How to Educate the C-Suite on Marketo and Martech

Frans Riemersma offers sharp insights into how to bridge this knowledge gap, ensuring that C-suite decisions are informed by the right data and customer needs.

Key Pointers

• The knowledge gap between marketing teams and the C-suite
• How to communicate the value of Marketo and Martech to executives
• Why customer-centric Martech strategies are key to winning the C-suite over
• How to gain C-suite buy-in for your Marketo initiatives

1. Bridging the Knowledge Gap Between the C-Suite and Marketo

Let’s face it: most C-suite executives come from backgrounds in finance, operations, or IT. They’re brilliant in their areas, but when it comes to Martech and customer technology like Marketo, there’s often a serious knowledge gap.

“C-level is normally educated by IT and analysts, but what they haven’t figured out yet is that this approach doesn’t work for customer technology.”

Frans nails it here. The traditional ways of educating the C-suite don’t cut it when we’re talking about marketing automation and customer experiences. It’s your job, as a marketing leader, to fill that gap by explaining how Marketo directly impacts customer experience and, ultimately, revenue growth.

The goal isn’t to overwhelm them with features or tech specs. It’s to connect the dots between Marketo and business outcomes that matter to them.

2. Communicating the Value of Marketo to Executives

Let’s be real: the C-suite doesn’t care about the nitty-gritty of Marketo features. What they care about is how it impacts the bottom line. So, how do you get them to see the value in Marketo?

“Executives often want to know which software will solve all their problems. But the real question is, what do we want to achieve for the customer?”

This is a critical point. Instead of framing Marketo as a technical solution, you need to position it as a business solution—one that’s laser-focused on improving customer outcomes. Show them how Marketo can help you deliver personalized, data-driven marketing that boosts customer loyalty, drives conversions, and ultimately grows revenue.

When you shift the conversation to customer outcomes, you’ll have a much easier time getting executives to buy into your Marketo strategy.

3. Building a Customer-Centric Martech Strategy with Marketo

One thing Frans emphasizes is that Marketo should never be about the tools themselves—it’s about what your customers need and how Marketo helps you meet those needs. This is something that needs to be drilled into every C-suite conversation.

“We don’t call the shots—the customer does. Martech should be about understanding what the customer wants and delivering it.”

If your Marketo strategy doesn’t align with customer needs, you’ve already lost the game. Educating the C-suite about the importance of a customer-centric approach is crucial. This is where Marketo can shine: it allows you to track customer behavior, segment your audience, and deliver personalized content at scale.

By showing the C-suite how Marketo can elevate the customer experience, you’ll be aligning your marketing strategy with the company’s long-term goals—and that’s how you win their trust and support.

4. How to Get C-Suite Buy-In for Marketo Initiatives

Getting the C-suite to fully back your Marketo initiatives requires you to present Marketo as more than just a marketing tool. You need to frame it as a business enabler—something that will drive revenue growth, improve customer retention, and increase overall efficiency.

“When executives realize how Martech can improve both customer experience and the bottom line, they become much more open to investing in it.”

Here’s the key: don’t just talk about Marketo in terms of features or workflows. Speak their language—focus on ROI, customer lifetime value, and other metrics that hit home. When they see that Marketo can help improve both the customer experience and the bottom line, they’ll be much more willing to invest in your marketing automation strategy.

5. Executive-Level Reporting and Insights through Marketo Tools

To help marketing leaders communicate with the C-suite, you need Marketo tools that provide clear reporting on customer insights, ROI, and marketing performance. Marketo’s reporting features allow you to present data in a way that resonates with executives—clear, impactful, and results-driven.

If you want help setting up the right Marketo tools to deliver these insights to your C-suite, seek help from our Marketo Consultants.