One of the most accessible components of Dynamics 365 to configure is Marketing lead scoring; However, it is not that easy when we are trying to build a model which will continue to provide an analysis of potential business and clients. This post will explain how can we build a lead scoring model, and in another post, we will explain how can we develop and develop lead score models that understand the characteristics and profiles of leads and clients. For more information on enhancing a marketing lead score model, check the post.
For more information on marketing lead scoring, read Microsoft detailed documentations.
Marketing lead scoring model
To explain the Marketing score model, we need to define what a scoring model is. Dynamics 365 Marketing lead scoring is a simple model that uses the power of Azure to calculate based on specific criteria and variables a score for each active lead in marketing. The score is used to qualify the lead or directed to the concerned sales team or department to nature the lead and close the potential business.
Build a lead score
To build a lead score model in Dynamics 365 Marketing, select lead scoring models from the Outbound marketing app and below the Lead management section.
Add a new lead score by clicking the +New button.
Lead score canvas
We have to use the lead score design canvas shown below to build a lead scoring model.
We can design the model by dragging the scoring component into the canvas and connecting the components.
Componants and toolbox
Designing models involve two components that go hand in hand in each model. Condition and action are the components of the marketing scoring models. Each model has at least one combination of those two components. More complex models can be developed.
Condition
Based on table variables of the lead and its related table or the lead interactions with marketing activities.
Action
The score is added or deducted when the related condition is met.
To add a component, either condition or action, drag the condition to the canvas from the Toolbox, then drag action and connect the action to the previously added condition.
Complex condition
To build complex conditions, drag more than one condition to the same condition tile.
The relation between the conditions added to the tile is always an “AND” relation. Meaning, all conditions have to be met for the tile to activate the related action.
On snapshot, a condition tile with two child conditions.
Componants controls
In canvas, we can perform actions such as cut, copy, paste and take snapshots.
Component Properties
Both components (conditions and actions) have properties that need can be accessed by clicking on the tile and the properties. However, the properties for each component is different.
Condition Properties
For reference only, we can name each condition tile and the contained conditions can be named as well. It is advised to name each condition to help the user when making any changes in the future.
Besides the condition name, we are required to choose the entity that will be measured using the condition. To understand the conditions that are examined using the conditions, we are required to differentiate between the marketing interactions and the lead demographics.
Lead demographics
Lead demographics general information on the lead or the related organization or contacts, such as
- location, country or city
- Speciality
- Industry
- Disgnation and position
- Age and gender
- And many more
Marketing interactions
How the lead is responding to the marketing activities such as emails, surveys or events. Marketing interactions, such as
- Emails opened, cliecked, pounced and many more
- Forms visited and submitted
- Websites visited and clicked
- Events registration and attended
- Subscription and unsubscripe
- and many more
Condition Entity
To set the condition, we have to select the correct table from the entity field.
Either we select a demographics or marketing-related activity, we are required to select the entity that will reflect the needed information.
For demographic information, users need to know that they need to start from the lead table only. Meaning, as we are scoring the lead, we have to evaluate the lead table. However, if we require to evaluate the data that is not stored directly in the lead table, we have to use a hop “.”
Hops are dots that users can add after the entity name and will show all the related entities, as shown in the snapshot.
Important: The maximum number of hops are five.
Unavailable entitys
If you are missing any table that you want to build a condition based on a variable of that entity and you know that this entity has a direct or indirect relation with the lead entity, that is because the entity is not enabled
To enable an entity to be accessible in marketing lead scoring, from the marketing setting and under the “Data Management” section, select “Dataset configuration”
Choose the entity that you need to enable, this action is not reversible. Therefore, marketing users need to evaluate the need to enable the entity before taking the action.
For more information about enabling and syncing tables with Dynamics 365 Marketing “Dataset Configuration”
Demographic condition expression
When selecting the lead table or any related entity using the hops function, the expression will check an exact field with a given value.
The operator can be set to equal to, not equal to, empty or not empty.
More expression can be added to the same condition tile but we need to know that we will have to use the same entity selected for the first expression.
The relation between the expressions in the same tile is always an “AND” relation. If we require to use the “OR” relation, we will need to add a new independent tile.
If we need to build more complex conditions, we are required to use the complex conditions by dragging more than one condition in the same tile. To illustrate, when we need to mix demographic data with marketing interactive actions
For example, website visits form leads located in New York.
Marketing interactive condition expression
The marketing condition checks if the lead interacted with one of the marketing channels and how frequently did this lead interacted with the channel and the period of this interaction.
The frequency indicates the level of interest, and the condition can score each interaction or the least interactions. The period range is when the condition is checking the interaction
to illustrate, the more frequent product page visit in a short period indicates a high interest in the product.
More expressions can be added to the same condition and again measuring the same marketing interaction. The relation is an “And” as in the demographic expression.
Action properties
After setting the condition, drag an action tile from the Toolbox to tie up with the condition.
If the condition is true, the action will be either added or deducted from the total score.
As shown in the snapshot, the operator can either be a + (add value) or – (deduct value) from the total sum score of the mode.
Finally, the value that will be added or deducted from the score.
Lead scoring grades
The marketing lead scoring grades are the result of the scoring model and the way that we can differentiate between the generated leads and their progress in the nurturing process.
Sales ready threashold
The marketing sales-ready threshold is a value that is set to automatically flag the lead record as sales-ready.
Once the lead reaches the sales-ready score, it can be picked by the sales team to work on closing the business.
Grads
The model creator can set a range of grades to evaluate each lead processed by the model.
The grades can be named as shown in the snapshot (hot, warm and cold). Another naming can be (A, B, C and D).
The grading can have any number of grades.
Each grade has to have a starting grade to an end grade (from).
It is essential to know that the grades can not overlap with each other. If the grades range overlapped, the marketing lead scoring model will not pass through the error check.
Target
Marketers can set the marketing lead scoring target, either contact-based leads or account-based leads.
- Account-based leads are associated with accounts and use the account’s demographic information for lead scoring.
- Contacts-based leads are associated with contacts and use the contacts’s demogrphic informaion for lead scoring.
- Leads that are associated with both accounts and leads are considered as contact-based leads
Check for errors and go live
After setting the Dynamics 365 Marketing scoring model, we have to check if there are any errors using the check for error bottom in the ribbon, then we get to activate the model using the go live button.
It is important to know that the processing happens in Azure after being live. Thus, the results don’t happen instantly and generally takes one hour to get calculated and refreashed.