Top 10 MCAE (Pardot) Automation Recipes
If you’re using Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (MCAE, formerly Pardot), chances are you’re not getting the most out of your automation features.
I see this constantly with clients: they invest in the platform, connect it to Salesforce, and then only scratch the surface. A couple of lists, a basic nurture flow, maybe one Engagement Studio program — and then they stop.
The problem?
Without smart automations in place, your MCAE instance becomes an underutilized email tool instead of the lead nurturing engine it’s designed to be.
Where Teams Fail with MCAE Automation
When it comes to Salesforce MCAE automation, most teams fall into one of two traps:
Underusing automation. They send only basic email campaigns. Prospects disengage, and sales never benefits.
Overcomplicating automation. They create huge, confusing workflows that no one can measure or trust.
Neither approach delivers ROI.
The MCAE Automations That Actually Work
The truth is, you don’t need complexity — you need clarity. The right MCAE workflows can:
Nurture new leads from the moment they hit your database
Re-engage cold prospects with targeted messaging
Send real-time alerts to sales when a lead is hot
Turn event attendees into opportunities with automated follow-up
Recycle disqualified leads so they don’t disappear from Salesforce
These are the MCAE best practices that create sales alignment, improve lead quality, and finally prove the ROI of your marketing automation investment.
Free Guide: Top 10 MCAE Automation Recipes
To make it easy, I created a resource guide just for you:
Inside, you’ll find plug-and-play MCAE automations you can implement right away, including:
A New Lead Welcome Series to build trust
A Re-Engagement Campaign that wins back inactive leads
A Hot Lead Alert workflow for real-time sales follow-up
A Lead Recycling Program to maximize Salesforce CRM ROI
The automations in this guide are the same MCAE best practices I recommend in consulting engagements. They’re proven, practical, and ready to implement.
Harness the Real Power of Automation
When you use MCAE automations correctly, you transform MCAE into more than an email tool — you create a measurable system that nurtures leads, scores and grades them intelligently, and passes only the best to sales.
My clients have seen the difference: smarter workflows mean better sales conversations, higher conversion rates, and full visibility into pipeline impact.
These automation recipes are just the starting point. The real power of MCAE comes when your strategy, scoring, and campaign design are all aligned with your business goals.
