The Importance of a Streamlined Marketing Toolstack in 2023.

When I jump into a brand audit, one of the first things I do is look at the toolstack each brand is using to run marketing operations. I put so much emphasis behind your toolstack because it's 2023, and with AI on the scene, it is essential to be efficient and streamline as much as possible so we can focus more on building and engaging with our community than doing backend tasks on our checklist.

AI is not the future. It's the present.?The market dynamics have evolved, and a streamlined marketing operations process isn't just a preference;?it's a necessary next step. And let's be candid: your marketing toolstack either elevates you or pulls you down; there's no middle ground. As fast as things are moving in Marketing today,?it's crucial to audit your tool stack and use tools that will benefit your day-to-day marketing operations.

The Importance of a Marketing Toolstack

Every time I jump into a brand audit, the toolstack is where I start, and for a good reason. It's essentially your marketing operation's backbone, and investing in the correct set of tools can free up your time and resources, allowing you to channel your energies where they are needed the most:?community engagement and building a community behind your brand (Let's be honest this takes a lot of work)

Brand Audit and Toolstack

A well-put-together marketing toolstack is not just about having the best tools in place but ensuring they work in harmony, optimizing your processes seamlessly, and helping your marketing team become more efficient. During a brand audit, I review your tools to identify any redundancies or gaps that might hamper your efficiency. I then build out tools that would help your team become more efficient or help them get more done and put an implementation plan in place for you.

Critical Considerations for Your Toolstack:

Integration Capability:?Look for tools that seamlessly integrate with each other, creating a centralized hub for your marketing efforts. This eliminates the need for manual data transfer and minimizes the risk of errors.

Scalability:?Ensure that your toolstack can handle your current marketing needs while allowing for growth and expansion. It should be able to adapt to your evolving business requirements and support your long-term goals.

User-Friendliness:?Having user-friendly tools is essential to minimize the learning curve for your team members. Complex interfaces and clunky processes can hamper productivity and hinder adoption.

Analytics and Reporting:?Data is the backbone of effective marketing strategies. Ensure that your toolstack provides robust analytics and reporting features, allowing you to accurately measure and track your performance.

Section 4: Steps to Streamline Your Toolstack

Let's not beat around the bush. Here's what you need to do:

1. Audit:?List all your tools and mark the underperformers or where you see a hole.
2. Integration:?Ensure the tools in your stack integrate well and facilitate smooth marketing operations.
3. Training:?Equip your team to utilize these tools to the fullest.

Tools that I recommend for marketing operations:

• Hubspot:?A powerful all-in-one marketing platform that helps you attract, engage, and delight customers by delivering relevant, personalized content.
• Later for B2C: Content scheduling.
• Sprout Social for B2B: Content scheduling.
• Canva:?A graphic design platform that allows you to create stunning visuals for your marketing campaigns.
• Google Analytics:?A web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.

Remember, your toolstack is only as good as the processes you have in place to use them effectively.

Additional Tools Recommended

• Google Docs and?Canva?for building out the quarterly digital marketing strategy and end-of-month reports
• DigitalFirst.ai?to build out marketing tactics
• Airtable?for organization and content marketing process
• Trello?for project management
• Slack?for team and client communication
• ChatGPT?for outlines
• Notion?for resource hubs for templates on brand positioning, competitor analysis, growth strategy & funnel build out, content plan for that quarter, and site map and customer journeys.
• Tailwind app?for Pinterest management
• Klaviyo?for email marketing for B2C
• Beehiiv?for email marketing for personal brands and thought leaders
• Pardot?or?Hubspot?for B2B email marketing
• Attentivehq?for SMS
• Pipedrive_inc,?Klentyhq, and?Eva. boot?for ABM tactics
• Captiv8?for influencer marketing
• Brandchamphq,?Loyaltylion, and?Getokendo?for ambassador, affiliate, and customer marketing
• Semrush,?Buzzsumo, Quora, Google, and Reddit for research

Are you curious about which tools are right for your brand and how to set up a streamlined marketing operations process? Click here to book a time to see how we can work together:?https://pensight.com/x/healthydashofsocial.