CrownPeak Technology's VP of sales and marketing explains the importance of both departments working together with one common goal.

It's opening weekend of the new NFL season, and I spent Sunday as I have since I was a kid-- engrossed in the full spectacle of professional football's opening day. The only difference this year was that it was the first year I watched it in high definition with my broadband connected laptop checking out all the new rosters. Thankfully for my family, this day comes but once a year.

But as I sat and watched the opening game, I also thought about something else that's different from when I was a kid. In today's professional sports, especially football, it's much less about watching players grow from draft picks to dynasty players than it is to support your home team as the "skill" players travel from team to team, looking to help them fill gaps and become champions.

This got me to thinking about a familiar challenge in today's digital marketing landscape. When we try to implement a new technology solution to solve a marketing problem we are often not operating as a team, and often avoid looking at new talent to solve a business challenge. 

Even for digital marketing efforts where the website has always been a big lead generator, giving the marketing and sales team an integrated view (much less action) between the site, the CRM system, email campaigns, web analytics and SEO/SEM is like that trip to the Super Bowl--something we always talk about but never find the time to actually do.

But in today's world, making the website work for marketing is no longer something we can just talk about. The website and digital marketing has become an imperative. This challenge is only getting bigger as we begin to integrate other web content and marketing strategies such as RSS, blogs, microsites, landing pages, customer FAQ help sites-- and myriad other web content-related needs. 

So, in this new "game" it's more important than ever that the marketing teams responsible for accomplishing these goals, and the technology teams responsible for reviewing and sometimes implementing these solutions, work together toward a common goal.

First, let's define the problem. It's no secret that it's shared between both groups. Marketers tend to see IT as having no understanding of how technology can support their efforts. One customer I spoke with said, "we're a services company, and when our website is down, the IT group doesn't seem to understand how ugly a 404 error really is and how it affects our brand."

On the other hand, IT tends to view those of us in marketing as failing to understand the true complexity of how technology works together-- and our unrealistic expectations of what can be accomplished given the relative budget, capabilities and skill sets of the existing staff.

In short, as Strother Martin said in one of my all-time favorite movies, "Cool Hand Luke," "what we have here, is a failure to communicate."
 
Most of this can be attributed to the fact that marketing and IT are typically rewarded on different financial metrics. Marketers are usually measured on revenue generation and the IT organization on cost. Marketing wants to blow the budget on the first class flight to Europe, and IT says it's just as functional in the baggage compartment. You still get there, right?

That's hyperbole of course. The reality is somewhere in the middle. So, let's throw it all out there. Let's look to integrate our website with content management, integrate it into our email campaign management system, feed our leads automatically into our CRM system and deliver dashboard reports for all the executives. Basically how will we, in the face of what seems like an overwhelmingly complex technology project, work together with our technology focused colleagues to get the job done?

1. It all about dedication.
There's a great quote that I love that says "dedication is not what others expect of you, it's what you can give to others." The relationship between marketing and IT improves dramatically when you're on the same team. Dedicating a technology focused person to marketing and rewarding them as a marketing team member can do more than just give you an advocate. It can provide you the leverage to do things that are "outside the box", or more creative than you might otherwise be able to do. If you're looking to bridge an existing gap, and can't add headcount, consider outsourcing this function (see No. 2 below).

2. Some technology vendors are people too.
Consider technology solutions that fill a knowledge gap between you and your technology team. Your IT team can't be expected to know everything that can be known about search engine marketing, email campaign management or content management (as examples). So, look to Software-as-Services where you not only get a technology solution, but a dedicated team to help you through the finer points of setting up your email campaigns, workflow, templating as well as your digital marketing strategy. Remember, unlike an installed software vendor, a software-as-a-service vendor is invested in your success.   

3. Consider cross-functional decision teams
Your dedicated "marketing IT" person can lead cross-functional meetings so that deeper issues between rolling out new technology and your marketing team can be solved. This includes things like security, platforms and other more deeply seated technology issues that may need to be addressed. Again, having that marketing technology advocate on your team, can keep the IT folks from waving the magic "it can't work here" wand.

4. Clearly define the roles - and don't be afraid to bring in the experts
IT is typically structured as a support organization -- so saddling them with implementing a new piece of technology that they do not understand is not only unfair -- it is destined to fail. Before you begin the project, clearly define the role (and desire) of the IT organization's ability to integrate -- and support -- the new solution. This includes both the technology aspects and the strategic aspects. For example, how will IT help optimize your new content management solution for search engine optimization? This is where No. 2 can also fit in nicely. A new technology vendor should supplement and complement the IT team-- not threaten them.

5. Consider a new mix of metrics
We've changed the success metrics for marketing at least nine times in the last two years right? So, why haven't IT's success metrics changed for the last 10 years? Their job is at least as demanding as ours, so let's get them invested in the success, not just the efficiency, of the organization. Getting IT involved in the revenue generating part of success will not only win you some converts, but might just surprise you with their willingness to "try some new cool things."  

In short, it's all about being on the same team. And in today's digital marketing game, there's certainly nothing wrong by bringing in the free agent vendor who not only fills a technology gap - but also helps us become better marketers. And, in the end - when we win the game, we all get to hold up the trophy. Now if I can just get it in high def…. 

Rob Rose is VP, sales and marketing at CrownPeak Technology. Read full bio.