Sheryl Seitz is VP Marketing and Communications at May Mobility
getty
For years, marketing departments have often been viewed as cost centers because they relied on brand strategies and expensive advertising campaigns that were difficult to measure. But all that has changed. Now it’s important for marketing to be seen as a partner and revenue driver rather than a service organization. In fact, 83% of CEOs today expect their chief marketing officers (CMOs) to drive revenue growth. That means increasing visibility for the marketing team and its results so the organization understands the significance of the marketing function and how best to collaborate.
Through education, you can help team members understand the marketing plan and key performance indicators (KPIs) and how to collaborate cross-functionally with marketing. In addition, you’ll be able to promote the marketing team’s contributions and show how the marketing team’s goals ladder up to overall company objectives.
Here are several key strategies to increase the visibility of your marketing team internally and position the team as a true partner.
Build a marketing page on the internal platform.
Create a marketing and communications page on the corporate intranet or another central resource. Post an organizational chart including names, photos and job titles so employees can understand marketing’s areas of responsibility and who the go-to person is for each function. Include links to commonly requested assets like company logos, brand assets and the company event calendar. In addition, add a “contact marketing” button to the page that links to a form where cross-functional teams can make requests to the marketing team. Set up email addresses like Finance@ and Engineering@ to distribute relevant content to different teams on an ongoing basis.
Hold marketing and communications office hours.
Another strategy to increase the marketing team’s visibility is to create ongoing office hours. Try a frequency of once or twice a month and rotate team members on a staffing calendar. This structure allows employees to meet the team, ask questions, provide feedback and share ideas. You can even host interactive online sessions that anyone can attend.
Have a regular slot at company meetings.
Whether it’s an all-hands or other companywide meeting, make sure the marketing team has a regular slot. That provides an opportunity for marketing to share road maps, business updates, upcoming events and successes. Highlight key milestones that contribute to the company’s overall objectives and showcase individual team members to educate employees on different marketing functions.
Create a limited-edition piece of swag.
To create some real excitement, limited-edition swag items can be the perfect gift. By adding your brand to suitable items, you instantly help the entire organization become brand ambassadors. You can even develop custom swag boxes to build team culture and engagement. And don’t forget to ask for swag samples from vendors beforehand. This approach is the best way to ensure quality control and get a taste of the overall experience before your employees do.
Whether it’s office hours, companywide meetings or internal tools, there are a wide range of channels through which to promote the marketing team. Not only will visibility help marketing be seen as a valuable partner, but it can also improve the team’s productivity and efficiency. When combined with increased customer value, that’s a powerful success formula.
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