The Wrong Way to Buy MarTech

I remember the very first time I met with a director of a marketing operations (MO) group. It was in 2009 and I was blown away that there was an entire department dedicated to running and optimizing technology for the purposes of marketing. In this case, the MO group was in a B2C environment. I certainly had never seen anything like this in the B2B world. Fast forward to 2018 when a dedicated MO team is fundamental to the transformation of B2B marketing from a cost center to a profit center. Technology plays a huge role in the ability to successfully make this transformation. That said, there is a right way and a wrong way to buy technology and too many marketers are doing it the wrong way. This article looks at the why, how and who of buying marketing technology to facilitate a successful marketing transformation. As I reflect on why marketers buy technology, I see two types of marketers who display the wrong reasons for buying technology. The first is “I have to have the bright and shiny toy.” While it is very important to keep up with technological changes, buying technology because it’s the “latest thing” creates a cluttered, under-utilized environment. Another kind of marketer is the technology hoarder. They will pick up random software, bring it to work and never let it go, although it serves no purpose except for taking up space. Clearly, these marketers exemplify the wrong way to buy technology.