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thinking

Building the case for tech and data investment

Manifesto

by manifesto

28/04/2026

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Learn to build a winning case for tech and data investment with insights from industry experts.

Is your MarTech a Ferrari stuck in the garage? 

Recently, manifesto and Dotdigital hosted a collaborative session focused on the art and science of building a business case for Marketing Technology (MarTech) investment. While the discussion centred on the unique hurdles faced by charities, membership organisations, and visitor attractions, the takeaways apply to any sector: the "why" always comes down to whether an investment makes money or saves money.

The session, featuring Katie Pickering, Lou Barton, Stephi Harding, and Roscoe Brown, moved beyond the "shiny object" syndrome to look at the cold, hard reality of ROI and organisational change.

1. Identify your car: Tailored strategies for investment

Before asking for budget, you must identify which "car" is currently in your garage. As Lou Barton highlighted, your starting point dictates your strategy for the business case.

 The scenario

 The strategy for the  business case

 The creaking tech (Rusted-out car)

 Focus on the dream: Map out the "future state" experience that is currently impossible. Show how the old tech is a bottleneck to growth and risk.

 The sprawling tech (cluttered garage)

 Focus on consolidation:  Conduct an audit to find overlapping tools. The case here is often "Cost Neutrality" – saving money by turning off three tools to pay for one.

 The untapped Ferrari (supercar at Tesco)

 Focus on optimisation: The case isn't for a new tool, but for implementation budget. Focus on "Test and Win" pilots to prove the value of unused features.

2. How to build the case: A three-step framework

The practical route for moving from a "good idea" to a signed-off investment.

Step 1: Understand the problem (Systems Thinking)

Don’t jump straight to the solution. Map out the "ripple effects" of the tech. If you bring in a new tool, which team five steps down the line will it impact? Identify the funky manual processes that currently exist, these are your hidden costs.

Step 2: Build a coalition

Move away from a "one size fits all" pitch. Speak to your colleagues in their own language:

  • Finance: Talk about ROI, cost-saving, and the "Payback Period".

  • Marketing: Talk about hyper-personalisation and reaching the 76% of customers who get frustrated when content isn't relevant.

  • Operations: Talk about time-to-market and removing the "time drains" (saving an average of 2.3 hours per campaign).

Step 3: Go big and align to a north star

Counter-intuitively, a single, larger proposal is often more successful than several small requests. A larger case ensures the project becomes a strategic priority for the Board, making it harder to de-prioritise later.

3. Lessons learnt from successful organisations

We spoke to leaders who have successfully navigated this journey. Their top tips include:

  • Pre-land the case: As Louise Lai (Manifesto leader and Charity Trustee) noted, never spring a six-figure request on a Board. Socialise the pain points in committee meetings months in advance.
  • Categorise the benefits: One successful organisation broke their case into six clear banners: Income, Brand, Process Efficiency, Supporter Experience, Cost Saving, and Data Integrity.
  • Don't scrimp on change management: 63% of successful projects invest heavily in external training and process redesign. If you don't budget for people to learn the tool, you are simply buying a new Ferrari to leave in the garage.
  • Humanise the data: Use sector examples to prove the "Art of the Possible". Show how a peer organisation used SMS to reach donors in real-time or used AI to predict the next best action.

The bottom line

Tech is only as good as the strategy and people behind it. Whether you are upgrading a rusted-out car or finally learning how to drive your Ferrari, the goal is clear: move away from manual tasks and towards strategic, automated engagement.

Are you ready to model your ROI?

We are looking for organisations to beta test our Opportunity Calculator. It is designed to give you a clear, data-backed picture of the potential savings and revenue gains for your specific team.

If that sounds useful, give us a shout to see how your tech could finally leave the garage and accelerate its impact.