What your engine is for your car, your MarTech software is for your Marketing Automation practice. Which is to say: it’s a core system and without it you won’t be going far. Just like a car engine, you should be periodically performing a health check of your MarTech. Then, when your needs evolve – maybe you now require more computing power, better efficiency, the latest features, etc. - you can assess if your old systems can live up to your modern marketing needs.
Back when we started our consultancy in 2007, there were already some big MarTech players in the space:
Unica (now run by HCL) was founded in 1992
Eloqua (now owned by Oracle) began in 1999
ExactTarget (now part of the Salesforce Marketing Cloud) began in 2000
Neolane (now rebranded as Adobe Campaign Classic) was written in 2001
Fast forward to today, if you’re still using Unica, Eloqua, SFMC, or Adobe CC, then the source code you’re using could be older than the Junior Analysts using them?!?! And while we love a classic, common sense tells us source code that’s 20-30 years old inherently won’t be as effective and efficient (just like your first car). Plus, you could more easily experience issues with Scalability, Innovation, User Experience, and Security.
Let’s take a second to talk about each one of these:
Scalability: Believe it or not, some of the legacy MarTech tools still require installation and/or self-serve upgrades. Not only does this require hardware (either on-prem or a private cloud), but continual monitoring and maintenance. The more modern solutions are often designed in multi-tenant platforms to scale seamlessly with the growing needs of businesses which allows for potential efficiency gains, reduced downtime, and improved ROI.
Innovation: With the layers of coding residue that the legacy MarTech tools have amassed, they are less able to nimbly add net new features and capabilities. And frankly, they spend more time on break-fixes and patches in attempt to stay current with the industry trends…so you can forget innovative. It’s going to be the newer tools that find sensible ways to incorporate other technologies.
User Experience: Newer platforms often prioritize user-friendly interfaces and intuitive workflows. If your team finds it challenging to navigate the user interface styling of the 2000’s, upgrading to a more user-friendly solution can enhance productivity and engagement.
Security: Older technologies might have vulnerabilities that can pose security risks. Upgrading to a modern solution often means benefiting from enhanced security features and compliance measures.
Remember, in the race for marketing success, sticking with legacy MarTech tools is like trying to win the Grand Prix in a vintage car – it might have style, but it lacks the horsepower needed for today's competitive landscape. Upgrade your MarTech engine, shift into the fast lane of efficiency, and let your marketing campaigns race ahead with the power of cutting-edge technology.