Bridging the Gap: How Data 360 Connectors Power Smarter Marketing

What is possible when Salesforce marketing data is connected across systems? Teams can personalize journeys, automate outreach, and show clear ROI without fighting disconnected tools.

Too often, marketing teams are expected to perform all these functions with systems that do not talk to each other. 

I welcomed the opportunity to address this issue with the Arkus Marketing Cloud webinar, “Bridging the Gap: How Data 360 Connectors Power Smarter Marketing.” 

In our session, I was joined by my colleagues Steve Parrott, Director of Data Services, and Lauren Kranis, Salesforce Certified Data Service Solution Architect, to walk through how Salesforce Data 360 (previously known as Data Cloud) connectors can simplify data, reduce manual work, and help teams build smarter, more effective marketing strategies.  We shared lessons learned from thousands of Salesforce projects completed for hundreds of mission-driven client organizations.

Access the free webinar recording further below, after the recap. 

The good news is that when configured correctly, Salesforce Data 360 connectors solve the problem of disconnected data by bringing information from multiple systems into one trusted foundation that marketing teams can actually use.

Why Disconnected Data Keeps Getting in the Way

In my work with clients across industries, I've seen the same patterns come up again and again:

• Data lives across systems like CRM, donation, and email tools.

• Marketing and data teams do not share a source of truth.

• Small teams waste time stitching data together.

• Personalization and automation feel just out of reach.

The technology itself is rarely the issue. Our experts have found that the real challenge is clarity. Teams need to understand what data they have, where it lives, and how it should flow before they try to automate anything.

At their core, Salesforce Data 360 connectors create a shared data layer that allows marketing teams to work from consistent, reliable information across systems. Instead of managing disconnected data across CRMs, donation platforms, and external tools, these connectors bring information into Salesforce and make it available directly inside Marketing Cloud for activation. The result is a clearer picture of each constituent and the ability to activate real-time insights without relying on manual processes or fragile integrations

Making the data usable matters most. With a unified foundation in place, teams can power automation and personalization with confidence, knowing the data behind their journeys is accurate and current while aligning with their goals.

Clarity Has to Come Before Automation

One of the most important points we emphasized during the session is that clarity has to come before automation. Teams often jump straight into campaigns or advanced journeys without first aligning on what data truly matters or how success should be defined. When that happens, automation only magnifies existing confusion.

A Real-World Example: Donation Cart Abandonment

To bring these ideas to life, we walked through a live demo in a Marketing Cloud Advanced org focused on donation cart abandonment. Using Data 360 connectors, donation behavior flows directly into Marketing Cloud, allowing teams to respond quickly with timely and relevant follow-up messages. Personalization happens automatically, without manual intervention, and supporters receive outreach that feels thoughtful rather than generic. This use case is a simple but powerful example of how unified data can make marketing more human and far more effective. 

Watch the webinar on demand below to see how Salesforce Data 360 connectors work in real-world scenarios and how connected data can power smarter, more effective marketing. You will learn how unifying your data across systems helps teams reduce manual work while personalizing engagement and building a stronger foundation for automation.

Marketing Cloud Discovery and Roadmap Accelerator

At Arkus, we help teams step back and ask the right questions before they build. Which systems are essential? Which data actually drives decisions? How will success be measured? This mindset is the foundation of our Marketing Cloud Discovery and Roadmap Accelerator, which is designed to give teams a practical, actionable plan rather than adding more technology to an already complex ecosystem. We will be launching this new Accelerator within the next few weeks. Fill out the form below to be notified when this new solution becomes available.

To explore how your organization can implement and optimize Data 360 connectors, reach out to us through our Contact Form. Our team is ready to help you create a clear, practical data strategy that supports smarter marketing and long-term impact.