The idea of conducting a martech audit can feel overwhelming. With campaigns to run, deadlines looming, and last-minute requests that never seem to stop, who has time to pause and evaluate their tools?
But here’s the thing: an outdated or inefficient stack can quietly drain your budget, slow your workflows, and hold your team back.
The good news? A martech audit doesn’t have to disrupt your day-to-day operations. Over the years, I’ve learned how to approach audits in a way that ensures continuous improvement without bringing everything to a standstill.
Let me tell you how.
Why Martech Audits Are Essential
We all love shiny new tools —excited to try the next big thing, only to realize later that it wasn’t the best fit. Over time, these tools accumulate, and suddenly your martech stack is bloated and fragmented.
Before performing martech audits, many of my clients faced challenges like:
- Paying for unused tools
- Processes were taking longer than they should.
- Siloed campaigns because tools didn’t integrate.
A martech audit helps uncover these issues, allowing you to identify gaps, eliminate redundancies, and realign your stack with your organization’s priorities, ensuring that every tool serves a purpose.
Preparing for a Low-Disruption Martech Audit
A successful martech audit starts with preparation. Laying the groundwork can minimize interruptions and ensure the process adds value rather than frustration.
Here’s how I approach martech audits:
1. Assemble the Right Stakeholders
Engage the people who know your tools best: marketers, sales reps, IT professionals, and even customer success teams if they use your martech stack. Their insights will help you understand how tools are used and where the pain points are.
2. Define Your Objectives
Before diving in, I always ask: what’s the main goal? For one audit, it was understanding why the team struggled to use half their tools. For another, it was ensuring they had the right integrations for better reporting. Knowing your objectives keeps the audit focused and efficient.
3. Gather Key Data
I start by collecting all relevant information about the client’s martech tools. Include subscription costs, renewal dates, user licenses, and performance metrics like adoption rates or campaign results. This data will be invaluable during the evaluation phase.
4. Take Inventory of Your Tools
Next, I create a complete list of tools in the stack like:
- Tool name.
- Primary purpose.
- Annual cost.
- Team usage (how often it’s used and by whom).
I’ve found that talking to team members who use these tools daily gives me insights into what works and what doesn’t.
5. Assess Performance Against Key Metrics
For each tool, I measure its effectiveness based on factors like adoption rate, integrations, and ROI. I often ask myself: Is this tool still solving the problem the client bought it for?
This is where having evaluation criteria really helps. Over time, I’ve developed a scoring model that simplifies the process, so I’m not stuck overanalyzing every tool.
6. Identify Redundancies and Gaps
This part is like decluttering a closet. Once, I found two tools that did almost the same thing—both costing a fortune. Cutting one saved my client thousands. On the flip side, I also discovered gaps where a new solution was needed.
7. Map Out a Transition Plan
If a tool needs replacing or upgrading, I don’t rush it. Instead, I map out a phased transition plan. For example, I might pilot a new tool with one team first, gathering feedback before scaling it across the organization.
How to Avoid Disruption During an Audit
The evaluation phase is where the real magic happens—but it’s also where disruption can creep in if you’re not careful. Here’s how I keep your operations running smoothly.
1. Evaluate in Phases
Instead of auditing everything at once, I tackle one category at a time, like analytics tools or email platforms. This staggered approach avoids overwhelming your team.
2. Assess Each Tool’s Value
For every tool in the stack, I ask these critical questions:
- Is the tool solving the problem it was purchased for?
- Does it integrate well with other tools?
- Are there features we’re paying for but not using?
- How does it compare to similar tools on the market?
3. Keep Communication Open
Transparency builds trust and gets everyone on board. Let your client team know what you’re doing and why. I also track findings in a shared document, giving the whole team visibility. This makes decision-making more straightforward and more collaborative.
Acting on Audit Findings
Once the evaluation is complete, it’s time to take action. This stage is where the team sees the tangible benefits of the audit.
1. Identify Quick Wins
Start with easy-to-implement changes that will have an immediate impact, like canceling redundant and unused subscriptions or developing a plan to optimize underutilized tools.
2. Plan for Long-Term Improvements
For more significant changes—like replacing a major platform—I develop a phased implementation plan. I pilot new tools with a small group of users before rolling them out company-wide.
3. Monitor and Refine
After implementing changes, I track their impact. Are your workflows faster? Is reporting clearer? I use these metrics to measure success and identify areas for further improvement.
Results!
The most satisfying part of an audit? Seeing the results. After one audit, I reduced the client’s martech stack costs by 25% and cut campaign launch times in half, all without pausing a single campaign.
Take time to optimize your martech stack. Trust me, the payoff is worth the effort!
Conclusion
An audit’s benefits don’t end with implementation. To keep martech stacks optimized, I recommend making audits a regular habit. Schedule quarterly reviews of your tools, processes, and integrations to ensure they continue to meet your needs as your business evolves.
When your stack is lean and aligned with your goals, you’ll notice the difference in your team’s productivity, campaign results, and even your bottom line.
About the Author: Tonya Walker
Your blueprint for more efficient and agile martech
