We have all heard of marketing, but it is clear that there are still many people, often in very senior positions, who do not understand its pivotal role in the business and why it should be taken seriously
Here Veronica provides her thoughts on the importance of understanding what your marketing team do for your business.
It has come to my attention of late that a small marketing team in a reasonably sized company has been given notice with a one last gasp’ of being invited to justify their existence. This may have been a cost-cutting exercise but nevertheless perhaps a naïve one.
I find this unbelievable in the present economy. Companies must recognise that when the going gets tough
you know the next bit! We have to batten down the hatches, make sure all our processes our watertight, ensure our crew are the best in class and then navigate our way through the stormy waters ahead, making sure that we have a clear focus, sense of direction and leadership to take everyone with us. Dare I say, making sure everyone is on board’. This includes internal marketing as well as external.
My plea to you if you are in marketing is, please manage your relationship with the rest of the business. Do they really understand what you do and how vital that is in making sure your company is the first choice each and every time for your customers? That you become top of class through your Net Promoter Score, that through the metrics you provide you can demonstrate the results and value of your company’s marketing spend?
Marketing activity is not just about going out to get new business; it is also about retaining existing customers and maintaining strong relationships with investors and the community as well as keeping the company in a positive light by managing its reputation.
If things are feeling a bit turbulent the last thing you want to do is lose the customers, you already have. With that in mind, it is not by accident that we at nesma continue to build the marketing skills within our own business. Lucy Davidson has enrolled on the CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing after successfully passing the CIPR Foundation Award in Public Relations.
As nesma is in the knowledge business we encourage everyone who joins the team to build their skills, and I try to inspire, challenge, and influence the way my students think about their position within the business they work.
Doing this course will not only help Lucy to build up skills relevant to her job, but she will experience first-hand our product offer. Which in turn will help her deliver the best customer experience as she will have been there and done it! It’s a bit akin to the Patagonia style of employee relations, “Let my people go surfing!” As enthusiasm is indeed contagious!
I know Lucy is enjoying being with the current cohort as the feedback that I always get from students is that that they love the support and encouragement that they get from their peer group. Some of them have even made life-long friendships in our study centre classrooms.
If you find yourself and your position under unenviable scrutiny, then framing marketing in a way that fully resonates with your boss is the first step. Most understand that marketing is essential, but few put marketing as a priority.
A marketing-first approach to business ensures that the products and services the company offers are relevant to the marketplace putting customer experience in the limelight. If they can acknowledge that marketing departments do much more than enabling sales teams to do their job but focus on outcomes that matter to the customers, then ultimately the benefits will begin to reveal themselves through increased customer loyalty and profit.
nesma.co.uk
