8 Tips to the Perfect Content Supply Chain
Earlier this month, LeapPoint and Adobe sat down with Jeff Gillis, Vice President of Marketing Technology at Natixis Investment Managers. The conversation was all things content supply chain, and the steps Natixis is taking to optimize their workflows and boost content and sales velocity.
Here are 8 key takeaways from the conversation (for all the details, check out the on-demand recording).
Struggling as a marketer? You’re not alone.
Limited resources.
Tight budgets.
More personalized content.
Ever-growing to-do lists.
Alignment with sales.
Wow, the weight of a marketer is heavy. If you’re reading this, then you’re likely experiencing it firsthand. Natixis was too. That’s why they decided to undergo a digital transformation.
Before making any significant changes, understand where you are today.
To figure out where they needed to go, Jeff and the team at Natixis realized they needed to have a comprehensive understanding of where they stood on day one of their journey.
They started by talking internally about major pain points (individual silos of ownership of MarTech, fragmented systems, duplicative and manual work, the list goes on…).
From there, they moved on to creating a detailed inventory of their existing MarTech stack. What systems do they have? What is their functionality? How much do they cost? When will they renew? Are there any potential efficiencies or integrations that could be realized across the MarTech ecosystem?
And, more importantly, do they even have the right tools to achieve their objectives? Natixis brought in an impartial third-party expert (LeapPoint) to help evaluate their main software platforms including Adobe Workfront and systems they use for digital asset management (DAM) and compliance.
Integration + Automation = Happy Marketers (and Customers!)
Based on the evaluation, Natixis decided to move forward with building a high-functioning content supply chain powered by Adobe. They chose to optimize their existing instance of Adobe Workfront and implement and integrate Adobe Experience Manager Assets, Experience Manager Sites, and Adobe Analytics (among other Adobe and non-Adobe tools). The goal was to make the flow of content and metadata much more efficient, increase speed-to-market, and allow for easier, more accurate reporting.
The result of stitching together their systems holistically would not only result in better experiences for customers, but also the end users using the technology to complete their day-to-day work. Adding automations also significantly reduces manual work (like downloading and uploading files and duplicating metadata) and frees up users to focus on more high-value work like content creation.
A single source of truth is imperative for success.
For Natixis, a project isn’t a project unless it’s in Adobe Workfront. It’s that simple.
Leveraging Adobe Workfront as their single source of truth for all marketing work provides 360-degree transparency and visibility. People that are on projects know exactly where everything is at any given point in time. They know exactly what tasks they have, when they are due, and who else is collaborating alongside them. Workfront also allows Natixis to easily pull reports and use the calendaring function to ensure a smooth customer journey. For example, if 15 emails are scheduled to deploy on the same day, how can they adjust?
Obstacles are inevitable. Keep pressing on.
Like with any transformation, obstacles are a given. The key is having the right mindset. For Natixis, they got to a minimum viable product and are making enhancements in a phased approach. But it’s important to always keep moving.
You also need to make sure you’re not relying too much on the technology and not enough on the process. That’s where a strategic partner can help. Experienced firms (like LeapPoint) can assess your existing state and recommend a roadmap based on your individual organization’s digital maturity.
Demonstrate quick wins.
A good way to get and maintain buy-in from senior leadership during a digital transformation is short term wins. Be vocal about the wins you’re accomplishing all along the way. That way they can think “Oh, I see value, we’re better than we were yesterday with more improvements to come.”
The job is never completely done.
Building and enhancing your MarTech ecosystem will never truly be done given the rapid advancement of technology. Instead, think “adaptable.” Invest in the right tools at the right time, but make sure your ecosystem is flexible enough to accommodate growth and changes.
Sometimes all you need is a little inspiration.
Stuck in a rut? Check out Jeff’s favorite book, Good to Great by Jim Collins. It’s inspirational and can put you on a path to where you want it to go.
What’s next for your marketing organization? Are you planning a digital transformation in the next 6-12 months? Tune into the on-demand presentation to gain the full insights from Jeff or connect with us 1:1 to discuss how you can get started on best path to success.
Megan Cacioppo, Director of Marketing
