If you're like me, you belong to a bunch of Facebook groups. Some are great and some are not so useful. I am in one Facebook group that actually delivers a lot of value.
I spend a lot of time reading through almost every post and comment in this particular group. Recently, there was a question asked in the group: “If you could improve one marketing platform or software, which one would you choose and how would you improve it?
The comments in this discussion were intriguing.
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We know how important technology is when growing your business. It is the foundation of modern marketing. This is how people find your business, or how you get leads. It is no longer an offline activity.
So many people are disillusioned, or have been burned, by making the wrong software choice. Why is this? What can we do about it? Does your software live up to your expectations?
The Expectation Problem With Buying Marketing Technology
In this episode of the Pipeline Ops podcast, I start by digging into why so many people come away disappointed after making an investment (often a big investment) in a marketing platform.
Reason #1
We expect too much from our marketing software.
Reason #2
We trust too much.
Reason #3
We know too little upfront, but we purchase anyway.
How to Make Sure You Continue To Love Your Marketing Software, Even After You Start Using It
Doing upfront research online can be overwhelming, and you’ll drive yourself crazy trying to think of every conceivable question to ask your marketing software sales rep.
The key is to have a ringer on your side.
You need someone that knows every inch of the software and knows the software’s limitations. This person will guide you on what’s possible with the integration and customization of the software. They would also let you know if you need to bend your business process to fit the software instead of doing a lot of customizing.
Use as Much of the Native Marketing Platform as Possible
Established software companies have a methodology and reason behind why they created their software and its specific functions. You need to trust that there is an important purpose for each and every feature of the software. If you bend your business process (within reason) to conform to the software's platforms, you’ll benefit in the long run and you will have to manage less customization.
Having someone with a long-term outlook on your team can help avoid costly missteps before you invest any money into changing your system, training your team, and customizing the data structure. This person will be able to tell you the implications of your decisions and what problems you may run into before you spend a dime.
Regardless of the platform you choose, investing in marketing software is rarely a bad idea. We just sometimes expect and trust too much with little upfront information.
There are a million ways to go off track with a new marketing software because of the potential opportunities it can create for your business. No reward without risk, right? You can eliminate some risk by partnering with someone who can help you make the right upfront decisions, in order to reap the rewards in 1, 2, or even 6 months down the road. This will save you a great deal of time, money and frustration.
