Martin Lloyd, Demand Generation Director at FICO, brings over 15 years of experience in building high-performing teams and driving full-funnel demand generation in SaaS. He discusses the evolving role of marketing in revenue organizations, the impact of ABM on pipeline growth, and the power of data-driven strategies in today’s competitive landscape.
Tell us about yourself and your marketing journey.
Hi I’m Martin Lloyd, I’ve spent over 15 years in marketing, 10 of those in SaaS helping companies grow and scale. I love building high-performing teams, crafting smart go-to-market strategies, and running full-funnel demand generation campaigns, especially with a focus on ABM and partnerships.
I’ve had the chance to work with companies of all sizes, from scrappy startups to global enterprises, managing six- and seven-figure budgets, leading amazing teams, and consistently driving big pipeline wins. For me, marketing is the perfect mix of creativity and data, using insights to make smart decisions and create real business impact. I’m passionate about growth, innovation, and helping companies scale through utilising the full marketing mix.
How has marketing’s role evolved within an integrated revenue organization?
The importance of an effective marketing strategy with demonstrable results has never been more evident, it’s no longer just about generating leads or building brand awareness, it’s a key driver of revenue. Today, marketing is deeply integrated with sales, product, and customer success teams, working together to create a seamless customer journey and optimise every touchpoint for growth.
In my experience, this means partnering closely with sales to align on goals, leveraging data to make smarter decisions, and continuously refining campaigns to maximise ROI. Marketing has become more strategic and collaborative than ever, and I love operating at the intersection of creativity, data, and revenue.
What are the essential elements of a successful demand generation strategy that drives pipeline growth?
A winning demand gen strategy comes down to a few key elements. First, a core focus on ABM is essential, zeroing in on the accounts that sit firmly within your Ideal Customer Profile and building highly personalised campaigns that resonate with your key personas. Then it’s about covering the entire funnel, from awareness to conversion, using a mix of tactics across online and offline is essential to ensure your surfacing the right messages in front of the right people at the right time.
It’s important to continually review multi-touch attribution metrics to stay on track and optimize performance. And of course, multi-channel campaigns are a must. Paid search, social, SEO, and content—each plays a role in driving engagement. Tactics aside, one of the most fundamental indicators of success will be your alignment with sales. When the whole team is aligned on strategy, expectations, and goals you have a winning recipe!
What are some of the go-to-market challenges and opportunities in the business intelligence and analytics space?
A major challenge is differentiation, there are so many BI tools out there that standing out is crucial. Buyers aren’t just looking for features they want solutions that integrate seamlessly into their workflows, deliver real business impact, and provide real-time, AI-driven insights.
Adoption is another hurdle, even the most powerful analytics tools can struggle if they’re not intuitive or if teams aren’t properly onboarded. A strong go-to-market strategy should focus on education, engagement, and hyper-personalisation ensuring the right message reaches the right audience at the right time. From my experience at FICO in enterprise decision management, I’ve seen how hyper-personalisation can transform decision-making, enabling businesses to make smarter, data-driven choices. The real opportunity lies in positioning BI and analytics solutions as strategic enablers—helping organisations turn data into action. Companies that master this will gain a significant competitive edge.
“Marketing can be a rollercoaster, but if you stay open to learning, surround yourself with the right people, and keep pushing forward, you’ll keep progressing!”
How do you leverage events as a critical part of your overall demand generation strategies?
Events are a critical part of my demand gen playbook. Whether it’s hosting our own events, sponsoring industry conferences, or running executive roundtables, they’re a fantastic way to build relationships and generate leads. I love the energy of live events; they give you a chance to really connect with the right people and keep abreast of what’s going on in the industry. But it’s not just about the event itself, the follow-up is where the real work happens. I always make sure we have a solid plan for nurturing those leads afterward, using data-driven strategies to move them through the funnel.
How do you navigate the complexities of overseeing global marketing teams while maintaining consistency across various markets?
Managing global teams can be tricky, but it’s all about balance. You need a unified strategy to keep everyone aligned and ensure the brand stays consistent, but you also must give regional teams the flexibility to adapt campaigns to local markets. For me, it’s about creating a strong framework that sets the overall direction but leaves room for local creativity. Communication is key, I’ve relied on tools like Slack and Teams to keep everyone connected and on the same page. Finally, it’s important to build strong relationships with regional teams and sales leaders. When everyone feels like they’re part of the same mission, that’s when you see real success.
Can you tell us about your toughest, yet most rewarding, marketing campaign experience?
That’s an easy one—it would have to be when I led the global Partner Marketing function at an e-commerce scale-up, spearheading the launch of the Marketing Development Framework and Partner Portal. It was a massive undertaking, requiring alignment across multiple regions, stakeholders, and partners, with countless moving pieces. The uptake on the program was immediate, it better enabled the business to identify the right profile of Tier 1 Partners to collaborate with on key go-to-market programs and those partners became stronger advocates for the business in turn. It was one of the toughest campaigns I’ve worked on, but the experience reinforced the power of teamwork, persistence, and strategic execution.
Which metrics do you keep a particularly close eye on while evaluating your marketing campaign results?
I track a mix of metrics to get the full picture, pipeline growth is key—I want to know not just how many opportunities we’re generating, but their quality and potential value. Since enterprise sales cycles are long, I also focus on lead progression through the funnel, making sure we’re nurturing the right prospects and moving them toward conversion. Multi-touch attribution is crucial in this process. In B2B marketing, no single touchpoint closes a deal, so I look at how different campaigns – content, paid media and events contribute over time. Understanding which channels drive engagement at each stage helps optimise spend and strategy.
Of course, ROI is always top of mind, measuring marketing investment against revenue impact is critical. And then there are engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and event participation, which provide insight into how well our messaging resonates. But for me it’s about understanding the bigger story behind them and using those insights to make smarter, data-driven decisions.
What would be your advice to marketers looking to handle success and deal with setbacks?
Stay curious and keep learning – marketing never stands still, and the best marketers are the ones who adapt, experiment, and grow. When things go well, take the time to celebrate wins, big or small. It keeps you and your team motivated. Remember that setbacks are inevitable. I’ve faced my fair share, and I’ve learned that the key is to treat them as learning experiences. Analyse what went wrong, adjust your approach, and move forward with even more clarity. Resilience is everything in marketing—it’s a fast-moving, ever-changing space, and staying focused is what makes the difference.
One of the best things I’ve done in my career is find great mentors. Having someone to offer guidance, challenge your thinking, and help you navigate both successes and failures is invaluable. No one figures it all out alone, and the sooner you build that support network, the better. Marketing can be a rollercoaster, but if you stay open to learning, surround yourself with the right people, and keep pushing forward, you’ll keep progressing!
FICO is a global leader in predictive analytics and data science, driving smarter business decisions since 1956. With over 200 patents, its innovative solutions enhance profitability, customer satisfaction, and growth across financial services, insurance, telecommunications, healthcare, and retail. The FICO Score, used by 90% of top US lenders, is a standard for consumer credit risk. Serving businesses in 100+ countries, FICO helps prevent fraud, improve financial inclusion, and strengthen supply chains.
Martin Lloyd is a seasoned marketing leader with over a decade of experience in the technology sector, specializing in demand generation, ABM, and strategic partnerships. With expertise in full-funnel marketing, digital campaigns, and high-impact events, he crafts data-driven strategies that drive pipeline growth and measurable revenue. Passionate about innovation and collaboration, Martin thrives in fast-paced environments, leveraging his analytical skills and digital marketing expertise to create commercially focused go-to-market plans that deliver real business impact.
