In the world of marketing operation (MO), we often hear words like “scale” and “enterprise”, but rarely “small business”. Ironically, SMBs need marketing operations (MO) the most to become the successful company they desire.
Businesses and startups that do not address MO in the early stages will pay the price – both literally and figuratively.
We advise SMBs on steps they can take to secure their future and start them down the road to success.
We recommend four essentials.
1. Assign a marketing owner to ensure that the operation is a priority.
You’ll never get anywhere if you don’t assign someone to manage the project from the start.
It’s only natural and practical for a new business to focus on gaining the first customer. Many companies, in their quest for agility, tend to focus too much on speed and doing (and neglecting strategy).
A company’s growth can be crippled if it fails to establish a solid strategic foundation. Agility doesn’t only mean speeding up decision-making or taking action. It also means operating with a well-thought-out plan that includes contingencies.
Smart companies understand the benefits of creating an MO function that will operationalize their marketing strategy and drive alignment. This will ensure accountability and compliance immediately following initial stakes in a new market and the acquisition of customers.
2. Business case: Identify the “Why” of marketing activities to gain support
It is important to create a business plan for the implementation of MO, but if you do not know your goals, this exercise will be pointless. It is important to align your MO with your enterprise and marketing strategic goals. This means that you must address the gaps within your organization in order to achieve scalability and accountability.
Consider big questions like: Will we expand internationally? What changes are needed in our business to launch our next product or service better? How can we close the talent gap between our current state and our desired future? These answers will help build your business case.
MO is more important to reaching long-term business goals when you have a complex organization with many moving parts and resources. This is because MO allows you to get more for less investment (or the current level).
It’s also important to have a good business leader and a large enough budget. Unfortunately, this is often allocated first to technology, which brings us to our next topic.
3. Do not let the latest technology overshadow your strategy
You don’t even know what you’re missing. “Don’t place the cart in front of the horse.” All of us have heard these cliches. You shouldn’t dismiss MO or technology when it comes to the subject.
Marketing Technology Seduction is a powerful tool for companies of all sizes. Martech is easy to fall in love with. Slick demos. Smooth salespeople are presenting compelling statistics and client case studies. Look at the great results achieved by XYZ! You can also reach the same type of ROI!
Every company is unique, and what works in one company may not work in another.
Be sure to understand your audience before you fall for the latest tech gadgets. You should know their problem, how they buy, and what information they require to make an informed investment decision. How can technology help you achieve your goals?
Look inside your organization first before you purchase:
- Do you have all the internal processes necessary to optimize your technology?
- Do roles and responsibilities exist?
- What will be the workflow (interdependencies and hand-offs, milestones and deliverables);
- Are you sure of what you want to achieve with the technology?
- Do you have the right partnerships with IT, sales, and other functions that will be the implementers, users, or beneficiaries of the technology in place?
It would be best if you answered each question in order. Once you have responded to all of these questions, you are ready to move forward with your investment in Martech.
Be thoughtful when making technology decisions. You are responsible for your company’s financial management. Are you really in need of that one-off solution, or should you wait until your marketing technology stack roadmap is complete before investing? Poor decisions reflect poorly on the CMO.
Marketing automation is only one part of your MO program. While you should use technology to run your company more efficiently, do not build your entire business around it.
In other words, “Look Before You Leap!”
4. The right MO leader at the right time with the right skillset
When you only have ten marketing staff, you don’t require a vice president of marketing operations. You need someone who can manage your marketing automation system. The value of the MO leader is diminished by a big title that has a limited role.
Hire an MO leader when you are serious and ready. They should be able to think in the big picture, build cross-functional alliances, and manage results pragmatically. You shouldn’t hire an MO leader who is a resident Marketo or Eloqua specialist, nor should you hire someone based on their previous experience. This is just plain wrong.