Every industry faces a similar challenge: they need to achieve business results efficiently and effectively, using data to inform their strategy.
To do that, as a CMO or marketing manager, you and your team need to work in tandem with other departments in the company–particularly the chief information officer (CIO) and the IT team–to ensure that marketing programs and campaigns achieve their intended results.
Follow these ten simple steps to turn your team into an unstoppable force in marketing.
Data is important. Show your team
Is data-driven. Retailers use marketing to find their ideal customers. Lawyers use data aggregation to prepare for upcoming significant cases.
To execute successful campaigns, marketers also need high-quality information. You can encourage your colleagues to help create an environment powered by analytics by educating them about the crucial business roles that data insights fill.
Fostering a collaborative CMO/CIO relationship
Forrester research reports that only half of CMOs work with CIOs on joint projects. Only 46% of marketing executives and 51% of technology leaders share the same views on how customers interact with the touch points of a company. Forrester analysts say that a critical part of establishing competitive advantage is a close collaboration between marketing and IT.
Avoid silos at any cost
One thing is evident when the success of a business depends on the marketing and technology departments working in tandem: internal silos need to be broken down.
Ask your IT and marketing colleagues about their habits and processes. You can help your colleagues get started by bringing up the opportunities you see for them to work together.
Tell them that the success of your business is at risk.
Set goals that all teams can support
You are not the only one who has noticed that your company’s teams have different goals.
Marketing teams should meet with IT departments to discuss goals that will benefit both departments. Before requesting a data solution to inform marketing campaigns, consider how it will impact IT costs, complexity, and risk.
You can step towards a symbiotic partnership between your marketing department, your IT department, and your entire company by framing every conversation in terms of the whole.
Measuring progress incrementally
It’s time for you to start measuring progress once marketing and IT goals are aligned and the teams have started working together. But first, create a system to make this possible. When one of your groups begins a project, define benchmarks to help you prove value. From the beginning to the results, demonstrating value is the best way to support your team (and its budget).
Make sure your marketers can speak IT
It sometimes feels like marketing and IT people are from different planets. Marketing loves ROI and results. It shines in intricate processes and granular detail.
Both groups must adjust their communication styles and become familiar with each other’s work.
CMOs who spend time with the IT team learn about the technical challenges, requirements, and motivations that drive IT functions. This knowledge is crucial when it’s time to present new initiatives in a manner that gets the C-suite or IT team on board. It can also help you achieve the ROI desired.
Stay in touch
Even after completing a project jointly by both teams, CIOs and Chief Marketing Officers should remain close. Marketers need to be able to draw insights from every company’s mountains of data. IT staff canteen will be most effective if they have a communication channel.
Perhaps a weekly meeting between your IT and marketing teams will be most beneficial for your team. It could be a monthly brainstorm where colleagues share new ideas that the two groups will focus on. Or it could be an online community with real-time communication.
It can help the teams continue working together by scheduling activities that encouraging team bonding, such as trivia nights or karaoke contests.
Group wins to celebrate
Spread the word if a CMO and CIO brainstorm results in a big marketing success. Mention specific employees who have played a key role in joint projects and challenges your team has overcome. By fostering a culture of collaboration, you’ll strengthen the bond between your team and foster an environment that will grow in value.
Keep the rest of the C-suite informed
When you celebrate your company’s successes, let everyone in the C-suite know that success depends on employee collaboration.
At your next town hall or company meeting, share a specific challenge your IT and marketing teams overcame using data insights.
The CMO and CIO are seen as leaders who know how to turn data into profits.
Keep track of the original goal
Data is not an obstacle to marketers; it’s a tool. Many, if not all, of your leading companies have likely reached their current position and size due to their ability to process and apply Big Data insight. CMOs, CIOs, and their teams need to work together to achieve mutual goals. They should also celebrate group successes and maintain open communication channels.