A Marketer’s Guide to managing Martech Innovation and Disruption

Chasefive Management

The Essential Checklist for Avoiding Costly Martech Pitfalls and Prepare for Emerging Tech

Business leaders and marketers know that the current pace of innovation in the Martech sector is unprecedented. The latest Martech Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic highlights over ten thousand products spanning over twenty marketing categories. Remarkably, over two thousand new marketing software products, many powered by artificial intelligence (AI), were added in just the second half of 2023 alone.


The drive towards adopting new martech solutions is emphasised by significant financial investment; data from industry analysts reveal a global increase in marketing tech spending. According to a Forrester report, a multi-year martech boom is expected, with global spending projected to rise from $131 billion in 2023 to over $215 billion annually by 2027.


With such a pace of development in marketing software, navigating the complexities of technical, operational, and regulatory compliance can be overwhelming. The risks of misalignment between the intended purpose of marketing technology and its actual use can result in significant costs for organisations of all sizes.


This guide offers a practical checklist to help you avoid issues related to suitability and compliance, ensuring your marketing organization remains protected in a constantly changing environment.

Businesses feel urgency to adopt new martech solutions, while customers expect more.

 

The convergence of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation has sparked an acceleration in marketing technology, compelling businesses to swiftly adapt to compete and thrive. As technology evolves, companies recognise the need to stay competitive. Investing in martech allows marketing teams to deploy more advanced strategies, enhance capabilities, and keep pace with industry trends. Martech solutions enable businesses to understand customer behaviour and tailor marketing efforts accordingly. At the same time, consumers demand personalised experiences, seamless interactions, and relevant content, all of which requires martech to execute.


Businesses feel urgency to adopt new martech solutions, while customers expect more.

 

The convergence of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation has sparked an acceleration in marketing technology, compelling businesses to swiftly adapt to compete and thrive. As technology evolves, companies recognise the need to stay competitive. Investing in martech allows marketing teams to deploy more advanced strategies, enhance capabilities, and keep pace with industry trends. Martech solutions enable businesses to understand customer behaviour and tailor marketing efforts accordingly. At the same time, consumers demand personalised experiences, seamless interactions, and relevant content, all of which requires martech to execute.


Marketing technology shelf life getting shorter amid ‘time to value’ uncertainty.

 

Organisations aiming to maintain a competitive edge in marketing face the dual challenge of extracting maximum value from their martech investments and keeping pace with swift technological advancements. 

The challenge marketing and tech budget owners need to address is understanding the time-to-value periods of new technology and the longevity of the current marketing technology stack. Sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) are driving rapid progress in marketing technology, with AI startups leading the way with quick, innovative solutions that promise short time-to-value (TTV) periods. 


Cost of inaction in martech adoption.

In a highly competitive marketing landscape, the speed of technological innovation means budget owners recognise the potential costs of inaction and loss of competitiveness as significant concerns. 

Achieving value from martech requires balancing swift deployment with the assurance of substantial returns on investment. 

Marketing decision-makers are squeezed between a push for quick results and the risk that hesitation to adopt new martech solutions can result in missed opportunities, such as revenue loss, decreased customer engagement, and eroding brand relevance. Inactivity undermines a brand's competitive edge, impacting market share and customer loyalty. 


Chasefive Martech Evaluation Checklist: Choosing the Right Software for Your Marketing Organisation.
 

With the number of options available in the market, each promising to revolutionise your marketing efforts, selecting the perfect fit can feel overwhelming. However, making an informed choice is crucial to effectively harness the power of martech, driving growth and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

 

The Chasefive "Martech Evaluation Checklist" guides you through the process of selecting a martech solution that aligns with your organisational goals. This checklist helps identify must-have features and integration capabilities. It involves four stages: assessing business needs, conducting research, selecting vendors, and making an informed decision for future success.


1. Needs Assessment & Feasibility Stage

The journey to selecting the ideal martech solution begins with a thorough Needs Assessment & Feasibility stage. At this early stage, it’s important to clearly define your marketing objectives and ascertain how a new solution can support these goals, whether by enhancing customer engagement, boosting lead generation, or improving personalisation efforts.

This step requires a deep dive into your company’s specific needs, evaluating how the desired functionalities will impact the marketing team and other functions such as sales and customer service operations.

A critical assessment of how each potential tool aligns with your strategic objectives is essential, focusing on its ability to enhance customer experience, improve operational efficiency, and drive revenue growth, starting from defining your marketing needs.

 

Key steps in the Needs Assessment & Feasibility Stage are:

 

  • Defining Marketing Needs: When choosing a marketing technology solution, clarify your objectives for the new tool. Consider functionality, impact on other departments, and ability to enhance customer experience, boost operational efficiency, and contribute to revenue growth. Choose a solution that aligns with your business objectives to achieve marketing goals effectively.

 

  • Evaluate current marketing systems: Evaluate your current marketing systems by assessing your existing marketing technology tools. Understand their functionalities, strengths, and limitations. For instance, evaluate whether your current solution supports your objective.
     
  • Conduct feasibility check: Establish your budget for new marketing software. Ensure your company has necessary resources (e.g., IT support, training capacity) for effective implementation and management.

 

2. Research Stage

The Research Stage of selecting a martech solution involves a detailed examination of potential vendors and their offerings. This involves identifying and shortlisting vendors based on features, pricing, scalability, and industry reputation. This stage is vital for narrowing down choices to solutions that offer the right tools, support, and potential for growth alongside your business.

Key steps in the Research Stage are:


Identify vendors: Research and shortlist potential martech vendors based on features, pricing, scalability, and industry reputation.


Understand the martech solution: Review vendor technical information, case studies, and customer reviews to understand each solutions capabilities and potential fit for your needs. Specifically looking at:

 

  • Features and functionality: Deep dive into the features and functionalities offered by the martech solution. Does it address your specific needs and provide the capabilities you require?
  • Integrations: Consider how well the solution integrates with your existing marketing technology stack and other essential business systems (e.g., CRM, CMS). Seamless integration is crucial for a cohesive workflow. Evaluate how well the martech solution integrates with existing tools and systems, including CRM, data analytics platforms, and other marketing software.
  • Scalability and growth potential: Can the martech solution scale with your business growth? Ensure it can handle increasing data volumes and evolving marketing needs. Ensure the solution can scale with your business and adapt to changing marketing strategies and technologies.
  • Customisation: Does the solution offer customization options to adapt to your specific workflows and processes?
  • Security and compliance: Evaluate the data security measures offered by the martech solution. Ensure it complies with relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) based on your location and target market.
     

Examine the user experience (UX). Assess the usability of the solution for everyday users, not just IT professionals. A good UX can significantly impact adoption rates and productivity. Consider the learning curve and whether the vendor offers training and support.

In the research stage develop a list of key criteria to evaluate each software solution, including all the points listed above.


3. Selection stage

The selection stage of the marketing technology evaluation process goes beyond just comparing features; it involves a deep dive into how each option can serve your unique business needs and enhance your team's efficiency. This step involves engaging with vendors and reviewing their platforms through demos and free trials, rigorously comparing their offerings, and evaluating each vendor's reputation and support system.

Key steps in the Selection Stage are:


Request demos and free trials: Schedule demos with shortlisted vendors to get a hands-on experience with the software. Utilize any free trial periods offered to further assess usability and functionality.
 

Compare and contrast: Compare shortlisted software based on your selection criteria, demo experiences, and pricing plans.


Evaluate vendor reputation and support: Research the vendor’s track record, customer service reputation, and the robustness of their support and training offerings. Consider the vendor’s stability and long-term viability to ensure they will be a reliable partner.


4. Decision stage

Selecting the right marketing software for your organisation culminates in the decision stage, where careful negotiation and strategic assessments become paramount. At this point, it's essential to not only finalise the terms with your chosen vendor but also to secure the necessary internal approvals.

This stage involves a delicate balance of negotiating contract terms, pricing, and implementation specifics while also conducting a thorough risk versus reward assessment to ensure the chosen solution aligns with your company's long-term goals and scalability needs.


Navigating this final phase paves the way for a successful technology adoption that not only meets your current requirements but also supports your future growth.


Key steps in the Decision Stage are:


·     Negotiate contract: Once you've chosen the preferred vendor, negotiate contract terms, pricing, and implementation details.

·     Obtain approval: Secure internal approvals from relevant stakeholders before finalizing the purchase.

·     Risk vs. reward assessment. Consider the trade-offs between the potential benefits (reward) and the risks associated with the solution. Evaluate factors such as implementation complexity, ongoing maintenance, and scalability.

Charting a path to Martech success


Whether you are just beginning to explore the possibilities of adopting new marketing technology solutions or upgrading your existing martech stack, the journey is strategic and demands careful consideration at every turn. From clearly defining your marketing needs and assessing the feasibility of new solutions to conducting thorough research on potential vendors and making an informed decision, each step is crucial in selecting a martech solution that aligns with your business objectives.

Remember, the goal is not just to adopt the latest technology but to choose tools that genuinely enhance your marketing capabilities, foster better customer relationships, and drive your business towards sustained growth.


As you navigate this process, keep your strategic goals at the forefront, ensuring that every decision contributes to the broader vision of your company's success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.


Join the FAPI Marketing Framework™ Academy to learn more about marketing team resource planning and team building.

The Importance of Rationalizing Marketing Metrics

By Chasefive Management • July 27, 2025
Within the FAPI Marketing Framework, the rationale behind categorizing metrics into Delivery Metrics, Performance Metrics, and Impact Metrics is to ensure a comprehensive and multi-layered evaluation of marketing effectiveness, facilitating strategic decision-making and continuous performance improvement. This categorization, crucial for the Insights Module, helps to make sense of marketing data and effectively evaluate outcomes.

Understanding the Modern Marketing Management Skills Matrix

By Chasefive Management • July 24, 2025
Based on the FAPI Marketing Framework Official Guidebook, a modern marketing manager or Plan Master requires a diverse and comprehensive skill set to effectively navigate the complexities of contemporary marketing. Their role is central to leading projects, ensuring alignment, and driving results across the entire marketing process. The key skills and competencies of a modern marketing manager or Plan Master are centred on four key areas: Leadership & Management Strategic & Analytical Technical & Operational Interpersonal & Communication 1. Leadership & Management Skills Project Leadership and Oversight: The Marketing Manager leads the implementation of the FAPI Marketing Framework within the organization, overseeing the entire project lifecycle and ensuring all steps are completed efficiently. They provide leadership and coordination throughout the process of translating strategic vision into execution requirements. They are responsible for making key decisions during execution, especially when unexpected situations or adjustments are necessary. Team Building and Empowerment: They are responsible for forming the virtual marketing team, selecting individuals with the necessary skills and expertise, whether internal staff or external contractors. The Marketing Manager must take a holistic view when building the team, understanding the dynamics involved to ensure optimal performance. They act as a coach, supporting and empowering Production Executives by identifying and removing roadblocks and ensuring they have the necessary resources and support. Fostering a positive and collaborative team environment where members feel comfortable expressing themselves is essential. Resource Management and Financial Acumen: They oversee the financial management of the FAPI Framework, ensuring a return on marketing investment performance. This includes assessing resource availability, developing an allocation plan, and continuously monitoring and adjusting financial, human, and technological resources. They must ensure the Production Executive team is appropriately resourced. Quality Control and Efficiency Promotion: The Marketing Manager promotes a quality mindset within the marketing organization, focusing on reducing errors and friction at every step of the Production stage. They use transparent Production practices to allow for retrospective analysis to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies. The Framework is designed for systematic review and continuous improvement, which the Marketing Manager champions. Process Optimization: They can use techniques like the '5 Whys' to identify root causes of productivity shortfalls and streamline workflows.

How to align your MarTech stack with business strategy and operations

By Author: Emiliano Giovannoni • July 17, 2025
In the increasingly complex world of marketing operations, deploying the right marketing technology (MarTech) requires more than just selecting the latest tools. It requires a structured approach that aligns with both productivity and performance objectives. The FAPI Marketing Framework™, developed by Chasefive, offers a strategic blueprint for this process through a dual-lane deployment model: the Productivity Lane and the Performance Lane. This two-swimlane schema ensures MarTech implementation is both operationally efficient and strategically impactful. Each lane comprises four progressive stages: Core Logic , Business Processes , Systems , and Outcomes . Let’s take a look at how this view helps businesses structure their MarTech stack for maximum effectiveness. 1. Core Logic. Defining the Foundation Every successful MarTech deployment begins with a clearly defined Core Logic. This stage sets the fundamental principles that guide how tools and processes are structured. In the Productivity Lane , the Core Logic is rooted in the Marketing Operational Structure . This includes clearly defined marketing roles, scopes of work (SOW), and team responsibilities, ensuring everyone understands their role in the execution engine. In the Performance Lane , the Core Logic is defined by the Marketing Strategy Model . This includes your resource allocation rationale and how well these decisions align with broader strategic objectives. It ensures that performance tools serve a purpose beyond execution; they support strategic goals. 2. Business Processes. Structuring Workflows With foundational logic in place, the second stage involves building out Business Processes that serve as the operational spine for the MarTech stack. Productivity Lane processes include clear marketing production workflows , defined roles and rituals, and coordinated resource allocation. These ensure work moves efficiently across teams with clarity and consistency. At the same time, the Performance Lane processes focus on end-to-end data flow and seamless performance data capture, integration, and analysis. This structure enables a holistic view of marketing outcomes and supports evidence-based decision-making. 3. Systems. Selecting the Right Tools Only after the processes are in place should technology tools be evaluated, selected, and integrated. Productivity Lane systems include your management tools , such as collaboration platforms, project management software, and administrative solutions that keep operations running smoothly. Performance Lane systems are your marketing campaign tools . These include platforms for campaign activation, tracking, and optimization, ensuring marketing efforts are tied to measurable business goals. 4. Outcomes. Driving Results Through Structure The final stage of the MarTech schema links tools to their outcomes. The Productivity Lane focuses on driving operational productivity, grounded in marketing structure and workflows, which helps teams deliver more efficiently and consistently. Therefore, the outcomes measured in the Productivity Lane are linked to production metrics, examining efficiency and execution against operational targets. The Performance Lane focuses on strategic and commercial performance, as it is tied to the marketing model and data flow, enabling the achievement of customer-specific outcomes aligned with commercial objectives. The outcomes measured in the Performance Lane are linked to commercial targets. The Chasefive MarTech Deployment Schema is designed to ensure that every technology decision in marketing is made in context, not in isolation. It brings structure and strategic alignment to MarTech implementation by dividing the deployment process into two interconnected project lanes. At its core, this schema is about relevance—ensuring each tool, process, and integration directly supports either operational efficiency or commercial outcomes. Rather than selecting technology based on feature sets, vendor hype, or isolated departmental needs, the FAPI Marketing Framework™ model anchors decisions in a broader strategic and operational logic.

The commoditization of marketing production in the era of AI and the shift from volume to value

By Author: Emiliano Giovannoni • July 7, 2025
A long-standing, well-known recipe for marketing success is driven by a simple equation: more output equals more results. This involves gaining visibility through increased volume and pacing by activating more channels, campaigns, posts, articles, and so on to secure greater exposure. The dominant strategy of ' volume marketing ' relies on increasing output to enhance performance. Marketers would focus on ramping up production and releasing campaigns at increasingly rapid speeds to cut through the noise, and for many, this approach has proven effective. The future of volume marketing and zero marginal cost scenario in marketing production In the age of AI, this once-reliable strategy is experiencing diminishing returns. As more output is generated, it becomes increasingly difficult for any single message to stand out, and the content becomes less valuable to users. The process of commoditization of marketing production began with the offshoring of marketing production services, where a significant portion of marketing tasks was shifted to low-cost economies. Artificial intelligence has compounded this effect, accelerating the shift toward a zero marginal cost scenario in marketing production. The AI productivity boost to marketing output means we are approaching a world saturated with content, and simply doing more is no longer enough. EEAT and the shift from volume to value To address the challenge of distinguishing content in an environment where virtually unlimited content can be produced at a fraction of the cost, Google introduced the E-E-A-T guidelines (E-E-A-T, stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). These guidelines are used to evaluate the quality of newly published web pages and their content, recognizing and rewarding material that is original, authoritative, and trustworthy.

How the FAPI Marketing Framework promotes collaboration

By Chasefive Management • June 15, 2025
In today's fast-paced business environment, marketing can't afford to operate in a silo. When sales, product development, and marketing teams aren't on the same page, the result is often a disjointed customer experience and wasted effort. But how can organisations bridge these departmental divides? The FAPI Marketing Framework offers a powerful solution, creating a structure that doesn't just manage tasks, but actively cultivates collaboration. The framework's strength lies in its ability to foster a unified, cohesive approach to all marketing efforts. Let's explore the key mechanisms it uses to break down silos and get everyone pulling in the same direction. Building a Unified Front with Cross-Functional Teamwork At its core, the FAPI Framework is built on the principle of inclusion. It explicitly champions the creation of cross-functional teams, ensuring that key stakeholders from across the organisation are involved in the marketing process from the outset. This isn't just about inviting other departments to a meeting; it's about embedding them into the process. Through structured "project events," representatives from various departments actively participate and contribute. This inclusive approach dismantles the "us vs. them" mentality and fosters a powerful, shared sense of ownership and accountability for the success of marketing initiatives. When everyone has a hand in building the plan, everyone is invested in its success. Clarity Through Structure: Defined Roles for Seamless Coordination Collaboration can be chaotic without clear leadership and structure. FAPI addresses this by establishing well-defined roles that facilitate, rather than hinder, teamwork. Two roles are particularly critical for ensuring smooth marketing coordination : The Plan Master: This individual is the central hub for collaboration. The Plan Master is responsible for assembling the dedicated project team, enabling effective communication between all members, and coordinating the various activities required to achieve the marketing objectives. They act as the conductor, ensuring all parts of the orchestra are playing in harmony. Functional Leads: These individuals are the experts from different functional areas (like digital, content, or product marketing). They provide essential cross-functional support by coordinating resources and lending their expertise to the plan. Functional Leads collaborate directly with the Plan Master to develop specific modules of the strategy, ensuring that every component is both effective on its own and perfectly aligned with the broader plan. The Cornerstone: Promoting Communication and Understanding Finally, the FAPI Framework promotes the single most important ingredient for successful collaboration: communication. By creating a structured environment where different departments are required to interact, the framework naturally enhances communication and deepens mutual understanding. This constant dialogue minimises the risk of misalignment between marketing activities and overarching business objectives. It ensures that the creative campaign designed by the marketing team supports the sales team's targets and reflects the latest product updates from the development team. The result is a cohesive strategy where all efforts are synchronised and contribute directly to the organisation's most important goals. In short, the FAPI Framework is more than just a tool for planning—it's a blueprint for building a collaborative culture that drives powerful, unified results.

Marketing accountability, how the FAPI Framework makes accountability crystal clear

By Chasefive Management • May 31, 2025
In the world of marketing, accountability can sometimes feel like a moving target. But what if there was a system that made progress and responsibility visible at every turn? The FAPI Marketing Framework does just that, and one of its key mechanisms is the use of Defined Deliverables at each stage. The FAPI Framework is designed to highlight accountability in marketing , ensuring efforts align with overall business objectives. While it establishes clear roles and responsibilities and emphasizes performance measurement, cross-functional collaboration, continuous improvement, and budgetary accountability, the structure of its deliverables is a powerful tool for transparency. The Framework is structured with clear deliverables at each stage, which makes progress and accountability visible. Think of these deliverables as essential milestones, showing exactly what should be completed at each phase of the project and who is responsible for delivering it. This ensures that responsibilities are met throughout the project stages. Here's a look at the specific deliverables associated with each module in the FAPI Framework, as outlined in the source: For the Frame Module, the deliverable is the Strategy Brief. This brief outlines the business vision and strategic goals, setting the foundation for the entire project. Its completion signifies that the initial strategic direction has been defined and agreed upon. Moving to the Architecture Module, the deliverable is the Marketing Playbook. This is a detailed operational document designed for execution, translating the strategy into concrete plans and processes. Having this document ready demonstrates that the operational blueprint is complete. In the Production Module, the deliverable is the activities themselves. This means the tangible output of the marketing work – whether it's creative assets, campaign launches, content creation, etc. – serves as the deliverable. This directly shows that the execution phase is underway and producing results. Finally, for the Insights Module, the output consists of reports and recommended actions. This deliverable shows the results of performance analysis and provides data-driven suggestions for next steps.  These defined deliverables act as checkpoints, ensuring that progress is visible and that stakeholders are held accountable for their contributions at each phase of the project. By clearly outlining what needs to be produced at every step, the FAPI Framework builds transparency and ensures that marketing efforts contribute effectively to the organization's overall success. Don't let accountability be an afterthought! Enroll in the FAPI Marketing Framework Certification Course today and gain the skills to lead effective, transparent, and accountable marketing initiatives that deliver measurable results.
More posts