6 Common Obstacles to Marketing Team Success and the Cheat Codes to Beat Them

AtTask Marketing Solutions Group

WINNING AT THE GAME OF MARKETING

Timon Rumbold

ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS Don’t just duck and cover – conquer the barrage

A constant barrage •  Requests via email, IM,

meetings, sticky notes, phone calls, texts, hallway chats, smoke signals, etc.

•  FIFO (first in, favourite out)

OBSTACLE 1 – ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS

People work more hours than they’re actually paid.

2013 Employerbility study on “Workplace Productivity”

OBSTACLE 1 – ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS

How many tools does your team use to manage your work?

Quick Survey:

CHEAT CODE: 1 – CENTRALISE

Dominate the game •  Centralise requests

•  Standardise requests

•  Provide visibility

•  Align requests to goals

•  Understand tradeoffs

•  Empower workers

OBSTACLE 1 – ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS

SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM Process makes perfect

OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

It’s all fun and games … until someone drops a plate

Workers have high levels of stress and extreme fatigue, and feel out of control.

2012 ComPsych survey

OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

Workers lose 1 hour or more per day of productivity at work due to stress.

2012 ComPsych survey

OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

CHEAT CODE: 2 – STANDARDISE

OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

“Process” is not a 4-letter word •  Be consistent

•  Use & re-use templates

•  Set realistic expectations

•  Align work to priorities

•  Win - (i.e. reap the rewards)

HELLO... OVER, IS ANYONE THERE… OVER Break the chain and appropriate the right resources for your work

OBSTACLE 3 – IS ANYONE THERE?

Beg, borrow or steal people to get work done •  No visibility into resources

or priorities

•  Weekly resource meeting. (aka “Bun-Fight”)

•  Who’s doing what?

•  When will they finish?

•  What else is left?

Workers say they don’t have enough time to get their work done.

“The Knowledge Worker’s Day: Our Findings”, Basex blog

OBSTACLE 3 – IS ANYONE THERE

CHEAT CODE: 3 – VISIBILITY

Stress-free Resourcing •  Understand when it’s

urgent – and when it’s not

•  Provide duration and effort

•  Let resources be people

•  Prioritise work

OBSTACLE 3 – IS ANYONE THERE

REPORTING WORK STATUS Solve the mystery

Who’s doing what? When will they finish? What else is left?

OBSTACLE 4 – WORK STATUS

Over half of failed projects blamed on ineffective communication.

“The High Cost of Low Performance”, 2013 PMI report

OBSTACLE 4 – WORK STATUS

CHEAT CODE: 4 – COLLABORATE

Clues to status visibility •  Define “Final”

(Pro tip: It’s not “done_done”)

•  Real decisions get made on real status information

•  Make it easy and simple

OBSTACLE 4 – WORK STATUS

PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY Take the blindfold off the approval process

The hunt for: Red October the approver

OBSTACLE 5 – PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

Increase in finishing projects within budget – if effective approvals are in place.

2012 PWC study on global project management

OBSTACLE 5 – PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

CHEAT CODE: 5 – STREAMLINE APPROVAL PROCESSES

OBSTACLE 5 – PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

“Structure” is also not a 4-letter word •  Identify approvers

•  Automate review process

•  Establish timeframes

•  Automate reminders

•  Provide visibility

THE JUSTIFICATION GAME Proof is in the data

OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

Overworked and understaffed?

OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

Prove it.

2012 increase in CMO budget …

2012 CMO Tech Marketing Barometer Study by IDC

OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

… but CMOs had expected 8%.

2012 CMO Tech Marketing Barometer Study by IDC

OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

CHEAT CODE: 6 – MEASURE

Data – GOOD data – unlocks its own rewards •  Uncover productivity

improvements

•  Improve resource allocation

•  Provide cost reporting

•  Start profitability reporting

OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

CHEAT CODES

DYSFUNCTION

INTERNAL MARKETING

CREATIVE

DIGITAL

POOR VISIBILITY

FINGER POINTING ANGRY CUSTOMERS

FIRE DRILL

TEAMS PLAN COLLAB ASSETS APPROVAL REPORT

SINGLE SYSTEM OF TRUTH

SINGLE INPUT SUCCESS

TOTAL VISIBILITY

TEAMS PLAN COLLABORATE ASSETS APPROVAL REPORT

ATTASK HALL OF FAME

“Don’t call me on the phone. Don’t give me an IM. Stop sending me email. Put your communication in AtTask. Because that allows for one source of truth.”

— Erin Frey, Creative Director, House of Blues Entertainment

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

“With AtTask we are at least 25-30% more productive. That’s pretty amazing when you consider we are also tracking five times more information. That’s priceless.”

— Bill Gattinger, Traffic & Production, Direct Marketing ATB Financial

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

For a custom demo of the AtTask centralized work solution,

visit us @

Booth D50

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