Marketing Cloud Next implementation
Implement Marketing Cloud Next on the Salesforce platform with the data, consent and testing foundations in place before the first journey goes live.
Marketing Cloud Next is Salesforce's newer marketing application, built on the core Salesforce platform and using Data Cloud (now branded Data 360) as its data foundation. That changes how a marketing implementation is planned. Audiences come from unified profiles rather than separately maintained data extensions, consent uses the platform's consent data model, and journeys sit closer to CRM records, Flow and Agentforce.
The opportunity is a tighter link between marketing, sales and service data. The risk is starting with journeys before the data foundation is ready. A Marketing Cloud Next implementation succeeds or fails on that foundation.
Who this is for
- Organisations new to Salesforce marketing that already run Sales Cloud or Service Cloud.
- Marketing Cloud Engagement customers planning a phased move or a period of coexistence.
- Account Engagement customers exploring Marketing Cloud Next for B2B programmes.
- Teams that have licensed Marketing Cloud Next but have not yet got value from it.
How we implement Marketing Cloud Next
- 01
Discovery and fit
We confirm use cases, channels, licences and the systems that hold customer data, and check that Marketing Cloud Next suits what you need to do now.
- 02
Data readiness
We assess the data streams, data model mapping and identity resolution that audiences will depend on, and fix gaps before marketing build starts.
- 03
Consent design
Communication subscriptions, channel consent and purposes are designed with your privacy lead and mapped from every capture point.
- 04
Platform configuration
Channels, sender settings, permission sets and the marketing setup in your org are configured, sandbox first.
- 05
First programmes
We build a small set of priority journeys and segments end to end to prove the data, consent and channel setup together.
- 06
Test and deploy
Journeys, segments and related metadata are tested in a sandbox, then deployed with a release checklist and controlled launch.
- 07
Enable and evolve
Training, runbooks and a backlog for the next phase, including any coexistence or migration steps.
Related services and guides
Data Cloud foundation
Data streams, mapping and identity resolution that Marketing Cloud Next audiences depend on.
→Consent and preferences
Designing consent and subscription management for Marketing Cloud Next.
→Implementation checklist
A practical list to check readiness before you build.
→Engagement or Next?
A balanced comparison to help you decide where each fits.
→Coexistence with Marketing Cloud Engagement
Many organisations will run Marketing Cloud Engagement and Marketing Cloud Next side by side for a while. That is workable if a few rules are agreed early:
- One source of truth for consent. Unsubscribes captured in either platform must reach the other, and the CRM, quickly and reliably.
- Clear ownership of each programme. A customer should not receive the same welcome series from both platforms.
- Consistent identifiers. Contacts must be recognisable across both, which usually means anchoring on CRM or customer IDs.
- A planned sequence. Move programmes in an order that reflects data readiness and business priority, not simply the oldest first.
Our article on planning a move from Engagement to Marketing Cloud Next covers sequencing in more detail.
What you receive and what we need
You receive a solution design, data readiness findings, consent design, configured and tested programmes, deployment documentation and training. We need a product owner, admin access to sandboxes, involvement from your Data Cloud and CRM owners, a privacy contact for consent decisions, and approved content for the first programmes.
Questions we hear
Do we need Data Cloud for Marketing Cloud Next?
Can we move from Marketing Cloud Engagement straight away?
Can you deploy through sandboxes and version control?
Where does Agentforce fit?
Plan your Marketing Cloud Next implementation
Tell us about your data, channels and current platform, and we will suggest a phased plan.
