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// EDITOR’ S QUESTION //
I work closely with small- and midsized enterprises( SMEs) and businesses( SMBs) to align goals and MarTech solutions. Budget constraints are a recurring challenge, with many SMEs struggling to allocate adequate resources to keep pace in a constantly evolving business environment.
SMEs are acutely aware that good purchasing decisions can positively affect their future. I remind my customers to always take a step back and consider the big picture before committing to any technology contract.
Maximising ROI does not mean selecting a product that meets only current needs. Rather, SMEs need to choose MarTech that can grow with their business, while adapting and evolving to meet the changing needs in their industry.
To simplify decision-making, here are five steps to guide SMEs in software evaluation:
1. Build a compelling business case
SMEs should start by identifying specific challenges facing their organisation and for which they need to understand the root causes.
For CRM systems, challenges may include enhancing revenue growth, improving the customer experience( CX), reducing operational costs and increasing visibility into key business data. A well-defined problem statement will help justify the investment and secure buy-in from marketing, management, IT and other important stakeholders.
For a customer data platform or CDP, challenges may include improving data management, integration and unification. Solving them can boost customer engagement and ROI.
2. Select and tailor your use case
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SMES ARE ACUTELY AWARE THAT GOOD PURCHASING DECISIONS CAN POSITIVELY AFFECT THEIR FUTURE.
optimise the sales process. Similarly, a CDP unifies customer data to create a single customer view. This powers personalised marketing campaigns, better customer segmentation and journey mapping and insights that optimise CX.
3. Prepare your data
SMEs should assess the state and quality of their data and plan for future storage needs. Dirty and incomplete data leads to inaccurate customer insights, inefficient operations and poor decisions.
CRM systems are only as effective as their data and require a strong data foundation. CDPs help maintain quality by centralising and standardising data and providing a unified view of each customer.
4. Define your workforce strategy
SMEs need to evaluate their organisation’ s structure and skillset to determine current capabilities and gaps.
It is important to consider the number of people needed to manage and maintain CRM or CDP systems. Since many modern software solutions are vendor-hosted and managed, SMEs should involve IT in software evaluations, so any platform they select meets operational demands but does not overburden IT.
5. Build your outcomes
EMILY CECH, SYSTEMS ENGINEER, SAS
SMEs should define their top priorities, determine where to begin and set clear goals. A CRM system can automate repetitive tasks, enhance omnichannel CX, hyperpersonalise interactions, streamline sales outreach and
As an SME identifies potential vendors and solutions that meet current and future needs, it needs to maintain budget flexibility. Addressing stretch budget considerations early and aligning them with leadership expectations can strengthen the negotiation position of the SME. By following these five steps, SMEs can make better and more informed MarTech decisions and invest in scalable and adaptable solutions that support long-term growth.
22 Intelligent SME. tech