Integration is such an appealing word. It conveys visions of sharper efficiency, smoother processes, faster revenue. But when it comes to many marketers, the attempt at integrating multiple solutions often leads to an awkwardly bolted-together monstrosity of a system that moves and acts like, well, a Frankenstack.

And if it is built like a Frankenstack, you can bet it will perform like a Frankenstack. Which is why Simpli.fi actively works to avoid this muddled-together approach and provides a more effective, streamlined approach. Here’s why:

Typically buyers want to deal with just one (or at least, only a few) partners instead of involving potentially dozens of vendors for search, email, mobile, display, video, website development and more. This provides the convenience of a one-stop-shop offering, not to mention budget consolidation for a wide array of digital media products. Publishers and media companies know this, which is why they often resell those offerings. They add more and more companies and products to their core offering, hoping to position themselves as the ideal digital media partner every company is hunting.

The theory is sound. The reality? Choppy at best.

Publishers who adopt these multiple vendors usually need to adapt to an array of unique service and pricing models. The technologies don’t always work smoothly together; the administration and management is arduous. What was supposed to function as a smooth and cohesive machine is often demanding, disconnected and not all that efficient.

So it’s not a surprise that many organizations are leaving the Frankenstack model in their rear view mirror. Instead they’re moving to a better model structured to offer higher performance and better margins. If that sounds appealing to you, here’s how you can do the same.

One great way to start is by consolidating wisely. For instance, a platform that offers optional service layers will let you meet your client’s goals through one interface without choppiness, multi-vendor chaos or double entry trouble. You can still enjoy the convenience of fewer partners; it’s just a matter of being selective.

Another thing you should consider is training. This gets tricky when you have six – 12 partners all vying to “train” your sales rep, when in reality there is risk they are trying to one-up each other. The mobile vendor, for instance, might play up his/her offering as more effective than your display vendor. When you eliminate the Frankenstack and work with one platform powerful enough to cross all channels, your smartest bet is to have them educate your reps on selling a clear, cohesive, cross-channel solution. Simpli.fi has made a name for itself on the training front, with educational programs for both your operations and sales teams. And our online training platform, Bullseye, ensures creative, ongoing education to give your reps the strongest digital background available.

Finally, Simpli.fi has long believed that it’s time to stop reselling and start innovating. Yes, reselling can be a convenient path to becoming that all-in-one offering. Unfortunately that convenience is often traded for the ability to differentiate. There’s really no reason for one client to choose you over your competitor when you’re offering the same solution. Innovating can absolutely be easier said than done – but be assured your team does have that power, and Simpli.fi can help you get there. Our use of unstructured data means you can create custom audiences and never have to rely on pre-packaged segments. We can also use your own data – the unique audiences visiting your owned and operated properties – to create tailored offerings based on intelligence like competitor information or local specific services. By innovating with Simpli.fi, you’ll give the right clients every reason to come to you.

Are you ready to give up the Frankenstack? We’d love to hear if you agree with our position that integration is an attractive word for some good reasons. Done intelligently, integrating technologies can be a key part of developing a strong business. Just leave the Frankenstack behind.