APRIL 2019CIOAPPLICATIONSEUROPE.COM 19cXoinsights huge amount has been written about the explosion in marketing technology (MarTech) and its vendor ecosystem. It's a sector that's seen unprecedented growth, both in terms of venture capital investments (over $80b since early 2010) and a number of vendors. From just 150 vendors in 2011, the MarTech landscape of early 2019 boasts almost 7,000 vendors, according to Scott Brinker. However, more options don't always mean more success. We've all seen the horror stories of failed projects, like the BBC's $100m write-off of its Digital Media Initiative. At the same time, ignoring the new landscape is not an option. In an increasingly competitive environment, if you don't utilize some of these new technologies to get more productive, faster and more innovative, others will ­ and they'll out-compete you. Three Frequently-Overlooked Factors For A Successful ImplementationBased on my experience in leading various marketing automation, web content management, mobile app, e-commerce, predictive analytics, and partner platform projects, I'd like to share three factors that are often overlooked ­ but which can make the difference between success and failure.Involve An External Guru Early OnMost marketing leaders know they need to modernize their MarTech stack. However, when it comes to writing requirements or finding the right vendor from the 7,000 options mentioned above, their in-house knowledge often falls short. It's tempting to rely on what you know from the past or what you used at a different company, but that's not going to cut it. You don't know what you don't know in terms of leading-edge capabilities, which is why it's a good idea to bring in an outside expert very early on. A true marketing technology expert can act as a neutral voice that can challenge you during the requirements definition process, and help with the vendor selection process. There's no need for a big consulting team at this point, but if you're planning to spend hundreds of thousands ASTEFAN GASS, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE GROUP (IWG)3OVERLOOKEDFACTORS FORA SUCCESSFUL MARTECH IMPLEMENTATION
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