Every now and then, I hear someone say: “Marketo is so slow I just don’t have the energy for it.”
And I know exactly what they mean. Marketo can be incredibly powerful, but it can also start to feel like the system takes more energy than it gives back. Often, it’s not one big issue, but many small ones that have grown into real obstacles over time: campaign folders no one can navigate anymore, triggers sending duplicate emails, or data you no longer fully trust.
When structure breaks down, teams lose momentum
A Marketo instance that has grown organically over several years often becomes messy. Folder structures are unclear, naming conventions vary, and campaigns are reused without proper documentation. The result? People stop touching things because “if we change this, something might break.”
Taking the time to pause, clean up the structure, document flows, and remove outdated content may sound boring, but it frees up a surprising amount of time. More importantly, it creates confidence.
When integrations don’t really talk to each other, trust disappears
A common challenge is that Marketo is technically connected to the CRM, but not fully aligned. Leads don’t sync correctly, statuses get stuck, and reports show different numbers in different systems. When data doesn’t flow seamlessly, both marketing and sales lose trust in the system, and much of the value of automation disappears.
In many cases, a simple integration review can make a big difference. Often it’s enough to adjust a few logics or API connections.
Small steps, big impact
The good thing about Marketo is that you rarely need a complete rebuild to see results. Often, it’s enough to start in the right place:
- Clean up the old, document the new
- Create naming conventions everyone understands
- Align processes between Marketo and CRM
- Run a “health check” a couple of times per year
This is the kind of work my colleagues at Exelement and I do with customers every day – not as a one-off project, but as a way to give the system a bit of care and give teams better conditions to do their job.
You can read more about how we support companies with Marketo support and optimisation here.
