The Final Click Marketing Show Ep. 10: How to Create an Organization for Marketing Success

#1: Buying In or Getting Buy-In (2:55)

It starts with buying into the need for marketing and advertising, understanding it’s need and role within your business.

1. Business Owners – you need to buy-in. And if you have questions, go talk with a bunch of different strategists or consultants before making a decision.
2. Within a Company – you need to get buy-in from your leadership team.

Either way, buying in means that you’re committed because you understand the end goal is to grow.

Once you have mentally bought in, (5:20)

I think at this stage, it’s important to establish reasonable and achievable business and revenue goals. This gives some context and guidance on what’s going to be successful and how you might need to pivot if things are not going as planned.

Getting started: (8:08)

1. Once you’re bought in, it’s time to make a plan to achieve those goals.
2. Once you make this plan, it should be clear which marketing tactics you need to deploy and the team you need.
3. Everyone needs to slow down and think.

#2: Building Your Marketing Dream Team (10:55)

Today, great marketing requires a team approach. But, this can greatly differ depending on business size, budget, and your goals.

There are 3 different types of team setups:

1. In-house team – most expensive and very commitment heavy.
2. In-house director – utilizes an agency or contractors (most popular).
3. Business owner-operator – everything is outsourced to a marketing agency (a great starting point).

There is no right or wrong here. (13:55)

• Fit is the most important thing.
  • Really think about this – make sure they have the experience and knowledge, but also make sure their personality adds something to the team.
  • If you have too many people with the same type of personality, it’s good to mix it up. They will bring a different opinion, approach, and ideas.
• The team setup often changes as the business grows and the goals change.
• This is where you might need to add team members or additional outside vendors to fill roles

Our most common scenario: (15:28)

In-house marketing director as our main point of contact. This works well for most businesses, as the marketing director is able to liaison between the ownership or leadership team and us, the vendor, and properly communicate goals and expectations

Whatever your setup is, it’s important that you set those individuals up for success. (21:30)

That means giving them clear goals to meet, openly discussing timelines, and allowing them to create a plan and set objectives.

#3: Creating the Infrastructure (24:10)

What does this mean?? 

It’s the core or fundamental services and processes that will be set up to create the needed marketing initiatives. Make sure you have the mechanisms in place to both prospect new business and communicate and retain current/past customers.

Take it from the top: (25:06)

• Brand assets:
  • Proper sales documentation and training materials. This teaches everyone in the company to talk about the services, products, and brand the same way. It educates them on the brand’s unique position within the market.
  • Creative assets – any images, videos, logos, tagline, etc.

• Digital assets:
  • Website
  • Customer database
  • Social media accounts
  • Email marketing platform
  • Reporting tools

Now, the more important but lesser thought about infrastructure: (29:20)

• Putting the process in place with your team or agency to get things moving.
• Putting the time in to properly evaluate what’s working and what’s not on a consistent basis.
• Continually be a part of the brainstorming process.

#4: Culture (32:51)

Culture is extremely important. I’ve seen good culture and I’ve seen bad.

What is culture?

• It’s a vibe.
• It’s a mindset.
• It’s an attitude – individual and group.

Often, marketing, advertising, and messaging reflect the attitude of the team.

Who’s responsible? (34:40)

If you are the business owner, you set the tone for everything. It’s the business owner of the leadership team. Keep in mind that the people you hire greatly affect the culture, as does your management style:

• Are you a micro-manager?
• Do you welcome input from others?
• Are you scared to try new stuff?

All of this is picked up on and reflected by the team.

Are new Ideas throttled because a decision-maker does not understand? (36:54)

This scenario holds the business or company back because that person is too scared to try something new. It’s not fair to all parties involved.

Creating diversity is important. (39:00)

You need a diversity of personalities. When you hire, you need to take stock of what you have attitude-wise. And maybe you need to move in a lighter or heavier direction. Don’t just hire everyone who’s like you. Then your ideas and culture won’t have any differentiation.

Remember, different personalities look at problems and ideas differently and this is a good thing. It’ll help to diversify your messaging and will also bring new ideas that your other team members do not have the capacity to think of.

Just remember that culture directly stems from the leadership.

If you care, they care.

If you’re not involved, they won’t be as involved.

ATTN: business owners –

You have to work. You have to put in the effort and show you care. This is the best way to get your team working hard – by showing them that you work hard and marketing matters to you, too.