MarTech stack consists of numerous marketing software tools and technologies—from a small, free tool to an enterprise solution. After all, it rarely stops at a CRM system and an email tool; the collection inevitably keeps growing and growing! (Do you actually know how big your MarTech stack is?) Organizing all of this properly is challenging and time-consuming. If you don’t spend enough time on it, you quickly lose track or end up choosing the wrong solutions. That’s how real tool zombies are created that swallow up a lot of money. Been there, done that …
So that you can learn from common mistakes, we’ve compiled the top 6 MarTech Stack fails here. This way, you can increase the likelihood from the start that the investment in the stack will pay off and that it will take work off your hands instead of creating unnecessary extra effort.
The world of marketing technologies is exciting and fast-moving. That makes it all the more tempting to snap up good deals at random. Just like when buying clothes, you should always first consider what you already have before you buy something new! So before you get started with optimizations to your MarTech stack, you should carry out an audit of your current tool landscape. This review of existing software, its capabilities, issues, and costs is an important first step that is often forgotten.
For each technology solution that is already in the stack, you collect the following information in the audit:
What software is it?
What functions does the tool offer?
Which platforms are connected to it, how, and why?
Does the software fulfill its purpose for you?
Is it actually being used?
Does it offer an attractive return on investment?
Tip: Use the audit to create a central document with all the information. This includes deadlines, renewal dates, costs, provider contact information, a copy of the contract, and other important data.
A common mistake when building MarTech stacks is buying too many tools. The temptation to snap up new offers on the market is huge, even though the new program may not actually offer everything you’re looking for. This quickly results in unused technologies and compatibility issues. So a bit of restraint goes a long way.
That’s why you should pay close attention to whether you can combine any new tools with the existing ones via plug-ins or multi-platform features. Sometimes it’s enough to invest in an additional plug-in or add-on instead of purchasing an entirely new piece of software right away.
Before investing in another tool, you should take a hard look at whether it’s really necessary. Do you perhaps already have a program that can handle similar tasks and functions? Is the added value of the new software convincingly high? Is the technology easy to learn? Honesty pays off twice here.
Tip: Before every purchase decision, keep your company’s marketing goals and future plans in mind. This is the only way to optimally align your MarTech stack with your goals without letting sales pitches and product presentations tempt you.
Data is vital in marketing. To work efficiently with your existing MarTech stack, your company needs a unified platform for customer data or a good CRM tool. So check from the very beginning whether your MarTech stack provides the necessary centralization. Even when setting up the system, it’s important that the entire team can quickly access relevant data and maintain an overview at all times. Because data alone doesn’t achieve anything— it has to be organized!
The MarTech stack should detect and actively prevent silos and data isolation. So, when purchasing the software, find out how it organizes and structures customer data, how it avoids duplicates and ambiguities, and how it connects different software systems with one another. Really put it through its paces! Then your newest gem in the stack can deliver valuable insights into marketing performance and the customer journey.
Tip: You can read more about the topic of the Customer Data Platform here.
MarTech affects many units within the company. Various departments contribute ideas and requirements for marketing that the stack is expected to map centrally. Not an easy task – but it becomes even more difficult when the marketing goals, just like the team goals, are meant to be centrally visible! Team Work Makes the Dream Work applies here too. With collaboration, you can create a unified vision that makes the customer journey more transparent and more effective.
When building your MarTech stack, you should therefore make sure to pay close attention to how it affects collaboration. The entire team should be able to access the relevant data, ideally without being tied to a computer and with mobile optimization. You can optimize and evaluate your processes and meet the company’s goals when everyone pulls together using the tools.
Every marketing team needs a good project management tool to keep track of all campaigns and activities. This makes it all the more important that the entire MarTech stack is compatible with the PM tool and that there are appropriate interfaces that make day-to-day work easier. Maybe one of your tools also offers project management?
Make sure there is solid project management for the MarTech stack, including a plan, goals, and strategies, before you select the first technologies. The platform should meet your team’s needs and help you regularly evaluate and improve the MarTech stack. Because it’s not only projects that need managing, but also software and tools.
The MarTech world often seems paradoxical, because the solutions on offer compete with each other to outdo—and make—one another obsolete. Many technologies are designed for current needs, but in a few years they may no longer serve any purpose at all. The result: your stack is overflowing with outdated tools whose interfaces are no longer supported.
Of course, no one knows exactly how MarTech challenges will evolve. But when building your stack, you should make sure the solution you choose will still make sense in the medium term. Also important: clarity about the notice periods for cancellation!
The rapid development of marketing technologies makes it difficult to build and maintain a robust MarTech stack. But with thorough research, blinders on for overly tempting deals, and a clear focus on your needs, you can do it! Remember to review your tools regularly and cull them rigorously.
Top news from the Matchilla MatchZINE – the MarTech magazine
Tips & tricks on how to use the right marketing technologies
Best practices from other marketing decision-makers when it comes to MarTech
and much more!
Till Zier is CPO at Matchilla and, as a MarTech expert, reports in MatchZINE on news and trends in marketing, automation, analytics, and data.
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