Ernst & Young (EY) stands as a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction, and advisory services. With a rich history spanning decades, EY has established itself as a trusted advisor to organizations worldwide. Central to its success and one of its biggest growth drivers is EY’s dedication to fostering alliances and ecosystems ($5bn+), enabling clients to navigate complex business landscapes with confidence and clarity.
Through new partnerships and perspectives, ecosystems yield the right mix of capabilities and insights that accelerate speed to market, reduce costs and spark innovation.
Discovery
DAB Marketing Solutions was tasked with exploring marketing automation opportunities within EY’s Brand, Marketing & Communication (BMC) service line, specifically focusing on the Global Ecosystems and Alliance Partners division.
An essential component of their GTM strategy and a significant part of the annual marketing spend involves alliance sponsored tech events. These events are crucial for raising awareness of EY’s alliances among key technology buyers, enhancing EY’s reputation as a technology leader, and supporting pipeline growth.
Examples of major tech events EY sponsored and participated in are: Dell Tech World, SAP Sapphire, ServiceNow Knowledge, Snowflake Summit, and Adobe Summit among others.
Challenges Before Marketing Automation Implementation
Previously, EY faced difficulties in effectively engaging with event attendees and capitalizing on post-event opportunities. The lack of a centralized platform for pre- and post-event communication impeded EY’s ability to send personalized and timely messages.
Additionally, unsolicited marketing communications were sent from personal email addresses to contacts who had not consented, risking legal repercussions and eroding trust. Data protection laws, such as in GDPR and CCPA, have imposed strict measures on collecting and processing customer’s personal information.
``The future will belong to those companies that weave ecosystem relationships into the fabric of how they create value.``
Greg Sarafin
EY Global Alliance and Ecosystem Leader
Goal
The desired outcome was to highlight EY’s ability to drive higher event attendance, improve post-event engagement, and foster trust through enhanced data privacy practices, ultimately positioning EY as a trusted leader in strategic alliances and ecosystems.
Solution
DAB Marketing Solutions identified the implementation of AI-driven marketing automation as a key opportunity. In particular leveraging Adobe’s Marketo Engage platform as one of the best tools for marketing automation on the market.
Leveraging Marketo for Pre-Event Communication
With Marketo’s robust capabilities, DAB Marketing Solutions developed and executed a comprehensive pre-event communication strategy to drive attendance and engagement. Personalized “save the date” emails with a CTA were sent to targeted prospects, inviting them to RSVP for the event. If clicked, the recipients were directed to a Marketo form to provide their contact information, consent to marketing communications, and specify their onsite engagement preferences. Marketo’s automation workflows facilitated seamless lead capture and segmentation, enabling EY to tailor communication based on attendee preferences and interests.
Post-Event Communication and Follow-Up
After the events, Marketo was utilized to nurture attendee relationships and enhance post-event engagement. Personalized follow-up emails thanked attendees for visiting the EY booth, reinforced brand messaging, and expressed appreciation for their interest. These emails included CTAs encouraging attendees to schedule follow-up meetings to discuss their needs and explore potential collaborations.
Uploading Batch scans into Marketo
In addition to digital interactions, EY scanned attendee batches with contact information from personal booth interactions as well as networking sessions. Marketo’s batch upload functionality enabled EY to seamlessly integrate offline interactions with online engagement data, providing a holistic view of attendee interactions and preferences for lead scoring and segmentation.
Impact of Marketo on Marketing Efficiency and Effectiveness with Enhanced Data Privacy Measures
The implementation of Marketo for sponsored tech events yielded measurable outcomes:
1. Increased Attendance: Marketo’s personalized pre-event communication based on user preferences and behaviors resulted in a higher RSVP rate, driving increased attendance and engagement at the event.
2. Enhanced Post-Event Engagement: The personalized follow-up email generated a significant click-through rate (CTR), with a substantial number of attendees expressing interest in scheduling follow-up meetings.
3. Streamlined Data Integration: Marketo’s batch upload functionality facilitated seamless integration of offline interactions, providing a comprehensive view of attendee engagement and enabling targeted follow-up strategies.
4. Improved Compliance Adherence: Marketo’s consent management features enabled EY to achieve 100% compliance with GDPR and CCPA regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties and enhancing data privacy practices.
5. Enhanced Data Transparency: The clear communication of consent preferences improved transparency, leading to a 15% increase in attendee trust and satisfaction.
In summary, by harnessing the power of Marketo, EY has not only driven marketing efficiency and effectiveness but also strengthened data privacy, consent management, and governance practices. This strategic implementation has positioned EY as a responsible steward of customer data, fostering trust and loyalty among clients and stakeholders.
MQLs
Projected Pipeline
Compliance with Data Regulations
INTERESTED IN SIMILAR RESULTS FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
CLIENT:
EY, LLC.
CATEGORY:
Professional Services
Marketing Automation FAQs
What is marketing automation and how does it work?
Marketing automation uses software to automate repetitive marketing tasks like emails, lead nurturing, and campaign tracking thus saving time and increasing efficiency.
What Are the Benefits of Marketing Automation?
Streamlines marketing efforts and reduces manual work.
Nurtures leads more effectively through personalized, timely communications.
Improves measurement of campaign performance with robust analytics.
Increases ROI by automating lead scoring, segmentation, and follow-ups
What Tasks Can Be Automated?
Email scheduling and delivery (welcome emails, newsletters, transactional emails)
Social media posting and content sharing
Lead capture and segmentation
Client reporting (performance metrics, campaign analytics)
Predictive lead scoring and content personalization
Ad optimization and chatbots integration
How does lead scoring work in marketing automation?
Lead scoring assigns points based on actions (e.g., email opens, site visits), helping sales prioritize qualified leads.
What Tools Are Commonly Used for Marketing Automation?
Popular tools include:
HubSpot: Comprehensive suite for inbound marketing, email automation, and lead nurturing.
Mailchimp: Email campaigns with segmentation and analytics.
Marketo: Advanced automation for enterprise-level campaigns.
ActiveCampaign: Combines email, SMS, and CRM tools.
Zapier/Make.com: Connects apps to automate workflows
How Do I Ensure Compliance with Consent and Privacy Laws?
Choose tools that help manage GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations. Look for features that track consent, manage data rights, and automate opt-in/opt-out processes for your contacts
What Should I Consider When Choosing a Marketing Automation Solution?
Your specific business needs and marketing goals
Budget and required features
Integration with existing tools (CRM, website, analytics)
Ease of use and scalability
Quality of customer support
How Can AI Enhance Marketing Automation?
AI can:
Personalize user experiences
Automate content creation and recommendations
Score leads based on behavior
Predict customer churn and optimize pricing or ad strategies