The Importance of Aligning Marketing and IT Teams For Successful Martech Implementation and Management
It Takes Both Sides to Build an Effective Martech Stack
Martech solutions have bridged the gap between marketing and technology to empower marketers with advanced tools to run marketing operations effectively. However, are the technology and marketing personnel behind it in perfect sync to make the most of their martech stack?
The IT team and marketing team need one another more than ever before to successfully implement and integrate martech platforms.
But, like most cross-team challenges, all may not be well with the disparate teams.
According to a Leapfrog marketing institute study, it was found that just 30% of marketing executives consider their relationship with IT to be collaborative and productive. And, even more stunning – just about 13% of IT leaders concur to the same.
One of the biggest reasons why marketers struggle to implement and utilize their martech stack effectively is because of alignment issues with their IT counterparts.
Why the Divide Between IT and Marketing Teams?
Let’s face it – There can be a stark difference in the way both teams think and act. While the marketing team tends to focus on generating more leads, customers and profit for the business, the IT team focuses on implementing the right technology and lowering expenses.
There may be conflicting views on either side wherein the marketers take the creative road to design campaigns based on the emotions of the customers and the IT team focuses primarily on data or functional aspects.
Besides, the proliferation of cloud-based technologies has paved the way for a growing trend called – ‘Shadow IT’ which involves the management of IT applications and infrastructure without the knowledge or approval of the enterprise’s IT department.
This has only increased the gap between the marketing and technology teams more and more.
Bridging the Gap – Why Is it Essential for Martech Management
It’s essential for both the IT and marketing team to explore synergies and be involved together in martech management right from the start. Marketing technology is the right place to combine the skills of both teams. This way both the teams will understand the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind marketing technologies to aptly power their marketing processes.
Research released by McKinsey showed that companies whose chief marketing officers (CMOs) are “integrators,” working with their colleagues in IT to reach company goals, are more successful and grow their revenues by 10% annually than those who don’t work together.
In the same survey, at the other end of the spectrum – 52% of companies with lower growth rates admitted that their CMO and CTO rarely interact.
High-performing companies are more likely to engage marketing and technology personnel to work as one team to aid collaboration, decision-making, fast approvals, and testing of new ideas. As a result, this creates a holistic convergence between the creative and analytical skills of either team.
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Actionable Recommendations to Align Marketing and Technology Team for Martech Success
Here’s how the teams can foster a better working relationship and fulfill customer experience promises:
Establish Shared Goals
Establish common goals between either team to eliminate friction. Give both teams the same objective with function-specific key results and designate team managers to report progress and integrate to know how each other is contributing towards the common objective.
Make Purchases Together
A Walker Sands Communications study found that nearly two-thirds of marketers have led a marketing technology purchase decision, including more than half of entry-level marketers. However, all the stakeholders need to be involved in the purchase decision.
Communication is Key
From kick-off to lift-off, IT and marketing need to be together and celebrate milestones together. Therefore, remove the friction with open communication and regular cross-team meetings. For implementing an on-premises martech platform, set up mutual SLA for all activities dependent on IT and set expectations right from the beginning.
Enlist the Support of Martech Consultants
You can also consider outsourcing your martech management function to an integrated marketing technology services company that will help you manage these platforms and use them efficiently. They will have a dream team of marketers and IT to align goals, optimize your martech stack and drive results.
Martech platforms provide a great opportunity for marketers and techies to bring their unique strengths to the table. Marketers may be experts at connecting with customers, but without valuable tech knowledge, they may not be able to do so at scale. However, when both teams find the middle ground with martech – they can deliver transformational success.
So, how aligned are your marketing and IT teams? And, what are some of the strategies you use to remove friction between both teams and manage your martech stack? We’d love to hear back from you. Write to us at [email protected].
