{"id":8270,"date":"2024-07-29T14:22:26","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tup.kxe.temporary.site\/why-marketers-need-generalized-system-understanding\/"},"modified":"2024-07-29T14:22:26","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:22:26","slug":"why-marketers-need-generalized-system-understanding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdesign.ca\/en\/why-marketers-need-generalized-system-understanding\/","title":{"rendered":"Why marketers need generalized system understanding"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In my previous article<\/a>, I listed the six core competencies for those who manage marketing technology. Here, I will explain the first core competency, \u201cgeneralized system understanding,\u201d and what it means to marketers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Defining generalized system understanding for marketers<\/h2>\n

Marketing technology must be aligned with marketing processes<\/a> to realize the most value to companies. This can give marketers an advantage as they are closer to marketing processes and data collection channels.<\/p>\n

However, when some marketers hear \u201cgeneralized system understanding\u201d along with martech, their minds may drift into other initialisms (CDP, EDT) or technical and seemingly abstract concepts.<\/p>\n

In reality, it is less about being an expert in these terms, getting platform certifications and \u201ctalking tech,\u201d but about understanding how data should <\/a>flow through the martech stack and how that can help or hinder the marketing processes. This understanding is less technical and more business-related (i.e., which data should be in each platform of our stack so we can properly use it to engage with your customers?).\u00a0<\/p>\n

This presents a huge change in point-of-view that greatly benefits marketers who work closely with activation points for customer data (throughout all channels) and not only at the top-of-funnel activities (such as promotions, advertising, lead generation, etc.).<\/p>\n

The importance of a systemic view in marketing<\/h2>\n

When you are overly focused on just one type of marketing activity<\/a> (instead of seeing the entire customer cycle and its touchpoints), you cannot have a generalized and systemic view, which is critical when matching martech (tools and platforms) and marketing processes (how teams work around the different marketing activities).\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a marketer, you have a unique perspective that technical teams might miss. This makes your partnership with IT and other technical stakeholders crucial. You can guide developers to make the best technical connections within the martech stack.<\/p>\n

Those insights are also extremely useful when it comes to data privacy documentation and stakeholders, as you will understand what customer data is needed, where and when.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Usually, martech platform benefits are considered for customer-facing activities and communication only. However, they also have the power to improve internal marketing processes, and this is where a lot of these platforms\u2019 value and ROI can come from.\u00a0<\/p>\n

By exploring and connecting martech tools from a marketing perspective, you can increase this technology utilization while also improving your own marketing processes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A systemic view matters more than certifications<\/h2>\n

With a systemic view, you can strategically manage martech platforms by leveraging your experience with marketing processes and understanding customer data flow. The goal is to enhance customer experiences across digital channels and optimize marketing processes for teams and stakeholders.<\/p>\n

As marketing technology evolves, companies face a growing array of platforms. Even with top-tier solutions, they often use a mix of tools. There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach, and what\u2019s right for one company might not work for another.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thus, a systemic view of how these platforms affect marketing processes is more strategic than focusing on specific tools or acronyms. You can provide unique insights to the multidisciplinary team, especially when IT might lack firsthand experience with marketing processes and customer data channels.<\/p>\n

Questions to help you get started:<\/p>\n