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Introduction

Invitation
I would like to invite you, as a user of Marketing Automation Software (MAS), to take part in a research study. Before you decide you need to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Please take the time to read the following information carefully. Ask questions if anything you read is not clear or would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not to take part. 
I am conducting a research project as the dissertation element of my MSc in Digital Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University Faculty of Business and Law Business School (UK). The overall aim of this research is to advance an understanding of whether there are identifiable barriers to the successful adoption of MAS.

What is the purpose of the study?
There is currently no academic research published regarding the success or failure of Marketing Automation implementation within organisations. The purpose of this study is to conduct research with existing users, exploring barriers to failure. If common barriers are found, I intend to produce a set of recommendations for organisations looking to implement MAS that can help to minimise risk and reduce the potential of failure. I will also produce a set of recommendations for MAS providers that can help them, when selling the software to organisations, highlight potential areas of risk for failure and therefore, again, reduce this risk.  

Why have you been invited?
My research relies on the completion of an online Survey Monkey questionnaire by people who are currently using MAS within their organisation. I have decided to approach people for the pilot who are members of the Marketo User Group. Being a member of this group indicates that the member is an active user of the software and is therefore in my target population for my research.

Do I have to take part?
It is up to you to decide whether you participate in this study. This information sheet is designed to give you the information required so that you can make a free and independent decision whether to take part. You are free to withdraw at any time, without giving a reason.
What will happen to me if I take part?
To participate in the research you are requested to complete an online Survey Monkey questionnaire, giving full and truthful answers to the questions. Completion of the survey will take no longer than 15 minutes and no further participation is required.
The survey will be open for 20 PARTICIPANTS ONLY. After this number, the survey will be disabled and no further participation will be possible. The survey contains questions regarding your views on the marketing automation software that you use in your organisation. The data will be anonymised and data storage and processing will comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.
It is not necessary for you to sign a consent form to take part in this survey. In line with the Manchester Metropolitan University Ethics Guidance, you imply consent by completing the questionnaire.

Expenses and payments Participation in this study is free from any incentive offer or payment of expenses. No gifts or vouchers will be offered as incentives to participation.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part? No risks or possible disadvantages to you have been identified. A Manchester Metropolitan University risk assessment has been completed, submitted and accepted.

What are the possible benefits of taking part? We cannot promise the study will help you but the information we get from the study will help to increase the understanding of the implementation of marketing automation software, and whether there are factors that contribute to the success or failure of its implementation.

What if there is a problem? If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should ask to speak to the researcher who will do their best to answer your questions: Sarah Lundy at sarah@workhousemarketing.com in the first instance.
If you remain unhappy and wish to complain formally you can do this through the Manchester Metropolitan University Faculty of Business and Law Ethics and Governance Manager Gary Lindsay on 0161 247 2706 g.lindsay@mmu.ac.uk
No redress or compensation is available as a participant in this study.
Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?
Each participant responses will be held by the researchers private Survey Monkey Account. This account is secure and password protected. No personal data will be collected that enables the responses to be traced back to an individual respondent. This ensures that the data is anonymous and complies with the Data Protection Act 1998.
On completion of the survey the data will be downloaded, research coded and kept on a password-protected computer accessed only by the researcher. This coded data will be stored securely for three years, and then the file will be deleted.

What will happen to the results of the research study?
The results of the survey may be published in the dissertation of Sarah Lundy. Any Sarah Lundy reserves the right, as the researcher, to publish the results of the survey elsewhere following the submission of the dissertation on 3rd April 2017.
You can request a copy of the results of the survey from sarah@workhousemarketing.com following the publication of the dissertation on 3rd April 2017.

Further information and contact details:
If you require further information, please contact the researcher, Sarah Lundy at sarah@workhousemarketing.com
 
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