The Future of MarTech · and brand-side experts. This document is a summary of the discussion, as...

The Future of MarTech

2020

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The Future of MarTech 2020

Copyright / DMA (2020)

Contents

Introduction � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �01

Plan for Change � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 02

The ‘4Ps’ Approach � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �03

Plan for Success � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 04

Own the Programme � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 05

Choose Platforms Wisely � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 06

Balance MarTech and the Customer � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �07

Get Results � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 08

Final Thoughts � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 09

About the Customer Engagement Campaign� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �10

About the DMA � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11

Copyright and Disclaimer � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 12


Copyright / DMA (2020) 01

Introduction

How do you find a marketing technology (martech) platform that’s right for your business and customers?

That was the thorny question in play at a roundtable discussion organised by the DMA’s Customer Engagement Council, and attended by a wide range of supplier and brand-side experts.

This document is a summary of the discussion, as participants considered the people, platforms, and processes involved. Attendees shared stories of failure and frustration, but also of success and customer wins.

What’s abundantly clear from the conversation is that having a plan is crucial – and if your team isn’t on board, change will be difficult, if not impossible.

Read on for a more detailed look at how the martech roundtable stacked up.



Plan for Change

Technological change is coming at a staggering speed. Brands might think there’s a silver bullet that will solve all of their customer problems, but there’s much more to martech success than simply installing a platform and watching it go.

All attendees had been involved with martech change projects to varying degrees.

They were keen to understand and share their experiences about: How to assess vendors

• Which comes first: tech or the people using it• Focusing on customer outcomes• What ‘good’ looks like• Martech as an innovation driver

The DMA drafted in martech experts Carlos Doughty, CEO & Founder of MarTech Alliance, to set the scene. Carlos gave an overview of what organisations must consider when setting out to implement new systems, in a bid to demystify the space.



Carlos’ opening gambit was that there is a myriad of permutations, and the martech landscape can often seem overwhelming. Furthermore, while a quarter of marketing budgets are dedicated to tech (source: Gartner), there isn’t a comparable level of conversation about it within firms.

Businesses too often jump straight to the platform they think is needed. Carlos stressed there aren’t massive differences between available types of tech, but organisational processes and people are often unique.

The ‘4Ps’ Approach

A ‘4Ps’ approach is vital – and the different elements need to work together holistically.

1. Plan (Why)

If people regard their marketing strategy solely in terms of which platforms can deliver it, it’s the wrong conversation. What does your customer journey look like and how does this wrap around your marketing strategy and business goals? The starting point for any organisation should be what gaps there are in the team and process, what can be improved or replaced, and where a vendor will help.

2. People (Who)

Next, ‘Tetris’ your team. Who are you going to need to power the martech? Be they full-stack techies or experts in a specific discipline, do those people already exist within your organisation? If not, you’ll need to figure out how to add these skills.

3. Process (How)

Agility is key. Marketing now lives in a tech world, so how can the organisation be more adaptable, nimble, and collaborative? Entrenched operations will probably need to change to accommodate new technology. Most crucial of all is viewing the martech journey as an evolution, being open to change all along the road to implementation, and beyond.

4. Platform (What)

With the first three Ps in place, now’s the time to consider martech. A good way to approach the overwhelming solutions landscape is to classify areas where you think you need new systems and map possible platforms against them. Always do this with the customer journey and engagement in mind.

With Carlos’ advice front and centre, the discussion turned to the attendees’ own experiences, hopes, and anxieties about finding and using new martech.



Plan for Success

One attendee said a good starting point is to consider all the ‘What ifs?’; plan for hiccups. Think of all the aspects of the programme that might change and how the organisation would respond. In that way, the business can always stay one step ahead of the implementation issues it could face.

Another urged the group to always keep goals in mind – whether for marketing or the business. There’s often a gross underestimation of how much work is needed up front to ensure a smooth and efficient process. Commitment is key.

Another potential problem is an over-reliance on internal systems and teams to get the job done. Most first-time programmes fail. That’s why, according to one participant, external tech support is vital: outside experience of pitfalls and solutions could save a lot of time, effort, and money.

All that said, there’s only so much strategy can achieve. One contributor said there has to be an element of tech leading the plan, because the features of a chosen platform will make new ideas possible, even if they weren’t part of the strategy. Flexibility is vital.



Own the Programme

Bigger organisations will likely have procurement involved early in the process. And that’s not a bad thing. Procurement can offer tight parameters for the seemingly endless chore of choosing a vendor. What’s more, they often have the ear of the boardroom and ultimate budget holders.

That top-down buy-in is crucial if martech programmes are to succeed in the long run. Better decisions are the result. It can also help marketers ‘evangelise’ (as one attendee put it) the new tech, making it transparent and less abstract for end users.

The challenge with martech, one participant said, is making it relevant to cross-functional stakeholders but also democratized. Too often, silos take over and areas of the new technology programme can become ‘fiefdoms’: a blocker to collaboration and success.

One way around this, Carlos noted, is to employ a martech operations person to coordinate and train users, and keep communication lines open between teams. He added that if everyone – especially more tech-focused folk – feels empowered, that’s as powerful as any business case and creates harmony.



Choose Platforms Wisely

While some brand representatives suggested vendors are too keen to sell a platform without fully scoping out how it would benefit the buyers’ business, others said tech companies are just doing their job.

Limited hand-holding, however, can cause problems as well as opportunities. One attendee shared a story of a retail giant who installed a system to a tight plan, only to be told the system could run a loyalty card from the platform, too. This was subsequently implemented at the behest of one part of the business, even though it wasn’t in the strategy.

Impact analysis is always worthwhile, said another attendee. She explained that in a former role, IT and finance decided on a new call-handling system without involving marketing, “because it got the call centre job done.” However, the same platform failed to wrap in customer tracking and attribution, meaning more money was being wasted in potential revenue than the cost of installing the system.

Most agreed that collaboration should be a given; how external partners are involved is the crucial point. If they feel included and invested, the programme has more chance of success.



Balance MarTech and the Customer

One participant suggested many firms only pay lip service to “putting the customer at the heart of things.” He mentioned an example of a retailer who organised product lines in-store that made no sense: door handles and frames were on the opposite side of the shop floor.

Tech can be used to exclude extraneous communications from a marketing strategy, said another. For example, emails to second-floor flat owners about gardening equipment. Something so simple can have a positive effect on customer engagement and retention.

Martech can offer other insights that may have been overlooked by overworked individuals. One marketer mentioned the ability to target holidaymakers before their journeys – highlighting the benefits of booking in the first place at the expense of household budget and taking time off – boosted customer loyalty, as they only expected tips and requests for feedback after they’d returned. They welcomed the engagement, but prior to the tech it seemed counter-intuitive.



Get Results

As the discussion drew to a close, participants wanted to know, is it possible to set and meet KPIs from a martech investment?

One marketer claimed her firm was “almost there” with attribution and ROI. They built martech into each part of the funnel, methodically from the outset, and were now seeing the benefits. Customer touchpoint and conversions weren’t just visible, but also quantifiable. Those ‘quick wins’ allowed the marketing team to tell a good story internally and secure further funding.

Another talked about martech removing vanity metrics that could dominate results, but provide little real insight. Real customer tracking and attribution followed.

Finally, Carlos spoke of banking on a “data-informed rather than data-driven” strategy. This allows the wider team to try things with the new martech, rather than being tied to one-dimensional ROI metrics that simply tells firms “it did this.”

Tech is an enabler. The elements that sit around it – the people, processes, and agile plan – are those that deliver results.



Final Thoughts

A lively discussion, the roundtable laid bare the issues facing brands that want to change or enhance their marketing technology. Platforms that are easy to use, while getting proven results are likely to win out in a landscape of lookalike products.

While marketing strategy may be the primary function of the tech, involvement should be cross-disciplined. This reflects a crucial truth about any implementation programme: it should be people-centric, led by the martech team on behalf of users, and ultimately of benefit to the customer.



About the CustomerEngagement Campaign

We put the customer at the heart of everything we do – especially when it comes to our Customer Engagement campaign.

This campaign uses research and insight to help you maximise your engagement for the benefit of marketers and consumers alike.

If you build a rapport with your customers, and you have something they want, then they will buy from you again and again.

We want to know what builds this rapport. We know creativity, data and technology are factors, but we don’t know how the interplay works.

This campaign aims to discover what makes brilliant engagement.

Check out our popular Marketer Email Tracker and Consumer Email Tracker, and explore our engaging infographics which are breaking down key ideas.

We also run events to encourage better Customer Engagement. Keep an eye on your emails, or visit our events page to book your spot.

Tap into DMA research, insights, thought leadership, and networking events on offer by visiting the DMA online and discover how you can get involved with and get the most out of our Customer Engagement campaign.

Better engagement means better business.



About the DMA

The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) comprises the DMA, Institute of Data & Marketing (IDM) and DMA Talent.

We seek to guide and inspire industry leaders; to advance careers; and to nurture the next generation of aspiring marketers.

We champion the way things should done, through a rich fusion of technology, diverse talent, creativity, insight – underpinned by our customer-focused principles.

We set the standards marketers must meet in order to thrive, representing over 1,000 members drawn from the UK’s data and marketing landscape.

By working responsibly, sustainably and creatively, together we will drive the data and marketing industry forward to meet the needs of people today and tomorrow.

www.dma.org.uk



Copyright and Disclaimer

‘The Future of MarTech 2020’ is published by the Data & Marketing Association (UK) Ltd Copyright © Data & Marketing Association (DMA). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the DMA (UK) Ltd except as permitted by the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and related legislation. Application for permission to reproduce all or part of the Copyright material shall be made to the DMA (UK) Ltd, DMA House, 70 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SS.

Although the greatest care has been taken in the preparation and compilation of this report, no liability or responsibility of any kind (to extent permitted by law), including responsibility for negligence is accepted by the DMA, its servants, or agents. All information gathered is believed correct as of June 2020. All corrections should be sent to the DMA for future editions.

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