Like good Yeti guides, we also thought about these questions within the context of the MRM universe and our own team. While we found that it was easy to answer questions like “What do we want to accomplish in 2020?” (Hint: It has to do with delighting our customers!), questions like “How will we track our efforts to measure our success this year?,” “Do we have access to reliable data?,” and “Do we have the tools that we need to run our program?” gave us a lot to consider.
Here are a few lessons we have learned and want to share:
1. Understand your goals and how you will track them.
Understanding your goals is one thing, really understanding how you will measure and shape programs around them is another. Make time to write down the specific objectives in terms of marketing programs, channels, key performance indicators you want to track, and challenges you faced last year. It is good to have this list handy as we go through the next set of items in this list.
2. Make a list of all the tools you use to discover which tech you really need and which tech you could live without.
We did this exercise internally and discovered a whole host of tools and applications the team was using, and the organization was paying for. When you do this exercise in house, we expect that you will discover overlap, technology that you aren’t using anymore, or duplication across the team. Unnecessary tools and applications are a drain on resources and over time it can be hard to keep track of what you are subscribed to unless you pay attention to the bills.
3. Make your tools work for you by performing a marketing automation platform clean up.
It does not matter which platform you use (HubSpot, Marketo, Mailchimp, Marketing Cloud, Pardot); you likely have accumulated duplicate contacts and individuals who are no longer engaged, templates and automated programs that are no longer relevant, and fields to collect data that are now outdated. As we dug into our own CRM in January, we discovered that these out of date components created a lot of noise and distraction, and by cleaning them out we could really focus on the tools and data that would push our program forward.
Addressing the need for system clean up could also help prevent tangible and unnecessary costs to your organization:
- Paying for contacts you are not using; we find most organizations are overpaying for data by 25-30%.
- The time it takes your team to execute programs and figure out what list and automation program to use. This is a real drain on the ability to be creative as well.
- The sender score is the ability for your emails to be delivered to clients and prospects. Not cleaning your marketing automation platform could permanently damage your ability to send any email to anyone.
4. Integrations between systems are important for you and your customer.
Having access to the data you need to make decisions not only means making sure that your individual systems are in working order, but that all your systems are better connected. You may find that there is information in one system that would benefit the organization to be in another. Integrating data that lives in your Marketing Automation platform can also inform a more personalized experience for your customers!
5. Make time to think about reporting early.
Reporting is the most common request we get at the end of the year, especially from marketing teams who need to report on Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), Influence on Sales/Revenue, and Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI). Whether you decide to improve the configuration of your current tool or invest in a better one, it is easier to do this early on in your programs rather than at the point where you desperately need data for reporting.
We love technology and how it helps us keep track of the complicated world we live in but hate overpaying for tools and contacts we are not using. As you kick off new programs this year, it’s a great time to assess if you are getting the best value out of your technology investments and if it is really making your life easier.
If this exercise makes you feel stuck or stressed about your tech stack, never fear! Contact us today to connect with a Yeti guide and get the help you need!
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