Making the wisest technology choices for your company’s digital marketing program is crucial for sustained growth. A fundamental consideration must be that the technology selected truly supports, enables, and advances your business objectives and strategies.
All too often, the reverse occurs: marketers adopt a new, “shiny” feature and then scramble to justify the investment. This reactive approach can derail marketing programs, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities. Whether driven by internal pressures or the allure of new capabilities, prioritizing technology over strategy is a common pitfall.
Avoiding MarTech Buyer’s Remorse
Selecting a new email or marketing automation platform can feel like choosing a prized gift – exciting, yet potentially leading to buyer’s remorse. It’s incredibly easy to be captivated by the extensive capabilities modern email platforms promise. Features like real-time testing, multi-channel distribution, and automated email building are powerful temptations for any marketer.
However, this focus on features often leads marketers to prioritize technology over underlying strategy. Technology is a powerful tactical tool, but sustainable success comes from leading with a clear strategy to achieve defined objectives, then leveraging technology to facilitate that journey. The guiding principle should always be: Lead with strategy, not with technology.
Harmonizing Strategic and Technology Planning for Success
A comprehensive report from Econsultancy, titled “The Fundamentals of Email Marketing,” provides valuable insights and action plans for successfully integrating strategic and technology planning. This integration is crucial for maximizing your marketing efforts.
Consider this compelling statistic: Econsultancy’s 2016 email census revealed that a mere 3 out of 10 marketers effectively utilize the email data provisions available within their platforms. This underutilization raises critical questions:
- Are marketers unfamiliar with how to leverage these data insights?
- Did they onboard with vendors without fully conceptualizing their data needs for advanced personalization?
The truth is, even a minimal investment in strategic planning can significantly enhance the fruitfulness of your technology use. Another striking figure highlights this: most marketers utilize only 30% of their email platform’s vast capabilities, yet they are paying for 100%.
This gap can often be attributed to a lack of education and training, but more significantly, many features simply don’t align with the marketer’s current strategic playbook. For example, transitioning from broad broadcast emails (1:everyone) to highly personalized 1:1 communication requires more than just subscribing to a premium vendor; it demands a clear strategic roadmap.
A Crash Course in Strategic Planning and Technology
Effective marketing program planning involves three interconnected components: an objective, a strategy, and tactics. Visualizing these as a journey can provide clarity:
- Objective: This is your ultimate destination.
- Strategy: This serves as your detailed roadmap, guiding you to that destination.
- Tactics: These are the various types of vehicles you might use to traverse your roadmap and reach your destination.
- Technology: This represents the specific vehicle itself – the tools that power your tactics.
It is paramount to finalize your technology choices only after determining how they will seamlessly integrate with or actively advance your overarching strategic plan.
3 Essential Tips to Maximize Your Email Platform’s Potential
Beyond establishing a robust strategy to guide your technology decisions, actively collaborating with your Email Service Provider (ESP) is key to unlocking the full power of your email platform. Your ESP is invested in your success, understanding that their platform’s value is realized through your effective utilization of its features and capabilities.
Consider these valuable tips for getting more from your ESP:
- Get Help Troubleshooting Problems: Your ESP has unparalleled access to data regarding system performance and server activity. Leverage this by expecting them to share insights into any issues. A significant advantage of an outsourced ESP is its expertise in handling crucial elements like feedback loop setup and its deep understanding of email marketing best practices.
- Achieve Superior Results: Marketers who implement even fundamental segmentation and triggered email campaigns – whether independently or with the automation tools provided by their ESPs or agencies – consistently report higher engagement rates and increased revenue. Don’t underestimate the power of tailored communication.
- Overcome Concerns About New Programs, Especially Testing: Email testing often feels daunting or unfamiliar to many marketers. Concerns about setup, execution, costs, time commitment, potential lost sales, or simply a lack of familiarity with available methodologies can be paralyzing. Remember, your ESP or technology vendor typically offers dedicated support staff ready to answer your questions, guide you through test setup, help you interpret results, and ensure you extract maximum value from your investment.
The Eight Stages of Successful Email Marketing
Successfully connecting strategy with technology is a foundational principle for any effective email marketing program. Beyond this, a structured approach involves navigating through eight critical stages of successful email marketing, encompassing everything from initial Objectives and Strategy development right through to sophisticated Deliverability Optimization.