Many of us believe that technology is the key to success. We leverage technology as marketers to grow our businesses. It’s good. We often overlook the importance of other factors when adding new martech tools to our stack. It’s common for marketers to manage their limitations before committing to a new device. These include budget, expertise, and bandwidth.
These factors are often more important than the platform regarding marketing automation. The challenge is not finding the right technology but finding the approach to help you achieve your goals.
Should you DIY your marketing automation?
Before investing in marketing automation, deciding whether to go the DIY (do-it-yourself) route or the DIFM (do it for me) path is essential. The DIFM approach is often less traveled but leads to tremendous success. Here’s what the difference is.
A traditional DIY approach involves marketers licensing the platform and completing all operations within their organization. This is a good approach for large enterprises that can afford a dedicated marketing staff.
The DIFM approach is less traditional, as marketers focus on their core tasks, such as creating content and developing marketing campaigns while leaving the tactical management of the platform to the marketing automation provider. This is a good approach for small and mid-sized businesses that need to be more aware of where they spend their marketing dollars.
Can I afford to pay someone else to do the work for me?
Platform experts can help marketers realize the time and resources required to implement a platform. They also know how quickly projects can be implemented and ROI achieved with their assistance. Many are investing in Software as a Service but opting for a Software with a Service approach. So no one is left alone. This is similar to having a personal trainer to help you stay accountable at the gym. A SWaS vendor can help you stay on track with campaigns executed on your behalf. They will also challenge you to utilize additional functionality to achieve better results.
Like most services, the cost depends on the complexity and size of your marketing program. Before incorporating DIFM services, you should discuss the following with your partner:
- How many campaigns do you run per quarter
- Campaign Complexity
- Landing page volume
- Email templates that you use now or wish to use for future campaigns
- What type of analytics and reporting do you need for your business?
DIFM business models are built to make you a long-term, successful use of your platform. You should have access to a team of experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in leveraging all the features of your marketing automation platform. When it comes to implementing more complex campaigns or lead scoring, many marketers need help. The DIFM team is a DIFM partner with a deep understanding of the DIFM solution. This ensures the project progresses, and you get the best ROI from the DIFM platform.