply complex segmentation rules to your subscriber lists or data extensions
    • Data Filters can be used in Filter Activities in Automation Studio
  • Filter Activity: Apply the logic of a data filter you select to create a group or data extension in Automation Studio
  • SQL Query Activity: A step available in Automation Studio that retrieves data extension or data view information matching your criteria by using SQL statements, then includes that information in a data extension

Lists

  • All subscribers belong to the All Subscriber list
    • Contains email address, subscriber key, status and any attributes created
  • You can create as many lists as needed
    • You can create groups within each list to further segment the lists
  • Public lists show in the Subscription Center
  • Subscribers can be added to lists manually or through a file import
  • List attributes = name, address, etc. 
    • Cannot exist without a subscriber

Data Extensions

  • Data extensions are tables that contain data
  • Subscribers can be added to data extensions or updated through the SOAP API
  • Data kept in a data extension relates to a subscriber but does not fit in the subscriber profile and preference attributes for one of these reasons: 
    • Subscribers have one-to-one info whereas data extensions can have one-to-many

  • Info is related to subscribers through a 3rd piece of information in the data extension

  • Data relationships relate your data extensions to each other and subscribers
    • These are necessary for information to be used in emails
  • External key = a unique value that identifies data relationships

Lists vs. Data Extensions

  • Data Import: Data is scrubbed at import for lists and scrubbed at send time for data extensions
  • Structure: Every data extension has their own structure and can contain different fields, while each list has the same attributes
  • Both can use Import Activities
  • Both accept text, date and numeric data types
  • Use the list model when: 
    • Lists have 500,000 subscribers or less
    • Prefer simplicity over performance
    • Don’t need to import quickly
    • Limited number of subscriber attributes
  • Use the data extension model when: 
    • Lists have 500,000+ subscribers
    • Want to support multiple subscriber data sets
    • Send global messages
    • Want fast import speeds
    • Sending triggered messages
    • Use SOAP or REST API
    • Want a flexible subscription model
    • Don’t need to add subscribers manually

Unsubscribes

  • Global unsubscribe
    • Managed by Salesforce Marketing Cloud
    • Subscriber has requested not to receive any type of communication from any account, regardless of sender
    • Most email addresses on list are spam traps or spam complaints

Marketing Automation

Automation Studio

  • Used to execute multi-step marketing and data management activities on an immediate, triggered, or scheduled basis
  • Makes email sends, SQL queries, file imports and more happen automatically
  • Overview page: 
    • Shows each automation’s status
    • Shows error information in line with the corresponding automation 
    • Allows you to run automations on an individual basis if necessary
  • Configure and manage automation activities on the Activities page

Journey Builder 

  • A campaign planning tool that enables you to design and automate marketing campaigns
  • Similar to Engagement Studio Programs but with more features like sending SMS messages and targeting with paid ads

Behavioral Triggers 

  • Let you add customers who abandoned items/services to data extensions
    • Uses Amazon Web Services (AWS)
    • Stores data for 30 days

Triggered Sends

  • Sends an email in response to a subscriber’s action.

Content Creation & Delivery

  • Emails are created in Content Builder
  • There are four creation methods: 
    • Template – Choose a template you have created
    • HTML – Paste your custom HTML code
    • Text Only -Create from text only or a code snippet.
    • Existing Email – Use one of your Classic or Content Builder saved emails
  • Personalization Strings let you insert subscriber attributes into emails
    • Can appear in the subject line, preheader, or in the content
    • Also called merge fields or substitution strings
    • Can insert system data personalization strings using AMPscript
  • AMPscript is the proprietary SFMC scripting language
    • Used for personalization, formatting values, relational data, inserting/updating data
    • Case sensitive
    • Must be in a block with open and close delimiters
  • Send Flow guides you through the necessary steps to send your email
    • Step by step process of selecting an audience, send time, etc.
  • Subscriber Preview is a rendering of an email as it will be viewed by a recipient. Can see previews for any subscriber.
  • Test Send allows you to send an email from the Subscriber Preview to your own inbox to view how the email appears in your email client.
    • If you unsubscribe from a test email that you send or access the subscriber’s profile center and make changes, those changes permanently apply to that subscriber
    • If the subscriber you select for the preview has a status of unsubscribed, bounced or held, the generated preview does not deliver any test send

Email Message Design

  • A/B Testing tool sends two versions of your email to two test audiences from your subscriber list. It tracks which version receives the highest unique open rate or highest click-through rate over a specified time period and sends that version to all remaining subscribers.
    • Can test: 
      • Subject line
      • Preheader
      • Different emails
      • Content
      • From name
      • Send time
  • Content Detective is a tool in Email Studio that helps you identify spam triggers in your email content
    • Mirrors the logic used by spam-filtering software to identify words, phrases, and patterns that are likely to trigger filters and recommends a resolution to each identified problem
  • Approvals in Content Builder lets you create a process to review and approve content
    • Submit an email into a process which requires an approver to approve it before it can be sent to an audience
    • Can be launched from Email Creation Flow, the Content Builder grid, or the Approvals dashboard
    • Can use a standard or two-step workflow:
      • Standard: Submitter, one or more Reviewers, Approver
      • Two-Step: Submitter, Approver

Tracking & Reporting

  • Tracking is a collection of your email data that allows you to view metrics such as email sends, opens, clicks, undeliverable messages, email forwards and other metrics
    • Can create a subscriber list from tracking data to monitor subscriber and list performance or target list with future emails
    • Data is stored for 6 months
    • Uses a 1×1 pixel transparent GIF image in emails to track information
      • Automatically inserted into every email unless you use an HTML-Paste template
    • Tracking data for deleted subscribers and contacts is retained in anonymized format and can’t be linked to a specific record
    • Can select multiple emails and compare high-level metrics for each message
    • Conversions Tracking allows you to track the customer traffic and revenues generated by links within your emails
      • Requires you to insert tracking code into your website
  • Reports can be run through the Tracking tab in Email Studio and send to your inbox or FTP
    • You specify the parameters, file format, delivery method, and when to run the report
    • Reports can be automated through Automation Studio

Go forth and pass the test

Now that you know what to study, it’s time to get to work. But remember, simply memorizing these concepts isn’t going to get you there. You have to combine studying with hands-on experience and real-world application. 

Can’t get hands-on experience in Marketing Cloud? Salesforce has a few simulators you can use in Trailhead to get a feel for it.

Freaking out about the exam? Or have tips for your pals? Let us know about it in the comments.

The post Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Exam: All the Things to Study appeared first on The Spot for Pardot.

By |2022-03-28T19:27:29+00:00March 28th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, revive|
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Pardot Training: Connect Features to Sales and Marketing Strategy

Pardot (and marketing in general) does not suffer from a lack of resources; there are innumerable guides, blogs, white papers, walk throughs, opinions, perspectives, how to’s and how not to’s. 

The issue, more often, is that resources like these tend to look at features, functions, and ideas in isolation. They can struggle to show how features interconnect and can be adjusted to your unique strategy needs and requirements.

For me, a prime example of this is with Pardot Scoring and Grading. In 2015, as a brand new implementation specialist for Pardot, I spent a good part of my day googling questions. 

(This habit hasn’t changed if I’m honest. But cut me some slack — there is a lot to remember with Pardot.) 

Inevitably, I clicked on the first link from my Google search, which happened to be the Pardot Scoring and Grading Lab. 

The Pardot Scoring and Grading Lab is a fantastic resource; I will not have a bad word said about it. Countless Pardot admins have learned about Scoring and Grading by using its interactive and colorful features. But it doesn’t tell the whole story. It tells you how things work — not why you should care and what it means for YOUR business. 

Connect features to strategy through Pardot training

That’s where training comes into play. The best trainers will add context, outline use cases, talk through scenarios, and challenge your perceptions and ideas. 

As an example, let’s take a look at how marketing automation training can expand our understanding of and appreciation for Pardot Scoring and Grading.

How Pardot training fosters the curiosity, creativity, and confidence to connect features to strategy

1. Foster curiosity

Let’s say you were to enroll in the Sercante Scoring & Grading workshop. To start, we want to get you thinking about lead qualification in the right way and what it can mean for your business.

Our trainers utilize their “In the trenches” experience to highlight and discuss critical considerations, important caveats and varying methodologies of lead qualification. 

You’ll leave with a more holistic understanding of how lead qualification works. And your instructors will guide you toward creating a list of questions and topics to discuss with your colleagues and stakeholders after the course is over. 

2. Build creativity

With that holistic understanding in place, we’ll talk through practical use cases, scenarios, and powerful questions. 

You’ll walk away with a framework and tools to define and customize how scoring and grading can work for your business and fall in love with a future vision of lead qualification for your business.

3. Instill confidence

The final step is to instill confidence. We’ll talk about marketing automation best practices, run through step-by-step in-system demos, and test our knowledge with fun quizzes and unique scenarios. 

You’ll walk away with a renewed sense of confidence and a list of next steps and goals to help achieve your vision.

Empowered with the proper perspective, the right questions, goals, and an unbridled level of confidence, you’ll be ready to enhance or implement an effective lead qualification process for your business. 

Work toward your ‘aha’ moments

Whitepapers, blog articles, and Salesforce documentation are an important starting point. But you can unlock true potential by partnering with and learning from experienced and passionate individuals through things like Salesforce user group events and Pardot training courses.

Mike Morris had a great aha moment involving Pardot scoring categories. He combined knowledge from his friends in the community, which included blog posts from Erin Duncan and Skyler Nakashima, to connect Pardot features to a Sercante clients’ sales and marketing strategy. 

You can read about the Pardot Scoring Categories + Handlebars Merge Language peanut-butter-and-chocolate moment here, which explains how to use the features to power dynamic content.

Sign up for Pardot training courses

No matter where you are in your Pardot journey or what course you join, you’ll walk away with all of the tips, tricks, advice, guidance, goals and, most importantly, the confidence you need to be wildly successful. 

Interested in learning more? Check out our upcoming courses or reach out to [email protected]

The post Pardot Training: Connect Features to Sales and Marketing Strategy appeared first on The Spot for Pardot.

By |2022-01-18T19:02:40+00:00January 18th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, revive|
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How to Conquer Imposter Syndrome in the Pardot World

I seriously felt imposter syndrome as a professional in the Salesforce and Pardot community — but I overcame those feelings by learning everything I could through Pardot training courses and blogs.

As a new member to the Sercante team and overall Salesforce consulting ecosystem, I was struggling with imposter syndrome over the past few months. 

Part of that is because my journey with Pardot hasn’t been the most conventional. I had a big skill gap from taking two years off from using the platform. But, I’ve been able to combat imposter syndrome by sharpening my Pardot skills. 

My Pardot journey and the imposter syndrome that followed

Jordyn Jaffer
Jordyn Jaffer at Atlanta Braves Opening Day in 2019

I became an accidental Pardot admin back in 2018 when I was working for the Atlanta Braves. That’s when they implemented Salesforce and Pardot for customer and email marketing management. 

I learned as much as I could from our implementation partner and through modules on Salesforce Trailhead. But, I hadn’t yet achieved expert-level knowledge. And I didn’t feel like I could engage with the Pardot community due to my lack of knowledge in Pardot features the Braves didn’t use. 

I earned my Pardot Specialist Certification while working for the Atlanta Braves. But, I decided to leave the Atlanta area in late 2019. I moved to the Northeast, which is where I’m from.

Pardot specialist certification

Learning Pardot while working as a Salesforce admin

I quickly found a job as a Salesforce & FinancialForce administrator for a specific department at Northeastern University, my alma mater. Northeastern didn’t use Pardot, so there was no way for me to continue learning within an actual Pardot environment. 

I knew I wanted to get back into the Pardot ecosystem eventually, but I didn’t know when.  So, I applied to join the inaugural Salesforce Marketing Champions class as a way to prove to myself that I can still be attached to Pardot. 

I regretted submitting my application right away. I didn’t think Salesforce would pick someone with less than two years of Pardot experience and who wasn’t even working with Pardot at the time. Luckily, I was chosen to join the Marketing Champions class and soon after achieved my Pardot Consultant Certification by continuing to study as much as I could.

pardot consultant certification

Finding my way back to working with Pardot

sercante logo

Fast forward to September 2021, an old colleague from the Atlanta Braves recommended that I join the Sercante team. I was fortunate enough to be offered the job and joined a team that mainly focuses on guided implementations with clients. 

After learning more about the members of not only my team, but the entire company, I slipped back into being anxious and wondering if my boss would believe that I didn’t know as much about Pardot as I said during my interview. There were so many concepts that I didn’t have actual experience with. I worried about being able to articulate things correctly during my client calls. 

Fortunately, I found my way to the right place. There are a vast number of resources available within the Pardot community (and within Sercante) that helped me fill the gaps. These Pardot resources eased my anxiety, and I know I’ll use everything I learn for the rest of my time in the Pardot ecosystem.

What is imposter syndrome?

You just read the long story about my Pardot journey and may be wondering, “What is imposter syndrome anyway?” 

As I referenced above, imposter syndrome can be feelings of anxiety over not knowing certain topics and being called out for that knowledge gap. It can also come in the form of putting yourself down even though you have evidence of your success and knowledge. 

If you have ever felt like luck was the main factor when reflecting on your achievements, then you may be struggling with another form of imposter syndrome.

Why people in tech jobs experience imposter syndrome

A 2018 study showed that 58% of people working in technology jobs experience imposter syndrome. Within that survey, 66.88% of people working at Salesforce said they have experienced the feeling of imposter syndrome.

One reason that people in tech feel may like impostors is because they have a different background from the people they work with. Or they may have recently started working in a new position and they are feeling doubtful about their ability to take on new responsibilities and manage new tools.

Imposter syndrome is usually prevalent within the Pardot ecosystem. That’s because there’s limited knowledge of the platform outside of those who use it. Like other Salesforce cloud admins, many Pardot admins get thrown into the role when their company migrates or upgrades their marketing automation tool. 

The “accidental admin” roles can make people feel like they’re on their own and don’t have anyone to discuss issues or ideas with. It can also be very depleting to train your coworkers on a platform that you don’t have much experience on. Without having other companies or admins to benchmark against, you may believe that you cannot possibly be considered as a valuable resource in the Pardot community.

How to continue to sharpen your Pardot skills and combat imposter syndrome

If you read “Pardot Admins & the Lurking Impostors” back in 2017, written by Andrea Tarrell (the CEO of Sercante), then you may already have an idea of how you can fight your imposter syndrome. We’ll be looking into those ideas in detail to help us determine the best strategies to hone your Pardot skills.

Here are my favorite resources for keeping my Pardot and digital marketing skillset up-to-date so I feel more confident in my work.

Salesforce Trailhead!

Trailhead logo

Trailhead is typically the first place I recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about Salesforce as a whole or an individual product offered by Salesforce. Although there is not a lot of content on Pardot as there may be on other products, there are still a couple trails and a Trailmix you can use to enhance your skills:

Salesforce Pardot community resources

Salesforce Pardot community resources (these are created and hosted by the Pardot team at Salesforce) are also a great place to learn information on various Pardot features.

There are tons of free webinars and downloadable content, as well as a detailed outline of what you need to know when first getting started with Pardot. I also highly recommend joining the Pardot Community Group where you can ask questions and get answers from other Pardot users around the world.

Pardot user groups

Along the same lines as using resources from Pardot, you can also join a Pardot user group that is based where you live. These are user groups that are led by community members who go through the Trailblazer Community User Group process.

It is very easy to see what user groups are active in various areas by going to the Trailblazer Community Groups page. I recommend checking out other areas as well as most user groups are still meeting virtually and are open to anyone to join. Most user groups are preparing their 2022 schedule right now, but here are six of the most active Pardot User Groups, in North America, from 2021 to look out for:

Get Salesforce certified

As Andrea previously mentioned in her article, “If a cert makes you feel better, do it.” Getting certified in various Salesforce products and features has helped me personally combat my imposter syndrome as it shows me that I do know my shit when it comes to certain topics.

The Pardot Specialist certification is the first cert recommended for anyone who has experience as a Pardot Admin. If you feel as though you are prepared to take the exam by the end of January 2022, you should take advantage of Salesforce’s 30% offer to save some money when signing up for your exam. I also recommend reading my colleague’s post on her tips to pass the Pardot Specialist exam.

Pardot Admin Bootcamp training course

Finally, I recommend signing up for Pardot training sessions from a trusted instructor or Salesforce partner to learn about topics more in-depth from Pardot experts.

Sercante offers Bootcamps for Pardot Admins and mini-workshops on specific Pardot topics. These courses are run by the consultants and experts who work at Sercante and provide hands-on experience that will help you retain the knowledge you learn.

Get the Pardot skills you need to feel a sense of belonging

Imposter syndrome is something that most people will have to deal with at some point in their professional lives. I know I have experienced it in each of my roles and am still struggling with it in my current role at Sercante. 

When it comes to battling imposter syndrome within the Pardot ecosystem, there are many resources that you can use to continually improve your Pardot skills and prove to yourself and others that you do belong.

If you are experiencing imposter syndrome as a Pardot admin, user, or consultant and have additional tips on how to combat it, we would love to hear from you in the comments!

The post How to Conquer Imposter Syndrome in the Pardot World appeared first on The Spot for Pardot.

By |2022-01-06T21:15:01+00:00January 6th, 2022|Categories: Career Development, Community, Community Spotlight, Real Talk, revive|
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