ICYMI - Decideware Webinar Key Takeaways - MarTech Implementations

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, the need for effective and efficient marketing technology (MarTech) software has become more crucial than ever before. In this webinar, hosted by Decideware in partnership with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), dove into the importance of high-quality MarTech software implementation, with a special focus on the foundational principles of cooperation and communication between client and MarTech provider. Understanding the impact of such collaboration on customer organizations can be transformative for marketing & organizational success.

Led by Decideware’s Kimberly Pardo & Richard Benyon, the webinar took a unique look at the implementation process from both the supplier and client point of views, providing a sneak-peek under the hood of tier-1 software implementations. Exploring points ranging from the selection of the right software/supplier for your organization to the continued support of your new system, they provided a comprehensive look into what makes great client/supplier relationships tick before, during, and after and implementation.

Several key considerations when implementing a new MarTech platform shook themselves out of the discussion and Q&A session following the main session. They include:

1. Cooperation and Communication: Establishing a clear and open line of communication between the client and the MarTech provider is essential. This collaborative approach ensures that the provider understands the client's needs, goals, and expectations, enabling them to tailor their solutions accordingly. Regular communication also helps in addressing any challenges or concerns that may arise during the implementation process before they get left dangling.

2. Alignment with Business Goals: Ensuring that your MarTech stack aligns with your organization's overall objectives is crucial. Documenting and prioritizing requirements is key in the supplier selection process and successfully implementing the right tools to support and enhance your marketing strategy.

3. Integration and Interoperability: Seamless integration between various MarTech tools and platforms is essential for streamlined processes and effective data management. Choosing software solutions that can "talk" to each other will help you get the most out of your investment.
   
   
   
4. Analytics: Knowledge is power. Uploading good data into a functional application can provide answers to support business questions at various levels. This is one you have to get out in front of early - first ask yourself what questions you need answers to, and your supplier partners likely have a data strategy that can help generate the relevant information. 

5. Skilled Workforce & Thoughtful Training Material Development: A well-trained and skilled workforce is vital for effective MarTech implementation. Ensuring that your team has the knowledge and expertise to manage these tools will maximize their potential and drive better results. Consistent material terminology and proper storage of these documents will be invaluable as your team structure shifts & new people start work with you. 

6. Nothing Beats a Single Point of Contact: While it is important to have all stakeholders’ voices considered and heard throughout the process of implementation, having a single point of contact on the client and supplier side to interface with sets great implementation apart from the others. A single point of contact can provide a synthesized voice for their organization, taking into account all internal stakeholders positions and desired timelines. This single point of contact also can keep leadership teams informed of project status, driving further organizational support for the project.

Being able to measure whether or not your implementation is just as important. As outlined by Pardo, the below are clear markers to look at when evaluating if your implementation went according to plan.

A successful implementation - after the dust settles:

• The customer is using the tool
• Collaboration is happening with both internal and external organizations through the tool
• Enhances the consumer experience by providing data and metrics to key decisionmakers
• Allows for partnering with other providers via API calls, etc. and these features are functioning without glitches.
• Your organization feels confident treating the platform as a single source of truth to fuel the operation and direction of your marketing organization.

These considerations are important to keep in mind as you search for, and implement a new piece of MarTech into your organization. Whether you are looking to better manage your digital communication strategy, or the relationships you have with your agency partners, these tips can enhance your efficiency and effectiveness getting these tools up and running. 

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ANA Members can watch the recorded webinar session here: Decideware Webinar - March 2023

If you’d like to view but aren’t an ANA Member, reach out directly to Joe Herrada (joe.herrada@decideware.com).

Finally, If you have any questions regarding how Decideware's Agency Relationship Management Platform can help you better manage your agency relationships, visit our website here.