Marketing automation has fundamentally changed the way marketers do business. To be able to schedule cross-channel campaigns that deliver on time and on target frees up a lot of opportunity for marketers to focus on things like strategy, creative, and feedback loops. Campaigns run with fewer resources, still generating and nurturing leads. But unlike the flawless “set it and forget it” reliability of, say, a crock pot, automation has its risks.

Marketers use many different channels to reach customers, and they’re increasingly building omnichannel strategies that can follow and engage an audience on multiple different platforms. But when it comes to the marketing tools they use, too often these solutions are siloed from one another.

There are many questions we ask ourselves as marketers ever day. "Am I going to hit my numbers this quarter?" "Will the new campaign be a success?" "Whose sandwich is that in the fridge?" But when we're looking at the health of our programs, there are five key questions we should always ask ourselves. These five questions will help us prioritize our daily workload and maintain our competitive advantages. 

Executing and developing the most effective marketing campaign requires a combination of forethought, research and analysis. There are a number of marketing optimization methods and technologies that can help you succeed. Sirius Decisions recently highlighted 8 keys to a successful marketing campaign. We made an infographic highlighting the eight most important strategies for successful marketing campaigns and took a deep dive into them below.