In this series of blog posts we investigate the people you are most likely blaming for your marketing woes.
Our first target is your Marketing Manager.
You may have a new marketing manager; you might be in-between managers, or you may have someone who has been with you for many years. But if you’re reading this article, you’re likely to be thinking it’s time for a change. Surely, they are responsible for your lack of marketing results. After all, they are leading your marketing efforts and in charge of spending your budget.
Perhaps that’s true, but let’s look at the situation realistically.
Marketing strategy is something that’s rarely grasped in early careers and experience in this area takes time. So, unless you have a seasoned manager on a high three figure salary, they probably don’t have strategic experience. Most lower and middle level marketing people are great at tactics but have not mastered strategy. A good footballer knows how to kick the ball, but he probably can’t coach the team.
In addition, as an employer, you probably asked your new Marketing Manager to hit the ground running. They might have a three-month trial period so they’d better prove their worth fast. You want to see them DO SOMETHING! So the poor new Marketing Manager has no time for planning and research and just makes changes for the sake of changes so they can look like they’re doing something. Normally inexperienced types start by firing your existing agency.
If you’ve had the same Marketing Manager for a while, they may be in a similar position and now they feel it’s too late to ask for planning time. Or they might be stuck in a creative rut. They probably have a good relationship with your agency and are happy with the work being created as it’s easy and fun. But you know it’s not cutting the mustard.
If you’re between managers and you have a revolving door installed in the marketing office, you might be attracting good talent but then not being able to keep them. This is the most concerning scenario as you’re likely to be repelling good people. It’s an unusual recruit who will request what’s needed which is a good six months to survey your business, so they understand the landscape. In this case you’re likely to accuse them of wasting time and therefore your money.
In any of these examples, the magic bullet is not to fire your marketing manager. It’s not going to fix the underlying cause of your ineffective marketing. So stop rehearsing your first warning, cancel the appointment with your HR Manager and have a cup of tea.
Here’s the problem:
Without a Brand Strategy, your marketing budget is lost at sea without a rudder.
- Your Marketing Manager and agencies have no map.
- Your Sales Team is hiding below deck.
- Your budget is set by spinning the ship’s wheel.
- And your website and graphics are like a ripped sail.
But most importantly, as the Captain, you have abandoned ship!
What you CAN do now, is provide your team with the time and space to go back to the foundations and prepare a brand strategy. It’s not productive to keep blaming others. You have the ability to take control now and lead your team.
Start by downloading my e-book, The Case of the Missing Sales. It’s free and it will set you on the right path.
