Christine Pilkington is CEO and founder of Crisp, a retail and contract marketing company based in Vancouver, Canada .
As a part-time marketing manager, I am often asked to help a potential client (usually an experienced business owner) with a complex marketing problem. They may not be sure they have the right team to take the business to the next stage of growth. You may be wondering if they are making the most of technology in their marketing mix. Or maybe they don't understand if their marketing strategy is working. In general, these entrepreneurs are paralyzed: they are afraid of making mistakes, but they do not know where to start. In these situations, regardless of size, industry, or income level, I recommend creating a marketing roadmap.
What is a marketing page?
For our purposes, I will distinguish a few commonly used terms: Marketing strategies typically focus on a marketing initiative, such as a campaign or product launch. It is a marketing strategy focused on analyzing how marketing wants to approach the initiative. The accompanying marketing plan will outline the steps for implementing this strategy, with specific objectives and goals.
In contrast, a marketing roadmap zooms in and considers the department as a whole within the context of the company. In addition to your daily marketing campaigns and activities, consider the following:
• Marketing professionals: do you have the right team on the ground? Whether you work in-house or outsource, does your company have the right mix of skills and experience to meet your business needs?
• Marketing technology stack: are you leveraging the full potential of technology and have the right mix? Is it set correctly?
• Marketing Operations: What systems and processes are in place to improve productivity and the overall success of the department?
• Business transformation and change management: How will you manage the transition once gaps are identified? What specific initiatives should be undertaken and in what order?
Ultimately, your roadmap will define the range of projects and people needed, as well as the timelines and budgets that will help you manage this change process.
Because it's important?
In the whirlwind of business dynamics, a roadmap serves as a beacon of clarity that unites teams with a common vision and purpose. It goes beyond abstract goals to concrete projects that promote unity and provide clear direction. This essential and often overlooked tool turns goals into achievable goals and helps services run more smoothly.
A roadmap can also serve as a catalyst for innovation and change, moving away from one-off efforts. Diagnoses operational gaps and drives resource optimization, strategically manages purchasing and other key activities.
Finally, it provides a credible tool by establishing key metrics and key performance indicators, providing clear evidence of return on investment. This strategy document encourages participation across the organizational spectrum, serving as a bridge between the marketing department and the board or management, alleviating skepticism and promoting a broader view of the business.
How to create a marketing roadmap?
The marketing roadmap itself is not a visual format: it is typically a spreadsheet with a few key columns or rows in a project management table. Prepare rigorous work:
Develop problem statements.
While you may have an idea of what needs to be fixed, you may not have the complete idea. I recommend holding a workshop with your teams to understand your target audience, value proposition, competition, etc., as well as keeping an eye out for marketing blind spots. It's important to agree on the key problems you're trying to solve (usually several of them) and then put them into words using what I call a problem statement. These statements can be quite general: “I don't know if we have the right mix of people and skills on our marketing team. Or, more precisely: "We have low order conversion rates." We would like to improve.”
Define activity flows.
Once you understand the problems, you can determine the high-level action flows needed to resolve them. This could be a larger project to reorganize the marketing team structure, establish a new customer relationship management system, rejuvenate the brand or any other initiative that can help the company achieve its business objectives or to solve problems.
Project planning.
Finally, we recommend dividing task flows into specific projects. For example, we determined that one of our clients, a marketing manager, had too much on his plate and was doing media buys. We then defined a process for finding and hiring a third-party media buying agency. However, it took me several blocks to find an agency, launch it, and finally get rid of it. By planning projects in blocks (often “building blocks”), you simplify reporting and track the entire process.
Don't forget to update.
Your marketing roadmap should cover the entire year. However, special projects will appear from time to time. Be flexible and regularly update your roadmap as you see fit. Simply identify and consider the initial priorities established at the beginning of the planning process.
In the relentless quest for commercial success, the marketing plan becomes the unsung hero. This not only removes the usual obstacles, but also provides the basis for strategic growth. Imagine a car driving on a road without a map; you may go a long way or even arrive at the wrong place. Likewise, a business that does not have a marketing plan risks failing. As you travel the path of entrepreneurship, let your marketing page be the compass that guides you to success, ensuring that all your efforts move you closer to your business goals.
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