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November 8, 2017
Start Here to Create a Strong Marketing Operations Plan for 2018
By: Scott Gruher
Empower your marketing team to do their best work. Remove Marketing’s non-program responsibilities and streamline those that can’t be off-loaded. Put together a marketing operations plan that improves efficiency through process and technology. Incorporate systems that remove the administrative burden by automating core business processes. And leverage metrics and best practices for improved Marketing success.
A solid marketing operations plan can help you hit your number in 2018. Start with these steps below. Refer to SBI’s “How to Make Your Number in 2018” or
for more details.
Put the Right Leader in Place
The CMO is held accountable for keeping on top of marketing activities and performance. A strong marketing-ops leader can make that job easier.
A marketing-ops leader tracks the pulse of the marketing landscape. They chart a course to generate greater value from marketing spend. They are tasked with:
This leader leverages objective analysis through rigorous testing of messaging and strategies against benchmarks. This adds a new layer to marketing strategy, as it is traditionally not data-oriented. Traditional marketing measurement comes from focus groups and surveys, which are limited in accuracy. Quantitative data can give Marketing a whole new perspective.
But to succeed today, quantitative and qualitative measurement must work together. A strong marketing-ops leader can bridge that gap and drive greater marketing yield.
To enable this role’s success within your marketing department, create a charter. Clearly define what part they will play. What is this leader responsible for? Not responsible for? How can they ensure value is delivered?
Leverage Technology to Improve Productivity
Next, consider the technology Marketing is using, or could use in the future. Can you leverage new technologies to improve productivity? Are there other options within each category that may include better functionality? Think about the following:
Create Your Marketing Operations Plan
When it’s time to create your plan, use this list of questions as a guide.
This should give you a head start when you create your marketing ops plan. Need more help creating a plan that will hit the number? Leverage SBI’s “How to Make Your Number in 2018” or
. You can request an expert to help you create a marketing ops plan that really works.
Scott joined SBI in 2010 with years of hands-on experience in sales leadership and enterprise selling. Since his arrival, he has helped dozens of organizations dramatically accelerate growth, from Fortune 10 organizations like Phillips 66 to fast-growing cloud service organizations like InfusionSoft. Scott specializes in cross-functional alignment. He helps leaders align around the growth goal and design the right processes to bring the strategy to life. His unique combination of real world experience and a pragmatic approach to problem solving have made him one of SBI’s most demanded resources.
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