Think back to when you were a child and played with Lego. (If you didn’t play with Lego, I’m sure you know someone who did.) One day you could build a spaceship, the next, a skyscraper, and then maybe a giraffe after that. The endless opportunities afforded to you kept Lego fun and exciting. Now, think about how your Lego skills improved from when you were a toddler until you were older – probably significantly.  

MarTech should be looked at like Lego. Like your building skills, your business will grow and change over the years as well. Too many providers today will show you a state-of-the-art product suite that can connect the entirety of your business through a single vendor. Of course, that’s quite the vision and if executed effectively, could have many benefits, but it’s just that — a vision, not a reality. And you’ll be spending quite a hefty price tag on usability and features that won’t benefit you in your current state. 

Switching MarTech platforms can be one of the biggest pains companies go through. Ripping down tech and building back new processes and systems can take months. This process can stall your operations as teams need to migrate and relearn technology.  

So, unless you’re the largest brand out there, you don’t need the largest platform, you need the most flexible platform. This is where Lego comes in – each additional functionality is an extra Lego. You start with the foundation of MarTech that you’ll need – perhaps that’s email and content management. From there, you build a tailored tech stack based on your changing needs. Maybe that means adding functionalities for SMS and push notifications, or social media integration. But the key is that you’re building your tech stack based on your brand’s individual needs rather than deploying tech that just adds to the list of tools you must manage and duplicates capabilities you already have.  

Invest in a tech stack that grows with you 

A flexible MarTech platform will enable you to personalize your MarTech experience. As additional functionalities are required, the platform can swap in and out any additional functionalities you need or outgrow.  

At first, you may just need a simple marketing platform that enables batch-and-blast campaigns. If you’re just starting out, you don’t need anything fancy. But know that you’ll eventually get to a place where you’re going to need advanced functionality. A system that starts small and grows with you is critical to your success in the long term while keeping it cost effective in the short term.  

That’s why small companies need to focus on finding a MarTech provider that has enterprise-level capabilities without forcing you into the full-fledged suite on day one. So, even if you’re small, ensure that your tech can grow with you in the next five or 10 years. Capabilities like multi-step, multichannel campaigns, automation, and advanced analytics will be relevant to your business down the line.  

Integrations are essential in your tech stack 

It’s so important that your tech stack includes an open API. Marketers, as a whole, work with an average of 28 tech vendors, and that number is growing. If these tools can’t all speak to each other, it will result in siloed data and no one in your organization will be able to access the full story your data can tell you. But with an open API, you can connect your tools so that data flows freely between them. You can’t see the whole Lego skyscraper if you’re only looking at one piece – you need to see each block to appreciate the grandeur of your architecture. 

How to choose the right platform for you 

Choosing the right provider will be your mission. The first thing is to ensure that the tech actually works. Schedule a demo or free trial to see the platform in action and test it out for yourself. For any vendors that refuse this, you’ll probably want to wonder why they won’t let you see and test it — this is a red flag.  

Then, you’ll want to ensure that it can provide the level of ROI that makes sense for the price tag. The main goals you’ll want to focus on are increased revenue, reduced costs, and reduced risk. Ensure the platform can meet your growth marketing KPIs — new MQLs and SQLs, increased total dollar value of MQLs in the pipeline, increased average cart size, and increase customer lifetime value are critical. You’ll also want to increase your stage-to-stage rates (e.g., MQL to SQL, SAL to win, etc.), reduce time to market for each campaign, and reduce the time of the sales cycle, among other cost-reducing KPIs. In terms of risk, the platform should help you comply with new regulations, reduce technical risks, and protect against data breaches. MarTech isn’t just there to win you more money, but also to protect your customers.  

Remember, flexibility is key. In the end, the best platforms are the ones that grow with you, not ones you have to grow into. Treat your MarTech stack like a box of Lego, building it one piece, or one functionality, at a time. When you’re ready, you’ll have the Eiffel Tower of MarTech platforms.  

To learn more about how to build a tailored MarTech stack, get in touch with the Acoustic team today.