How Not to Lose Focus When Building (and Using) Your Marketing Tech Stack

• This article originally was published on forbes.com here.

Today, there are virtually unlimited options for marketers when it comes to SaaS marketing technologies.

Sometimes, it seems like you get ten requests each day asking you to try a new one to increase your conversion rates or develop a content calendar. This isn’t a coincidence — marketing technology has exploded in recent years. In fact, NewsCred reports that there were at least 3,874 software brands in business at the start of 2016. There are even awards for marketing technology stacks called the Stackie Awards by ChiefMarTech.com’s Scott Brinker.

To make matters even more confusing, most of these requests center on marketing buzzwords like “social media marketing,” “content marketing,” “conversion funnel” and more.

If you’re not careful, it’s easy to lose your focus and forget why you started the process in the first place.

What Is a Marketing Tech Stack?

To understand how to choose the right marketing tech stack, you’ve first got to understand what a tech stack is and why it matters.

While the phrase “marketing tech stack” is commonly used to refer to a single space, like content marketing, tech stacks can, and frequently do, include analytical tools, list curation tools, marketing automation tools, and more.

In a general sense, Optimizely defines marketing tech stacks as a “grouping of technologies that marketers leverage to conduct and improve their marketing activities.”

Choosing the Right Mix

The critical first step to maintaining your focus as you work on your marketing tech stack is to choose the right mix.

This involves considering factors like your budget and need and the functionality of the product at hand. Ideally, all of these factors will work together, in cooperation with one another, to help you meet your marketing goals.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to choosing the right tech stack for you:

1. Start at the Roots

Choosing a tech stack can be an intimidating process, and it’s tough to know where to begin. Combat the confusion, however, by starting at the foundation and working up. A great resource is G2 Crowd which amasses user reviews of marketing technology to help you weigh the pros and cons of each marketing software system.

First things first, align your tech stack with your IT department. Remember that it’s impossible to facilitate great marketing without great IT backing, so it’s essential to ensure the two branches work well together. With this in mind, enlist the help of your IT department as you move forward into choosing a tech stack that works for you.

2. Define a Budget

Tech stacks come in all shapes, sizes and expenses, so it’s essential to define a budget before you go about choosing one.

Not only will this narrow your search by allowing you to evaluate only the in-budget options, but it will help you make financially responsible decisions regarding your tech stack and its deployment.

Today, most modern marketing budgets range from 10 to 40 percent of a company’s annual projected revenue, so it’s wise to choose a tech stack that falls within that range and takes into account any unique budget concerns your company may have.

3. Consider Your Needs

The needs of a well-funded startup will be different than those of a large, established, enterprise-level firm. Consider your marketing and technology needs as you shop for tech stacks and consider how the tech stack you like will grow with you and support your goals throughout.

4. Paint a Complete Picture

Now that you know what your IT department wants and can support, what you can afford and what you’ll need in the way of technology, it’s time to select and build your tech stack. Check out these 41 different marketing tech stacks for inspiration.

Keep in mind that these factors may change down the road and it’s always smart to adjust your approach when they do.

Focused Tech Stack Selection for Better Results

While maintaining your focus while selecting and building a tech stack can be difficult, these four simple tips can help you stay between the lines and ensure you wind up with a tech stack that truly benefits your company and marketing efforts.

What does your marketing tech stack look like?

Charlie Riley is a marketing, business development and communications professional with experience across multiple industries. Follow Charlie on Twitter at @charlieriley, on Medium or connect on LinkedIn.