There’s plenty to think about when weighing the decision to hire an agency like MOCK or contractors to support your marketing department.
Reducing Craziness in the Marketing Department
Common problems some marketing departments face include:
- Lack of resources
- Unaligned Vision
- Internal Politics Within the Marketing Department
- External Pressures
- Department Demands Outside of the Marketing Department
- Unclear Objectives
The marketing department is a vital part of any successful business, but managing it can be a real challenge.
With too few resources, an unaligned vision and internal politics often clashing with external pressures, it’s no wonder so many departments find themselves in a state of chaos.
It’s essential to establish clear and concise objectives for the marketing team to ensure business goals are met.
One of the most effective strategies is to set clear, achievable objectives.
Establishing a timeline for each goal and delegating specific tasks can help ensure everyone on the team is on the same page.
This will also help focus the team’s efforts and resources on hitting those goals.
What Affects the Marketing Department?
Some common things that affect the marketing department are:
- Budget
- Deliverable Timelines
- Team
- Planned vs Unplanned Work
- Responsibility of Leadership
Successfully navigating the challenges faced by a marketing department is no easy feat.
You’ve go to plan carefully, understand your business objectives, and be clear about leadership roles if the department is going to keep moving forward.
Facing budget constraints, tight timelines, and a lack of resources can seem overwhelming.
But by recognizing what affects your marketing department you CAN make smart decisions that will keep your team on track.
With the right strategies in place, you can bring order to the chaos and ensure successful campaigns that meet business objectives.
Marketing Department Cycles and Patterns
Every marketing department has its own unique ebbs and flows.
Knowing what to expect will help you better manage your marketing department and ensure that your campaigns run smoothly!
Cycles and Patterns:
- Employee turnover
- Too much work / unrealistic demands
- Too little work
Employee Turnover
Employees come and go, and in the marketing world, employee turnover is substantial.
How does a marketing department handle that?
How do you keep talent on board?
How do you train new employees?
These are all questions to consider when creating a plan for managing employee turnover.
Too Much Work
When resources are tied up, efficiency decreases, which postpones the completion of other projects.
Too Little Work
When there is a time of too little work, it may be unclear what work needs to be done, and inefficiencies / bad habits may follow.
The department needs work or else it will no longer be a department!
Unrealistic Demands
When other departments have unrealistic demands on the marketing department, unplanned work is created, which causes inefficiencies across the department.
Future work becomes backlogged and current production eventually comes to a halt.
Putting out fires and living in a constant state of emergency is NOT conducive to throughput in production.
How does a marketing department take these cycles and patterns, and handle them to have a steady throughput in production?
Here are things some of our clients do:
- Bring order to chaos by forcing scheduling of projects
- Try to keep talent around
- Reduce onboarding resource requirements
- Improve processes for throughput, like chunking work
- Supplement your marketing department to handle times of too many projects or employee turnover. We like to view ourselves as a support team that can jump in when needed.
Reasons marketing departments call for backup
Many of our marketing director clients begin looking for an agency or supporting contractors because they have an issue with a big project or overwhelming work requirements.
Issues may look like:
- A project going wrong
- Underperformance
- Too much work
- Work fires
When marketing departments hire us
Sometimes our clients are in a great position, doing their prior proper planning, and decide that bringing on an agency like ours to supplement their efforts is a great choice.
If you think about a marketing department like a sports team, our agency is the 2nd string to your 1st string starters.
We’re happy to play that role to get the job done.
If a department is not in need of reinforcements, then we stay on the sidelines.
One thing we like to do is form relationships with marketing directors so that they know we’re there if they ever need us to get in the game.
That being said, “need” is the main driver for why marketing directors hire us.
If it’s anything from a worst case scenario to a small project, we’re available to jump in.
When marketing departments call for backup, it is often when they are facing what seems to be an insurmountable task.
This could be due to a project gone wrong, underperformance of staff members, too much work to complete in the allotted time frame, or a combination of all of these elements.
Things to think about
- How can the marketing department be ready in case there’s an issue in the future?
- At what measurable event do we need to call for backup?
- What is causing the ebbs and flows in our marketing department?
Things to think about when supplementing your marketing department
Utilization
Some ways to effectively utilize a marketing support team are to provide expertise on specific projects that may be outside of the scope of the in-house team’s abilities.
This could range from creative tasks such as designing and developing websites, to strategic tasks such as advising on strategies for reaching target audiences or optimizing campaigns.
Having somebody to call when you need a hand is essential in any marketing department. When it comes to supplementing the team, having additional resources available is important for many reasons.
It can provide valuable insight, help alleviate staff members’ workloads, and ease the stress of tight deadlines.
Cause and Affect
The cause and affect of bringing in a marketing support team is multifaceted.
In the short-term, this can provide immediate help with backlogged projects that could not be completed in the allotted time frame or when a project goes wrong due to underperformance.
This allows a marketing department to maintain their current production schedule and keep projects moving forward to completion.
Defining Lanes
Before bringing on a support team, there are several important factors to consider.
First and foremost, it is essential to understand the scope of work they will be expected to complete.
This includes not only the specific tasks that need to be accomplished but also the time frame in which they must be completed.
Clear expectations in the beginning prevent issues further down the road.
Strategies to Handle Workload
When it comes to strategies for handling overwhelming work requirements in a marketing department, the key is to plan ahead and be prepared.
There are several steps that can be taken to ensure that the department is able to handle any situation that may arise.
Throughput
One of the best ways to ensure consistent throughput in production with limited resources is to plan ahead and build a system for forecasting and tracking demand for the services you provide.
This will help you determine when external assistance may be necessary in order to meet expectations.
Optimize The Process
Best practices for establishing a smooth process between you and an external support team are essential in order to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
Communication is key in this process, so it’s important to make sure that both parties understand the expectations and tasks involved.
Financial Reasons to Supplement Your Marketing Department
Supplementing your marketing department can help to improve your company’s financial health in several ways.
First and foremost, it can help to reduce the overhead costs associated with having a full-time team of marketing professionals.
By outsourcing certain tasks or elements of the marketing process, you can save on salaries, benefits, office space, and other related expenses.
Additionally, supplementing can help to free up valuable resources within the company that would otherwise be devoted to marketing-related tasks.
Another financial benefit of supplementing your marketing department is that it can help to maximize your return on investment (ROI).
By working with an experienced agency, you can ensure that all resources are being used efficiently and effectively, leading to better results for less money spent overall.
This can ultimately result in lower costs and higher profits over time.
Finally, hiring an external agency for your marketing needs allows you the flexibility to adjust your campaigns quickly if needed without having to make long-term commitments or investments.
This allows you to focus on high-priority projects while still being able to test out new ideas and strategies without worrying about wasting time or money if they don’t pan out as expected.
By leveraging the expertise of an experienced team of professionals who are dedicated solely to providing top-notch marketing services, businesses are able to save both time and money while ensuring they get the best possible results from their efforts.
Supplementing your marketing department may be a good choice for some businesses looking to streamline their operations and reduce costs over the long term.
Marketing department labor: Hire marketing contractors or hire employees?
Hiring marketing contractors or employees can be a great way to maximize the efficiency of your marketing department without breaking the bank.
Contractors provide an extra layer of specialized expertise and enable you to scale up or down quickly, depending on your needs.
Plus, they don’t require long-term commitments or investments like full-time employees do.
This makes contractors perfect for short-term projects and campaigns that require specific skillsets with minimal risk.
On the other hand, hiring full-time employees gives you the opportunity to build a team that is fully dedicated to meeting all of your company’s marketing needs over time.
With well trained staff in place, you can ensure consistent results from one project to another while minimizing risks associated with external hires who may not have as much experience as needed for certain tasks.
No matter which option you choose – whether it’s hiring marketing contractors or full-time employees – there are sure to be benefits for any business looking for cost savings and improved performance from their marketing efforts!
Hiring outside of the USA – pros and cons
Hiring marketing professionals from outside of the USA can be a GREAT way to expand your company’s reach and gain access to talent that may not be available domestically.
By opening up your hiring process to international candidates, you can tap into a larger pool of potential employees who may have specialized skills or unique experience that could be beneficial for your company.
This could also help to reduce costs associated with recruiting, as many countries offer competitive salaries and other benefits that may be lower than what you would pay in the United States.
One of the main advantages of hiring professionals from outside the USA is greater diversity.
By engaging with candidates from different backgrounds, you can create a more inclusive workplace culture that attracts top talent and allows for innovative ideas and perspectives from around the world.
Additionally, as global markets become increasingly interconnected, having access to a global workforce can help ensure your company stays ahead in an ever-evolving business environment.
However, there are also some drawbacks to hiring professionals from abroad that companies should take into consideration before making any decisions.
For one, communication issues can arise due to language barriers or time zone differences.
Additionally, legal and compliance requirements must be taken into account when working with foreign employees – in some cases companies may need to obtain certain visas or permits in order to hire them legally in their country of residence.
There may also be cultural differences that could lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication if not handled properly by both parties involved.
All in all, while there are potential risks associated with hiring marketing professionals from outside the USA, there are also many potential rewards if done correctly.
If you have determined that this is the right option for your company based on its needs and goals, it’s important to ensure all relevant laws are followed and communication channels remain open throughout the process.
Doing so will help ensure everything goes smoothly and maximize your chances of success!
Bringing a marketing specialist in to support your team – things to think about
When bringing a marketing specialist in to support your team, there are several things to think about.
- Determine the specific skills and experience required to execute marketing objectives successfully.
- Ensure you hire the right person for the job and leverage their expertise effectively.
- Establish clear expectations regarding time commitments and deliverables.
- Set an appropriate timeline and realistic goals for the project.
- Consider budgetary constraints when hiring a specialist.
- Weigh the cost of hiring an experienced marketer against potential cost savings from training a less experienced one.
- Explore alternative methods beyond traditional job boards to find candidates with extensive experience.
- Conduct thorough research when selecting a marketing specialist.
- Create an effective working environment that supports the specialist.
- Provide regular feedback on performance and recognize achievements to motivate them towards success.
Conclusion
It is essential to consider all factors when deciding whether or not to supplement your marketing department, as well as the pros and cons of hiring professionals from abroad.
With careful research and planning, you can ensure that any decision made will be in line with your company’s needs and goals while still keeping budget constraints in mind.
By taking these steps into consideration, you are sure to get the most out of your investments in marketing labor!
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