Marketing has changed more in the last 10 years than it has in the last 50. With evolving technology and a deeper understanding of the customer buying cycle, more and more specialized roles are being forged for marketers.
From the mobile boom to the rise of social media, marketing has grown beyond promotional emails and consistent content. So, how do we take advantage of these different insights and integrate all of these efforts into a full marketing solution that generates powerful marketing campaigns?
It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but here are five surefire ways to start building a more efficient and collaborative marketing team:
- Define a Work Strategy I’m not talking about a lead generation strategy (although you need that too), I’m talking about a strategy for getting work done efficiently. What is your approval process? What happens when there is a roadblock… or multiple ones? Which deadlines are set in stone and which are flexible? How are you going to prioritize different projects and campaigns? These are questions you need to ask when defining a work strategy.
For example, according to a survey by Wrike, a work management software, 84% of marketing teams using Agile methodology reported that it helped them complete projects faster, while 73% of teams said it helped them produce better quality work.
- Adopt a Collaboration Tool Even if everyone you collaborate with is in the office every day, you still need a work management tool that will help keep work communication in one place, documents up-to-date, and priorities aligned. Going in and out of email, instant messaging, conference calls, and note pads looking for information can be exhausting and a waste of time.
Research shows that businesses can save up to 25% of their time by utilizing a collaboration tool. According to a study by McKinsey, companies that invest in digital collaboration tools have seen a 20-30% increase in productivity.
- Meet In-Person Although too many meetings can lead to inefficiencies, it’s important to have in-person meetings once in a while and to make them count. Get your remote workers into the office periodically and plan some fun, productive meetings your entire team can attend.
In addition to this, hosting regular one-on-ones come in handy when it’s time to evaluate your team’s needs, individually. This will help you build trust and promote transparency across your team.
The planning doesn’t stop once the calendar invite is sent out. According to research by Wrike, meetings with a clear agenda are 127% more effective, and 71% of participants are more likely to follow up on action items.
- Measure Your Efforts Metrics are the key to success in marketing. All that time you put into market research, building campaigns, and writing content should be tested, measured, and reviewed. Adopting a tool to measure click-throughs, time on page, and MQLs is essential to building an efficient marketing team. Experimentation should be encouraged across your team, as long as there is a tool to appropriately measure the outcome.
With an analytics tool, your team will be able to see what’s working and what needs improvement. Plus, having metrics gives you an inside view into what your readers and potential customers are looking for, and what motivates them to buy.
According to a survey by Wyzowl, 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy.
Good tips. No doubt. Of course, if you’d like to really get to the route of making your team more efficient, you should probably consider getting some help from a pro CMO. Get in touch and lets talk.