I have always been baffled by one phenomenon particular to our industry: the constant migration from one technology solution to another.
Much to the chagrin of many a technology salesperson, I’ve said many times that no marketing technology, no matter how amazing, is magic. Mastering any solution takes expertise, testing, and time, and you cannot leverage its full potential until then.
So, when a company signs onto a solution and migrates, only to declare a year later, “We need to move again,” it doesn’t make sense. If you were alive during the 80’s, you’ll likely remember an infomercial with the catchphrase, “Stop the insanity!” This equally applies to this situation. Truly, it’s insanity to keep hitting the reset button over and over without looking at the bigger picture.
This is not to say there are not genuine reasons to switch your marketing technologies. Technologies do become outdated, and sometimes a technology does provide a truly miserable customer experience. But I would say that, most of the time, issues stem from a lack of technical expertise and an overall long-term strategy, not from the technology itself.
So many companies are running their marketing programs the way they did twenty years ago. It’s not just lack of expertise. It’s lack of discipline to stick with their solutions when it gets hard. Once again, they expect magic when it takes hard work and time. So, instead they blame their technology and start over, expecting it be different.
If your team is on the verge of tossing out your tech, take a moment to pause and ask yourself some questions.
- Is it really the technology that is the issue, or is something else?
- Is there internal resistance to the technology?
- Has your team been fully trained on the technology?
- Are your goals realistic?
- Is there a resource you can consult to support you with your current technology?
There are partners out there with the expertise to help you make your technology work effectively for you. Give them a chance, and you’ll quickly see results. Restarting and rebuilding will never move your marketing forward, but investing in your marketing technology for the long-term will truly be magical.
If you can use support with your marketing technology, we are the partner you need. Don’t hesitate to reach Shaw + Scott at +1.520.762.4842 and press option 1, or connect through our simple contact form.
