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Less Can Be More

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May 18 2009

As Marketers try to do more with less, automation is typically at the top of the list of ways companies are looking to increase efficiency and productivity.  In our role as marketing service providers, we're often asked to identify and recommend the right solutions for companies and to identify specific ways the technology can help them meet their marketing objectives.

Regardless of the company structure, company culture or marketing objectives, as we begin to analyze the current situation and determine gaps that must be addressed to meet current and future objectives, we find some areas that are as important to efficiency as the underlying technology.  Many organizations have consolidated departments, or merged with other companies, but have not standardized marketing processes to create single set of defined activities that are understood and used by all team members and can be executed across the organization. 

The problems with these legacy processes are very similar to those associated with legacy systems.  When processes aren't standardized, roles and responsibilities become blurred.  If it's unclear who is required to approve a plan for a marketing campaign, it is clear that there will be some delays in getting the required sign-off, and having the campaign plan approved and implemented in a timely manner - regardless of the tools used.  Without clearly defined responsibilities and a clear path, there's also a lot of churning and rework, and increased frustration.  Most times, there is no change management process to govern how changes should be handled late in the game, causing a lot of last minute heroics to get campaigns completed on time.

Tackling process change is not very popular - especially with team members who have been involved for a long time - but can result in big pay-offs.  Getting an organization to adopt a standardized process for Marketing will only happen if senior management sponsors and actively supports the initiative.  In an organization we recently worked with, there was a lot of internally grumbling about the 'extra work' the process would entail.  After senior management clearly communicated that adhering to the process was not optional, team members reluctantly conformed.  Fast forward six months, and those who were the biggest grumblers are now the biggest supporters.  They find that it has not only saved them from churn and re-work, but has given them more time to be proactive, do more analysis and detailed planning, resulting in better, more effective programs and campaigns.

 

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