How to Operationalize Marketing Technology Using Agile Approaches

Introduction

According to Salesforce's State of Marketing 2024 report, marketing teams are only utilizing 45% of their martech stack's full capabilities. With the martech landscape expanding rapidly and integration challenges multiplying, organizations need structured approaches to maximize their technology investments. In this episode, Greg Kihlström, principal of The Agile Brand and host of The Agile Brand podcast, shares how marketing leaders can apply agile methodologies to extract more value from their martech stack and drive operational excellence.

Understanding Agile in Marketing Technology

Agile is more than just efficiency—it's a framework built on principles that guide how teams approach work and continuous improvement. While originally developed for software development, these principles can be effectively applied to marketing technology operations. As Kihlström explains, "What I like about the Agile principles is that it gives us guidance and then we get to, as humans, interpret those and apply those when and where needed." Unlike the traditional waterfall method where everything is pla ed in advance, agile approaches embrace adaptation and incremental progress, allowing teams to respond to changing conditions while maintaining focus on clear goals and KPIs.

Agile vs. Traditional Approaches

The fundamental difference between agile and traditional waterfall methodologies lies in how teams handle uncertainty and change. Waterfall follows a "measure twice, cut once" mentality with extensive upfront pla ing, while agile embraces shorter work cycles (typically two-week "sprints") that allow for regular assessment and course correction. This approach is particularly valuable in martech implementations where market conditions, customer behaviors, and available technologies constantly evolve. Kihlström describes it as "almost like a scientific method" where teams build hypotheses, test them in short timeframes, evaluate results, and then either continue building or pivot based on what they've learned.

Implementing Agile in MarTech Operations

When implementing agile methodologies for martech operations, organizations don't need to transform everything overnight. Starting with pilot projects or specific teams allows for testing the approach without disrupting the entire organization. Kihlström notes that in martech implementations, "it's rarely the software that is the problem, it's the adoption and sometimes it's individuals or people in it, but it's often the processes that they're using." Companies like Spotify offer excellent examples of agile implementation through their team and squad structure, where cross-functional groups work collaboratively rather than in traditional silos.

Overcoming Resistance to Change

Resistance is inevitable when implementing new methodologies. The key to successful adoption is involving stakeholders early in the process. "The very first thing you do is to involve them in the process as early as you can," Kihlström advises. "If this becomes something that some leader says, 'everybody's doing this starting Friday' and they never heard about it, it's never going to work." By including team members in the pla ing and decision-making process, organizations not only reduce resistance but also benefit from valuable insights that external consultants might miss. This collaborative approach increases buy-in and improves the quality of the implementation.

Measuring Success and ROI

For executives concerned about the return on investment from agile martech operations, Kihlström recommends focusing on "time to value" as a key metric. This should be measured at both macro and micro scales. While large martech systems often can't be implemented piecemeal, organizations can still take an incremental approach by piloting specific features or campaigns. Additional metrics to consider include feature utilization and adoption rates as leading indicators of value, rather than focusing exclusively on revenue and profit. As Kihlström emphasizes, "working software is the measure of success" – not plans or ideas, but actual functioning technology that delivers business value.

Conclusion

Applying agile methodologies to martech operations offers organizations a structured yet flexible approach to maximize their technology investments. By embracing shorter work cycles, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous improvement, marketing teams can better adapt to changing conditions while delivering measurable value. The key to successful implementation lies in starting small, involving stakeholders early, and focusing on incremental progress rather than attempting wholesale transformation. For marketing leaders looking to extract more value from their technology investments, agile approaches provide a proven framework that balances structure with the flexibility needed in today's rapidly evolving marketing landscape.