Choosing the right tech stack for your marketing communications shouldn’t feel like you’re trapped in an escape room … with every decision leading to a dead end — or Sharepoint. But for a lot of marketers, that’s exactly what it feels like. You know your current tool is limited. You’ve got big ideas and bolder goals. But between budget constraints, IT pushback, and a dozen other teams with their own agendas, getting from idea to implementation is anything but simple.

And what’s worse, missteps cost your business significantly. Even going back a decade, McKinsey & Company found that large IT projects (see PDF of study) often experience significant cost overruns, with studies showing that they typically run 45% over budget and 7% over time. With the business complexity over the past decade, we haven’t seen this getting better.

If your job includes shaping or influencing your marcom tech stack, this is your survival guide. And if you’ve ever walked into a meeting fired up about a new platform, only to be met with crossed arms and questions about data security, you’re in the right place.

Let’s talk about what it really takes to build the right tech stack, and why digital transformation isn’t just about tools — it’s about trust.

Start with Empathy, Not Ego

You’ve done the research. You know your current system isn’t keeping up. Maybe it’s clunky. Maybe it can’t integrate with anything else. Maybe it’s so entry-level that calling it a “platform” is being generous. And you’ve found something better … a tool that’s going to unlock automation, streamline campaigns, and drive serious ROI.

Here’s the challenge: You’re not the only one who thinks you’re right. IT thinks they’re right too. So does finance. And sales. And customer service.

Marketing sees potential in innovation. IT sees risk in data vulnerabilities. Finance sees expenses. Everyone’s looking at the same box, just from different angles. And unless you’re willing to take a walk around the table and see what they’re seeing, you’ll never get past the first demo.

Digital transformation starts not with better tools, but with better conversations. Before you pitch a single product, start by understanding how each department defines value. Marketing might care about engagement metrics and pipeline velocity. IT cares about security and uptime. Finance cares about long-term cost and risk.

No one’s wrong. That’s the challenge. But this is where digital transformation starts. Not with tech, but with trust.

Work With IT Like a Partner, Not a Gatekeeper

Your IT team isn’t trying to sabotage your progress. They’re trying to keep the company out of the headlines for a data breach. They’re trying to reduce the overall complexity of the systems they manage. Surprise. Surprise. You’re not the only one who’s making a call for an upgrade. That’s why enterprise prioritization exists (or 1-N lists). And honestly, they usually get looped into martech decisions way too late. Like after the marketing team has already demoed the tool and written the request for proposal (RFP).

Instead of waiting for the dreaded “this platform has a security issue” chat, invite IT in early. Create a shared vision with your stakeholders — together. Ask what they need. Find out what keeps them up at night. The more you understand their priorities — uptime, security, data integrity — the better chance you have at proposing something they’ll be in lockstep with you to support.

In one large enterprise communication and marketing technology deployment, the stakes were so critical that my team co-located with the IT department. Together, we saw the potential and realized the value. The result: Use doubled and we saved the Fortune 500 company more than $15 million.

Digital transformation means these teams can’t just coexist; they have to collaborate.

Build Tech Stack Alignment by Asking Better Questions

Here’s where the real magic happens. Instead of pitching a tool with slick features, start the conversation with questions like:

  • What’s working with our current setup that we absolutely can’t lose?
  • What’s one feature you wish your system had?
  • What does digital transformation mean to you?
  • How do you define success in your department?
  • How can we make this easier for your team?

These aren’t just icebreakers. They’re trust builders. They show your team — and your stakeholders — that this isn’t about steamrolling their concerns. It’s about designing a tech stack that works for all departments … not just marketing or communications.

Impact Before Tech Stack Integration

Every department measures success differently. For marketing, it could be revenue (and all those beautiful leading indicators like clicks and conversions). For finance, it could be profit margins. For customer success, it’s call volume or resolution time. For IT, it could be not getting blamed when something crashes.

You can’t advocate for a new tool if you don’t understand what success looks like for the people who have to sign off on it. That means doing the hard work of aligning on shared outcomes … and being honest about what each team values most.

To build the right tech stack, you have to connect your goals to theirs. That means showing not just what the tool will do for you, but how it can reduce risk, improve efficiency, or boost results for other departments too.

Digital transformation isn’t just about new capabilities — it’s about shared wins.

One Tech Stack To Rule Them All … Eventually

Digital transformation isn’t a one-meeting decision. It’s a 100-step journey (or 1,000-step if enterprise in scale) filled with detours, debates, and a lot of demos. The key is to stay flexible.

Here are a few ways to gain traction across departments:

  • Host discovery meetings: Set up introductory convos with IT, sales, and customer service. Focus on listening, not pitching.
  • Create a shared vision: If the project (or program) is large enough or new, schedule vision meetings to pull together objectives and desire outcomes before getting into the detail of requirements.
  • Gather functional requirements: Translate everyone’s needs into plain language. It shows respect and creates clarity.
  • Offer to build the first draft of the functional requirements document (FRD): This is where your inner marketer can shine. It’s one of the most powerful ways to move things forward and show you’re invested in making this work for everyone.
  • Set up a community: We used to call this governance, but that term scares people off. Community is really about tending to the garden of the platform or platforms to deliver the solution. These things evolve. Weeds will need to be pulled. And the stakeholders you involved at that onset don’t necessarily walk away after launch.

The Real ROI of Trust

The most advanced tech stack in the world won’t save you if your teams don’t talk to each other. But when marketing, IT, and finance sit at the same table, align on goals, and trust each other to solve problems … that’s where digital transformation takes root.

Digital transformation doesn’t happen because of one platform or set of tools. It happens because people are willing to change together. And that means shifting your mindset from “what’s best for marketing” to “what’s best for the business.”

So ask the awkward questions. Learn the language of IT. Respect the caution of finance. And never forget: the best tech stack is the one your whole team believes in.

Need a Second Player?

Whether you’re completely new to marketing technology or a seasoned pro, Sparkcade can help you meet your goals when it comes to your digital marketing and strategy. We have years of experience working with a variety of clients, and we have the expertise you need.

Reach out to us today, and let’s chat.