Implementing marketing dashboards and marketing operation functions give best-in-class marketers an advantage over middle-of-the-pack marketers. 

VisionEdge Marketing (VEM) and ITSMA, organizations committed to helping marketers improve their effectiveness, released the findings from their 2012 Marketing Performance Management (MPM) Survey. 

The 2012 MPM Survey captured input from more than four hundred respondents, enabling VEM and ITSMA to glean valuable insights on how marketers approach marketing data, analytics, and metrics. 

The findings reveal that the number of marketers continuing to earn an A grade from the C-Suite for their ability to impact the business and measure their value remains unchanged at 25 percent, while the number of marketers earning a B declined (from 53 percent in 2011 to 33 percent in 2012).  

"This significant change can be attributed to a number of factors, such as the increased expectations for improvements as a result of all the recent marketing investments in systems and tools, C-Suite mandates for marketing to better leverage data not just report on activity, and the challenging business climate forcing marketers to be more tactical and less strategic, especially in regards to generating demand," said Laura Patterson, president, VisionEdge Marketing, Inc.   

The survey has been conducted for more than a decade and those marketers receiving an A are continuing to add capabilities to their skill set. Last year, marketers earning an A were stronger at alignment, accountability, analytics, automation, and assessment than their counterparts. The results of the most recent survey suggest that top performers realize they cannot crack the code alone and thus are forging more formal direct alliances with key stakeholders in sales, finance and IT. 

"Marketers are caught in a downward spiral of reporting past performance to continually prove the value of marketing," added Julie Schwartz, senior vice president, ITSMA Research and Thought Leadership. "The results make it clear that they must take their ability to use marketing data to influence decisions and improve marketing to the next level."  

The final report includes the survey results along with recommended action steps to help marketers improve marketing effectiveness, efficiency, and value for their organization throughout 2012 and beyond. The results will be presented at the Just Add Data events scheduled for September 20 in Santa Clara, CA; October 3 in Falls Church, VA; October 4 in Basking Ridge, NJ. 

About ITSMA: ITSMA is a research-based membership organization that helps B2B companies market and sell services and solutions more effectively. They work with the world's leading professional services, technology, and communications providers to generate increased demand, strengthen customer relationships, and improve brand differentiation.  

About VisionEdge Marketing: VisionEdge Marketing provides proven expertise to help companies improve marketing accountability, measurement and analytics; create outcome-based marketing metrics; develop dashboards; leverage processes, data, systems, and use data and analytics to make strategic market, customer and product decisions.

Copyright © 2012 ITSMA & VisionEdge Marketing. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.