Support Enterprise Marketing with World-Class IT
The marketing landscape needs to be supported by a smart technology strategy. Evaluate which marketing services are right for your organization and review IT support requirements.
- IT has a limited understanding about what marketing automation (MA) technology is, how it can benefit the organization, and how IT can assist in procurement and integration.
- IT and Marketing struggle to get budgetary approval for enterprise marketing management (EMM), email marketing, and lead management automation (LMA) platforms.
- Even when technology is procured and implemented, poor governance often leads to underperformance.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- MA technology is going to be procured with or without IT’s approval. IT must mobilize quickly to act as a strategic partner, helping Marketing ensure a strong business case exists, all requirements are met, a capable vendor is selected, and that policies ensure good governance.
- If IT doesn’t lead the charge, then Marketing will depend on internal power users to oversee technology enablement. IT will still have to integrate the platform and will be responsible for technology failure. Be involved from the beginning to ensure systems are compatible.
- Err on the side of caution when it comes to mandatory requirements. A vendor may be much less expensive if it only provides basic service, but IT must ensure that the solution is meeting all needs before an investment decision is made.
Impact and Result
- Lead the MA-enablement effort by identifying the precise technology that the organization needs.
- Get stakeholder buy-in by promoting the key benefits of the technology and presenting the business case.
- Assist with vendor selection by comparing vendor proposals to organizational requirements and cost constraints to ensure a strong return on MA technology.
- Craft smart policies to ensure good governance and develop a strategy for user training and technology deployment.
Workshop: Support Enterprise Marketing with World-Class IT
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Determine Investment Appropriateness
The Purpose
- Determine if email marketing services, LMA services, or EMM suites are right for your organization.
- Understand the key benefits that email marketing services, LMA services, and EMM suites can provide.
Key Benefits Achieved
- The IT and marketing departments achieve consensus on the marketing technology the organization needs.
- The CIO and CMO gain a tool that they can use to justify investment in marketing technology.
Activities
Outputs
Determine the fit of email marketing services, LMA services, and EMM suites with your organization using the Investment Appropriateness Tool.
- A precise identification of the technology your organization needs.
Interpret the results of the Investment Appropriateness Tool and understand the implications of pursuing technology.
- An explanation of why that technology best suits your organization.
- A list of best practices to consider as you proceed to vendor selection and implementation.
Module 2: Create a Selection Strategy
The Purpose
- Deduce the specific requirements your organization has for the selected technology.
- Submit RFPs to vendors.
- Evaluate sample vendor proposals to select vendor finalists.
- Use a Vendor Demonstration Script for final vendor evaluation.
Key Benefits Achieved
- IT understands the specific requirements they need for email marketing, LMA, and EMM.
- IT is able to evaluate vendors in the space and ensure a commitment to all necessary requirements.
Activities
Outputs
Deduce requirements during a structured discussion.
- A vendor shortlist.
Construct RFP templates for relevant vendors.
- RFPs for all relevant vendors.
Perform a sample analysis using the RFP Scoring Tool.
- A sample RFP Scoring Output.
Discuss use of Vendor Demonstration Script.
Module 3: Ensure Successful Implementation and Governance
The Purpose
- Establish best practices for implementation of selected technology.
- Deduce governance requirements for your organization.
- Understand how specific policies can promote good governance.
Key Benefits Achieved
- IT understands best practices for implementing selected technology.
- IT and Marketing achieve consensus on policies that govern the newly adopted technology.
Activities
Outputs
Discuss past implementation pain points.
- A list of implementation best practices and the key benefits achieved.
Discuss governance concerns.
Identify how best practices in implementation can benefit your organization.
Develop organization-specific policies that will promote good governance.
- A list of policies that will promote adoption and good governance.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 1-phase advisory process. You'll receive 3 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
- Call 1: Evaluate the appropriateness of email marketing, LMA, and EMM solutions
An Info-Tech analyst will discuss how your current marketing and IT processes affect technology appropriateness. Working with the analyst, you will reach a decisive verdict on the technology you need to pursue.
- Call 2: Identify the vendor that works best for you
An Info-Tech analyst will help you review vendor proposals and identify unmet requirements and pricing. The analyst will walk you through the Marketing Automation Technology Selection Tool and help you determine the vendor that best suits your organization.
- Call 3: Craft smart policies that promote good governance
An Info-Tech analyst will examine common pitfalls for your marketing automation technology and your organization’s unique business requirements. Together, you will craft policies that are designed to ensure the platform is adopted, used correctly, and maintained.