Let’s face it – embracing new marketing technology (martech) and data capabilities can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! Here’s a short guide to help you make the most of your martech investments while steering clear of common missteps.
The kettle doesn’t make the tea
YOU make the tea, the kettle just boils the water. In the same way, martech won’t create marketing magic without some work. While many tools come with slick built-in features, they still need planning, setup and fine-tuning to fit your goals. Unfortunately, there’s no big green ‘press for results’ button.
What to do:
Get proactive! Start by outlining what you want to achieve, prioritise the types of activities you’ll focus on first and map out how you’ll grow from there. Your martech adoption plan should align with your team’s goals, not just the software’s promises.
Picture your future – in detail
You don’t want to hear, “You didn’t ask for that!”, after investing in martech. Unfortunately, broad goals like ‘enhancing personalisation’ or ‘improving lead nurturing’ often miss the nitty-gritty of what you’ll need: data, content, integrations and so on.
What to do:
Paint a vivid picture of your future marketing dreams. Create specific use cases – think real-world scenarios – and identify what’s needed to make them happen. This helps design the system to meet your needs now and in the future.
Think strategy before tech
Too often, teams get caught up in the shiny new tech and forget about the strategy. The result? Old processes get dragged into new systems and the potential for real change fizzles out.
What to do:
Nominate a marketing champion early on to lead the charge. Treat this as an innovation project, not business as usual, and get the team involved well before the system goes live. Experiment, learn and embrace the new ways of working your tech can enable.
Keep things running during the switch
Switching to new tools can feel like juggling while riding a unicycle. Your regular campaigns still need to go out on time, even as you set up and test your new martech systems.
What to do:
Plan ahead! Make sure you have enough resources to handle the transition. If needed, bring in temporary support to keep the wheels turning while your team focuses on getting the new system ready.
Don’t skimp on Consent and Privacy Management (CPM)
Martech is all about connecting with your audience across multiple channels. But if your consent and privacy processes aren’t buttoned up, you risk frustrating your audience and losing them to opt-outs.
What to do:
Design a CPM strategy that’s customer-friendly from the start. Focus on building trust and improving the experience at every touchpoint. Not only will this keep you compliant, but it’ll also help grow your reach organically.
Educate, educate, educate
New tech often means new processes, and change can be daunting. If your team isn’t fully on board or confident, your shiny new tools won’t get the use, or results, you’re hoping for.
What to do:
Make education a priority. One demo won’t cut it! Roll out continuous training to help your team embrace the new capabilities. Share wins, celebrate milestones and tailor training to suit different audiences – whether they’re hands-on users or stakeholders who need to stay in the loop.
The bottom line
- Be martech-ready. The sooner you start planning, the smoother your adoption will be
- Don’t wait for launch day, prep early and prioritise your wish list of features
- Think big but start small. Focus on immediate goals and scale up as you learn
- Balance innovation with day-to-day needs. A well-planned transition will keep everything running smoothly
- Keep learning! The more you and your team understand your tools, the better results you’ll see
With a little planning, a lot of collaboration and a dash of creativity, you’ll be well on your way to martech success. If you’d like to talk to us about how we can help you with any of the above, get in touch.
