Martial arts, self defense, and other types of combat styles all have a set of techniques to follow.  These techniques make up the fabric of their respective style, and these techniques are what set them apart from the rest of their competition. Too many fighters out there may claim technique is not important, but it is just not true.  There are at least five reasons as to why proper, fundamental technique is important in martial arts.
Basic Fundamentals – Learning the basic techniques properly will provide a solid foundation for more of what you will learn as you progress in your art. You will be more prepared to spar against other opponents, prevent throwing incorrect strikes that encourage injury, and have the ability to improvise when needed based on the fundamentals you have learned.
Good Versus Bad Technique – When you learn how to apply proven technique properly, you develop good form over bad habits.  As you progress further in your training with bad technique, you will hinder from reaching your full potential.  But when you develop sound technique, they will become second nature to you, and you will reach the goals you have set.
Being Set Apart – Anyone can throw a punch or kick.  However, not everyone can throw them effectively.  When you put in the work and effort into understanding every aspect of good technique, you will begin to stand apart from the average brawler on the street.  A sniper trains tirelessly to perfect the techniques required of him so his shots will be accurate every time.
Building Confidence – As you start to fine tune your technique and build good habits, you will start to gain confidence in what you know.  The further you go in your style, the more confident you will be when you need to put your skills into practice.
Good Technique is Proven to Work – The techniques you are learning in your respective style have been proven by the martial artists who trained before you.  You can trust that the properly taught techniques you are learning will work for you too.
If learning a technique seems to be way too easy in the beginning, be cautious.  I have seen martial arts schools teach really bad technique and it showed in their students.  If a martial arts school discounts the importance of technique, steer clear of that school.  Bad technique can be hard to reverse much later.
Conclusion
Learning good technique is vital to everything, especially martial arts.  Technique is not complicated to understand, but can be difficult to learn at first.  Technique will not be perfect from the get go.  But as you persevere as you perfect good technique, you will stand out from the rest.