Having the perfect MarTech stack is a popular phrase that technology solutions are using today to encourage adoption of their offerings.  Every time a new solution is revealed in the market, jumping on-board or trying to factor it into your stack can be enticing. Each introduction seems to hold the promise that this solution will help to solve all marketing and audience engagement needs. Changing and adding to your MarTech stack can be beneficial, but there has to be strategy behind the selection to be successful.

CMS Wire published an article that emphasized questions to answer before deciding to revamp your MarTech stack. The idea coming across in the article is that all of the MarTech solutions in the world won’t solve various issues that you see in your business.  These solutions cannot magically improve how your business operates on their own. Not every tool will be a good fit for your company so asking these questions will help identify which tools will be helpful.

Being calculated and thoughtful when revamping your MarTech stack is great, but why not take it a step further?  Why not set up a strategy for ensuring that your company’s goals and trajectory is being complimented by your MarTech stack? A great way to determine which solutions you want to invest in is by looking at your company strategy from a big picture point-of-view. A process to use for maintaining your stack and implementing new solutions includes:

  1. Identify the short and long term goals for your company
  2. Note which of your tools are contributing to these goals and where gaps are still present
  3. Scan the market for new MarTech solutions that can assist in achieving your goals
  4. Invest in people that will help to operate and maximize the chosen solutions

The last step in this process is especially important. Who will be implementing and operating the technology in your stack? Forbes recently pointed out that companies often times get distracted by the brand new solutions that are being introduced in the market, and forget about how they will be implemented – by their employees. Taking the time to invest in strong, critical thinkers is crucial in order to find success. The employees operating the technology are just as, if not more important than the technology itself because they are maximizing how well the tools are used.

Technology is abundantly present today in every industry imaginable. Rather than relying on the latest technology to drive business, it should be viewed as a tool to more easily find new areas of success and efficiency for your business. Ultimately, every company has the capabilities to invest in the same tools, offerings and services. Marketers, publishers and advertisers alike are all playing in the same arena as their competitors. What is going to set your company apart and push you to the top performer in your industry is the strategy and plan that you implement. The mix between the right tools (MarTech stack) and original creators is crucial for maximizing MarTech success.

Photo by Iva Rajović on Unsplash