4 reasons why some companies have more success with their martech than others

A very common pitfall of many companies, is that they think buying the best tech on the market is going to solve all their problems and start bringing in ROI off the bat. Sorry to burst your bubble – but it’s not that simple. 

It’s like buying a Ferrari and getting the keys, but not knowing how to drive it. So why do some companies, with the same platform and same resources, have 10x more success with their investment than others? 

The answer = only 20% of success lies with the tech, and the other 80% with these four reasons: 

1)     Strategy

Building a strong go-to-market strategy and a timeline over which to execute it, both pre- and post- implementation, is crucial. Having the right strategy and business case for an automation platform will also help establish realistic expectations of success.

When building your strategy it is important to identify;

–        Current business challenges

–        The right platform to fit your business and alleviate these challenges

–        Your objectives and ideal outcomes you hope the right platform will deliver

–        Role specific KPIs and that of the business

–        A content marketing strategy that aligns with the above. There is a difference between creative and quality content and content that your target market will really engage with. Creating a content /messaging strategy for different lead segments at every stage of the sales funnel to make sure you are reaching the right person, at the right time with content that will resonate with them is key. 

2)   People

The adoption of new technology, like a marketing automaton platform, will work best when there is cross-team and multi-level buy-in from the business – after all, the entire organisation is ultimately going to benefit from the results. Getting sales, marketing, IT and senior management aligned on change of processes, strategy and KPIs is going to promote fast adoption and ensure you hit the ground running. 

Another point to consider is making sure you have the right amount of hands on deck. They say the right platform can do the workload of 3x marketers, but often depending on the size of your company and your KPIs for your project, you will need to evaluate how many inhouse or outsourced people you need to run the platform day in and day out to make sure you are going to maximise the value you’ll get out of it. 

3)   Systems

Ever heard the saying try before you buy?

Making sure your platform fits into your backend systems and that your existing tech stack can support the implementation will make the difference between a smooth transition and tech nightmare. Some very important systematic questions to consider are;

1 – What does the CRM integration look like?

2 – Do I need a middleware connector / API?

3 – Should I run a database cleanse before implementation so I make sure I am targeting good quality contacts when I start sending out campaigns?

4 – Will this platform be able to scale with my business growth?

5 – Is this platform user friendly enough for my team to handle? 

4)   Support

Too often there is the misconception that a marketing automation platform is just a plug-in and play tool, and too many companies spend their budgets on the tool itself and not on enablement and support. Sourcing a specialist agency or professional services team that will implement, onboard and configure your platform properly is as important as the software itself and the post-implementation enablement and support you invest in, will be what will help drive real results and ROI fast. 

Implementing a marketing automation isn’t a quick problem fixer but a system that requires time, patience, commitment, training and a willingness to embrace change within your organisation. But by addressing these 4 key areas above, you will ensure a smooth adoption and be driving that Ferrari into the sunset,

“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.”– Bill Gates | Microsoft

If you would like more advice on how to get the best value out of your martech, please feel free to reach out to  at Engagement Factory, who are specialists in this field and are partnered with global tech leaders.