• There are five common scenarios for why B2B organizations choose to migrate from one MAP to another
  • B2B organizations often migrate without understanding the implications and dependencies
  • Marketing automation must be an iterative process, with optimization as a necessary part of the journey, regardless of platform

We often hear from our clients that they are interested in migrating from their existing marketing automation platform (MAP) for another platform. In today’s B2B environment, MAP swapping is common. When should an organization consider a MAP migration? In this blog post, the first in a series on the topic, we will discuss five common scenarios of MAP switching:

MAP migration

  • Acquisition. An acquisition or merger may trigger MAP migration. In most cases, the reason is based on the need to consolidate systems, combine operations, eliminate redundancies and drive greater efficiency.
  • Business needs. MAP migration often takes place when the needs of the business change and the current platform is no longer able to meet the specific requirements of the marketing organization. This scenario also includes organizations that have a poor customer experience or have other relationship issues with their current MAP vendor.
  • Reduce costs. When marketers are asked to reduce costs, they often look to the marketing technology budget. Marketing automation is priced by the size of the marketing database, along with additional features and functionality. If migration is considered based on a cost scenario, the organization should perform careful analysis. The process of migrating MAPs often increases the budget for marketing technology, due to indirect costs and the cost factor given to the risks associated with migration.
  • Failed implementation. Organizations often put MAPs in place without the proper care and consideration of the lead management process, database strategy, campaign approach or reporting needs. Often, it is not the system that has failed – but rather the strategy, governance, process, positioning or people need to be re-evaluated to diagnose the problem. Migrating to another MAP may not be the answer.
  • Technology stack changes. For many, the main reason behind the MAP selected is the integrations the solution has with other systems (e.g. sales force automation, Web content management, business intelligence). If the organization makes a technology change to its stack, the MAP may be considered for replacement.

In addition to the common scenarios listed above, there are other common mistakes organizations make when considering a migration. These include:

  • Letting low costs drive justification of the migration effort
  • Lack of a formal review process to determine if migration is worth the effort for the potential benefits gained
  • Allowing vendor loyalty to cloud the objective assessment
  • Looking for new technology to fix process or people issues
  • Underestimating or neglecting the change management effects on the organization