The State of Your Marketing Work

A Self-Assessment & Guide for Powering Your Processes

What is Marketing Work Management and Why Does It Matter?

In today's fast-paced marketing world, things change quickly – campaigns, tools, and customer trends alike. That's where Marketing Work Management comes into play. It's your trusty toolkit for building a strong foundation, equipping you to stay resilient and adapt swiftly.

By laying this vital foundation, your marketing team can tackle challenges with ease, much like a well-constructed building that not only stands tall but also provides a stable base for all your marketing endeavors, even in the face of storms and uncertainties.

To see where you currently stand, we've created a valuable resource – our Marketing Work Self-Assessment.
‍
Take this self-evaluation to measure your current marketing work management capabilities, identify any gaps or areas for improvement, and chart a course for your future roadmap.
‍

‍

If you’ve already taken the assessment, wonderful! 

Read on to uncover the 5 pillars that support a successful marketing work management structure and analyze your results.
‍

The 5 Pillars of Marketing Work Maturity

Regardless of where you or your team are in this marketing journey, it's important to remember that every team and leader is unique, and each is progressing at their own pace. What remains consistent, though, are the pillars that successful marketing leaders prioritize when establishing a robust framework.


We designed our assessment on five pillars — Ownership, Organization, Alignment, Visibility, and Technology — because we believe they lay the foundation for a successful marketing work management environment.
‍
‍

‍

These pillars are the essential building blocks of your marketing success and serve as the foundation for growth.
‍
‍
So, whether you're just starting or have been at it for a while, these pillars offer valuable insights and can help you chart a course for continuous improvement. Let's take a closer look at each quality and how they impact your marketing team’s maturity:

Ownership

The importance of clear responsibility and accountability, ensuring that tasks and projects have dedicated owners.

Do you and your team feel assured that your contributions make a meaningful impact on the organization?

It's all about individuals and teams embracing ownership of their roles and tasks. This ownership not only fosters accountability but also instills a strong sense of responsibility for the outcomes of your projects. By empowering your team members with this sense of ownership, you're not just boosting confidence; you're also aligning their efforts with the broader marketing goals and objectives.

Organization

‍How well processes are documented, organized, and maintained to ensure clarity and efficiency.

Do your tasks and projects stay on track even when unexpected curveballs come your way?

‍Having everything nicely documented - processes, workflows, and project plans - isn't just about staying organized; it's your guide to keeping things consistent even when facing a few surprises. A well-organized marketing process keeps things in order and also helps you and your team remain flexible. As your business keeps on growing, these processes and structures make it easier to expand your marketing efforts and adapt to all those changing needs.
‍

Alignment

‍The knowledge that everyone is on the same page and working toward shared goals.

Is your marketing strategy in alignment with the overall business objectives? Furthermore, is this alignment effectively communicated across different departments within your organization?

It's crucial to recognize that when marketing teams synchronize their efforts with colleagues in departments such as sales, product development, and customer support, it resembles a collaboration of superheroes pooling their strengths. This clear and consistent alignment demonstrates the significance of coordinated teamwork as various departments unite to achieve common objectives.
‍

Visibility

The ability to quickly understand and visualize the work in progress in order to make informed decisions. 

Do you find it easy to track potential risks and opportunities?

When your marketing team has a clear view of what's happening in your campaigns and projects, it can be a game-changer. You can watch things unfold in real time and make quick moves when needed. Think of it as being able to fine-tune your marketing strategies and tactics as you go. With a detailed picture of how your campaigns are doing, you can spot opportunities you might have missed and deal with hiccups before they become a roadblock. 

‍

Technology

The extent to which your current marketing software supports collaboration, processes, and alignment.

Do you ever feel like you're stuck doing a mountain of manual tasks that take up too much of your time?

Thanks to modern technology, marketing work management tools can help you become more efficient and productive. These solutions can make your work easier by automating repetitive tasks with tools such as intuitive calendars and pre-built templates. With this newfound efficiency, your marketing team can focus on one important thing – making sure they handle routine tasks consistently. They help you save time and maintain consistency, so your team can use their skills where they matter most, making your marketing process more efficient and successful.
‍

Assessing Your Results and Strategies for Advancing Your Team

‍

If your result caught you by surprise, no need to worry! It's common for assessments to shed light on areas that may have been overlooked or not immediately considered, and that's perfectly okay. Instead of feeling anxious, approach this as an opportunity to be curious and determined.

‍

In addition, other factors play a role – often outside your control. Think about the size of your marketing team – smaller teams face different hurdles than larger, more resource-rich ones. The tools and technology you have also matter; some organizations have cutting-edge solutions, while others work with more basic resources. Leadership support is crucial too; strong guidance from leaders can significantly impact marketing success.

‍

Remember, your marketing skills remain the same, regardless of the circumstances. Let’s navigate these results and shift our focus to the steps you can take for continuous improvement.
‍

Key Stage: Beginner 

Welcome to the exciting start of your journey toward top-notch work management! If you're at this initial stage in our model, you're embarking on a significant learning adventure. It's not uncommon to encounter challenges like tight budgets, limited resources, and a need for executive support.

‍

You might discover that you're experimenting with various tactics to figure out what suits your needs, and perhaps spending less time on formal process documentation and tools. While this stage may seem challenging at times, remember that investing in the right processes and tools now will lay a solid foundation for your future success

‍

More than 50% of marketing teams have no documented workflows

Level Up by Establishing a Foundation

‍

Every marketing team, whether just starting or more experienced, should continuously strengthen their marketing foundation. Building solid processes and tools is most efficiently done in the early stages. Despite the fast-paced nature of marketing, taking time to document processes, clarify responsibilities, and establish a shared calendar can greatly improve marketing work management.

‍

Gaining support from higher-ups is crucial at this point. Advocating for marketing work management can lead to several benefits, including happier and more productive team members, better ROI on software investments, improved company alignment, and strategically aligned marketing campaigns. Educate your team on the importance of this foundation to unlock these advantages.
‍

Top Tenon Takeaways:
‍

1. Identify specific marketing processes that are critical to your team's success and create visual process maps for each of them
2. Use a digital marketing calendar tool to coordinate and share marketing plans, regularly update it, and ensure everyone on the team understands their responsibilities for smoother marketing efforts.

‍

Key Stage: Evolving

No matter where you start, the journey to enhance your marketing processes isn't always a straightforward path. Finding yourself in this stage is an exciting opportunity for reevaluation and growth.

‍

In this phase, concepts like ownership, organization, alignment, and better overall visibility are likely to come into play for you and your team. However, it's not always a clear-cut process. While you're introducing key tools and strategies, not everyone on your team may be fully aligned just yet. Whether these foundational elements will pave the way for a strong structure is a journey in itself.

‍

While this stage may involve some challenging reevaluations and uncertainties, remember that reassessing and focusing on improvements can set the stage for a more organized and promising future.

‍

Achieve Progress by Building for Resilience 

‍

Change is a constant visitor in the world of marketing, whether it's a new product direction, organizational shake-up, or emerging trend. It's important to remember that surviving in the short term isn't enough for long-term growth. Building a strong foundation may involve taking deliberate and measured steps, and investing time in creating robust processes that you can later build upon.

‍

The good news is that technology can help your team adapt, communicate effectively, and become more resilient for the future. It doesn't always require a hefty financial commitment. Utilizing free tools and scalable software is a practical approach that won't strain your budget. As your organization grows, these flexible solutions make scaling more manageable. The key is finding the right free tools and software that align with your specific needs and can grow your business seamlessly.

‍

Top Tenon Takeaways:
‍

1. For each step in your work, provide detailed documentation that includes clear instructions, best practices, and any relevant templates or resources
2. Use project management and collaboration tools to assign tasks, track progress, and maintain visibility into who is responsible for what. 
   ‍

Key Stage: Competitive 

Congratulations! Reaching the competitive stage is a significant accomplishment, and it's something that many marketers aspire to achieve. While your hard work has rightfully garnered the attention of your executive team, it also means there's a bit more on your plate.

‍

Now, the focus is on breaking down siloed functions, establishing clear documented processes, gaining a deeper understanding of the broader organizational goals, and adopting tools that simplify the journey towards these objectives. It's a journey that brings new challenges and opportunities.

‍

Progress by Reinforcing and Refining

‍

When it comes to ongoing improvement, measuring your progress is key. As we mentioned earlier, refining your marketing foundation is a continuous journey. Whether you're starting out or already well-established, reinforcing what's working and refining your current practices is an ongoing effort.

‍

A great example of building on this foundation is maintaining alignment and communication within your team. Whether you have a small or large team, keeping everyone on the same page can sometimes feel like herding sheep. However, using tools like a shared marketing calendar not only brings transparency but also empowers everyone to stay aligned and fosters smooth communication across all your marketing efforts. This not only improves your ability to tackle unexpected challenges but also ensures that everyone is working together towards common goals.

‍

Organizations with robust organization can grow up to 20% annually

‍

Top Tenon Takeaways:
‍

1. Maintain shared calendars that include campaign schedules, deadlines, and key milestones to ensure everyone is aware of important dates.
2. Provide regular status reports that highlight progress, challenges, and accomplishments.
   ‍

Key Stage: Leading 

Every exceptional marketing leader understands that reaching this maturity stage requires both dedicated effort and a solid foundation for future success. In this phase, you might notice a shift toward long-term strategies, data forecasting, and more robust performance management.

‍

When these demands start arriving at your marketing doorstep, you'll be well-prepared, provided you've invested in fully-owned and well-documented processes and nurtured a more mature, aligned team that comprehends company goals and initiatives.

‍

While you've achieved cohesion within the marketing department, it's equally crucial at this stage to explore how this cohesion can extend its positive impact into other departments across the organization. 

‍

Elevate by Solidifying Your Foundation

‍

Creating a strong foundation for your marketing efforts is truly a team effort, and your partners in this journey extend beyond the marketing team – think of them as your village. When these different departments align with your established processes, it not only generates synergy but also significantly enhances the consistency of executing marketing campaigns and reaching broader organizational goals.

‍

To achieve this alignment, it's crucial to seamlessly integrate your marketing processes throughout the entire organization. This involves breaking down barriers and ensuring that teams like sales, product development, and customer support are well-informed about marketing strategies and initiatives. Equally important is streamlining how these departments submit their marketing-related requests and ideas.
‍

‍
By setting up efficient channels for other departments to share their marketing needs, you not only promote collaboration but also ensure that their contributions seamlessly become part of the overall marketing strategy. When these departments understand how marketing activities relate to their functions, it leads to a more holistic approach toward achieving shared goals

‍

Top Tenon Takeaways:

1. Increase cross-functional transparency with a shared project board that shows key projects, deadlines, and events. 
2. Establish a standardized process for submitting marketing requests from other departments and create a central hub where all requests are received, reviewed, and organized.
   ‍

Key Stage: Optimal

After all your dedicated efforts in establishing a robust marketing foundation, you've finally reached the summit! Being at this stage signifies a true achievement in Marketing Work Management excellence, acknowledged and appreciated throughout your entire organization.

‍

So, what did it take to reach this milestone? It was about laying down those foundational building blocks – having clear ownership, maintaining consistent processes, fostering full collaboration, embracing transparency, and using the right technology. However, it's important to remember that this isn't the end of the road. The world of marketing is ever-evolving, and the next big change might be just around the corner. Continuous improvement remains an ongoing and exciting journey.

‍

Marketers who use automation are 46% more likely to report having an effective marketing strategy

Rise to Success by Fortifying for the Future

‍

It's a simple truth that you can't plan for what you can't foresee. That's why making thoughtful decisions in the present is not just smart but crucial for building a positive and resilient future, not only for your marketing but for your entire organization.
‍

To stay ahead and nimble in a world of constant change, many forward-thinking marketers, much like yourself, have embraced Agile Marketing. What is Agile Marketing? It’s not just a workflow; it's a mindset that empowers you to simplify even the most complex campaigns and adapt quickly to unexpected shifts in the market. This approach isn't only for early-stage marketing; it evolves with your team and organization, growing in complexity and sophistication as needed.
‍

76% of Agile marketers stated agile marketing allowed them to prioritize work more effectively.

‍

In addition, to increase the impact of your marketing efforts, it’s important at this stage to ensure that your campaigns are clearly tied to organizational goals. Take the time to audit your current campaigns. If too many tasks are falling outside top enterprise objectives, it may be time to reevaluate how your team is prioritizing work. 

‍

Top Tenon Takeaways:
‍

1. Map how each marketing campaign is aligned to drive and support higher-level business goals. Review the findings with your team. 
2. Consider elevating some or all of your marketing projects with Agile Marketing to streamline project production, insulate your team from project pivots, and continually refine processes for success.
   ‍

Reaching The Peak of Resilient Marketing

Let's recap the importance of a robust work management foundation. It's the key to unlocking efficiency and adaptability, ensuring your marketing efforts benefit the entire organization.

‍

As you wrap up this read and continue on your journey, here's a thought to carry with you: fixing gaps in marketing processes may seem daunting, but it's also a chance for growth and progress. Instead of feeling held back, your team can redirect its efforts to refine processes and aim for excellence. These enhancements not only boost productivity but also focus your energy on achieving those ambitious long-term goals.

‍

In the realm of Marketing Work Management, when done right, even the simplest structures have the potential to grow incredibly strong and resilient over time.
‍

The Future of Your Marketing Work Maturity

In today's fast-paced marketing landscape, we understand the challenges you face. Your work isn't just about getting through tasks and campaigns; it's about achieving your overall marketing objectives and creating a genuine impact.

‍

Your journey matters to us, and it doesn't end with this self-assessment. We're committed to supporting you every step of the way, whether it's by analyzing your results, reviewing your work processes, or helping you define the next steps to success. Our goal is to empower you with the tools and resources you need to work smarter and more efficiently, so you can achieve your goals and make a lasting impact.


If you're ready to transform your marketing processes, we're here to help. Request a Tenon tour to learn more.
‍
‍