Taming the Martech Beast: How to Avoid Building a Frankenstack

Marketing technology often starts with the best of intentions: businesses build their stacks piece by piece to improve efficiency, streamline workflows, and drive results. Over time, however, the stack grows—new tools are added, integrations multiply, and suddenly, what was once a well-organized system becomes something else entirely. Welcome to the Martech Monster, or as we like to call it—the Frankenstack.

Much like Dr. Frankenstein and his infamous creation, marketing operations teams often find themselves unwittingly assembling their own monstrous stacks. The allure of specialized tools, each with its own promises of boosting performance, can lead to a stack that is too big, too expensive, and too complex. But unlike Dr. Frankenstein, we can avoid letting our creation spiral out of control. Let’s explore the warning signs that your martech stack is becoming a Frankenstack, and how you can tame it before it turns into a nightmare.

The Birth of the Frankenstack: How It Happens

At first, it seems harmless. You need a bunch of tools for marketing, sales, customer service, content management, and operations. Then you need an email marketing tool to communicate effectively. A social media management platform? Of course! And why not add a data analytics tool, an SEO platform, and a dozen other specialized tools while you're at it? Each tool brings value in isolation, but soon you have a bloated stack with overlapping features, unused capabilities, and rising costs.

The Frankenstack is born when marketing teams, like Frankenstein, continue stitching tools together without considering the long-term effects. The result? A creature that’s costly to maintain, hard to control, and inefficient in delivering value.

Warning Signs Your Stack Is Becoming a Monster

So how do you know if your martech stack has morphed into a Frankenstack? Here are a few red flags: 🚩🚩🚩

1. Duplicate Tools with Overlapping Features: If your team is using multiple tools that essentially do the same thing, it’s a clear sign that your stack has grown too large. For example, having two email automation platforms with similar functionality is not only redundant, but also adds unnecessary complexity.

2. Unutilized or Underutilized Platforms: Often, businesses invest in shiny new tools that sit unused after the initial setup. If you're paying for platforms that don't integrate well with your workflows or that your team hasn’t fully adopted, they’re just dead weight in your stack.

3. Integration Nightmares: Does it feel like your tools are constantly failing to sync or work together? Frankenstein’s monster was patched together from incompatible parts, and if your marketing stack is suffering from the same problem, it may be time to reevaluate.

4. Skyrocketing Costs: As your stack grows, so do the associated costs. Subscription fees for multiple platforms, maintenance, and integration efforts all add up. If you’re not seeing a return on investment that justifies these costs, it’s time to cut back.

5. Complicated Workflows: If your team is spending more time navigating between platforms or managing technical issues than actually executing marketing campaigns, your stack is likely too complex. A streamlined stack should simplify workflows, not complicate them.

How to Tame the Frankenstack

Now that you’ve spotted the signs of a Frankenstack, how can you bring it back under control? Here are a few strategies to help you optimize your marketing tech stack and avoid the Martech Monster:

1. Consolidate Tools: The first step in taming the beast is consolidation. Audit your current martech stack to identify tools with overlapping features and decide which ones to keep. You will find that one comprehensive platform such as Leed can replace several smaller, specialized tools, reducing both cost and complexity.

2. Prioritize Integration: Your tools should work together seamlessly. Look for platforms that integrate easily with your core systems, such as your CRM or marketing automation tool. When your tools can “speak” to each other, you’ll reduce the need for manual data transfers and avoid siloed information.

3. Eliminate Unused Platforms: Conduct a full audit of your stack to determine which tools are essential and which ones are underutilized. If a tool hasn’t been used in months or isn’t contributing to your marketing goals, it’s time to let it go.

4. Standardize Processes: Complex workflows are often a symptom of a bloated stack. Take time to simplify and standardize your processes, aligning them with a leaner set of tools that everyone can master. Focus on efficiency and ease of use, which will make onboarding new team members faster and execution smoother.

5. Align Tools with Strategy: Make sure each tool in your stack directly supports your marketing strategy. If it doesn’t, then why is it there? As marketing goals shift, your tech stack should evolve in sync with your needs, not bloat out of control.

6. Plan for Scalability: Your martech stack should grow in a way that supports your business goals, not in a haphazard manner. When adding new tools, focus on scalability—look for platforms that can grow with you, rather than requiring constant replacements or additions as you expand.

Avoiding the Monster’s Return

The Martech Monster, or Frankenstack, doesn’t have to be your fate. Before you stitch together yet another tool, take a step back and ask: Is this really helping, or am I building my own Frankenstein?

Look for a solution such as Leed’s Generative CMS. Instead of creating a monster, you’ll have a streamlined, efficient martech stack that works in harmony—just as it was intended. With Leed's Generative CMS, you can streamline your marketing operations by consolidating multiple tools into one powerful platform, reducing the need for a bloated tech stack and helping your team focus on what truly drives results.