How Do Manufacturers Evaluate MarTech ROI vs. ERP Investments?
Compare pipeline impact, payback, and risk of marketing technology against ERP modernization. Use value streams, shared data models, and time-to-value to fund the right roadmap.
Start with a common financial lens. Model MarTech and ERP on the same basis: incremental revenue (pipeline & win rate), cost-to-serve (automation & data quality), time-to-value (deployment & adoption), and risk (change, technical debt, vendor lock). Use a hybrid portfolio: fund near-term growth via RevOps & campaign automation while sequencing ERP upgrades that unlock data quality and fulfillment reliability.
What to Compare — Apples to Apples
ROI Analysis Playbook for Manufacturing Leaders
Run this sequence to fairly compare MarTech and ERP — then fund a roadmap that compounds value.
Baseline → Link KPIs → Model Scenarios → Sequence → Fund → Govern
- Baseline the system of record: Current CAC, win rate, lead aging, quote cycle, OTIF, returns, inventory turns.
- Link revenue to operations: Map handoffs from marketing to sales to production/fulfillment; trace data lineage across CRM, MAP, ERP.
- Model scenarios: Compare payback under low/expected/high benefits; include adoption curves and integration effort.
- Sequence work: Fund quick-win MarTech (routing, scoring, campaigns) while staging ERP upgrades that improve master data.
- Fund by milestones: Release budgets upon KPI improvements (e.g., +15% SQLs, −20% stockouts), not just project completion.
- Govern continuously: Quarterly value reviews, vendor scorecards, and change risk heatmaps.
MarTech vs. ERP — Decision Matrix
| Dimension | MarTech Investment | ERP Investment | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Impact | Lead velocity, conversion, pipeline attribution | On-time ship, promise accuracy, margin | CRO / CMO | Revenue Predictability |
| Time-to-Value | 90–120 days | 2–4+ quarters | PMO / CIO | Payback Period |
| Data Quality | Identity resolution, segmentation, routing | Item masters, BOMs, inventory, pricing | RevOps / IT | Error Rate ↓ |
| Risk | Low operational disruption | Change management, supply impact windows | CIO / Operations | Delivery Risk Score |
| Optionality | Warehouse/CDP-native, API-first | Modular upgrades, integration patterns | Enterprise Arch | Rework Avoided |
Client Snapshot: $18M Pipeline Lift While ERP Modernized
A component manufacturer funded ERP master-data cleanup with near-term MarTech gains: automated lead routing & intent segmentation produced a 26% SQL lift in two quarters, while phased ERP changes improved promise dates and reduced expedites.
The takeaway: sequence for compounding value — let MarTech finance data work that makes ERP pay off faster.
FAQ: Evaluating MarTech vs. ERP
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