The marketing world has changed in many ways the last few years.
The Internet changed how marketers connect with consumers and clients. The Internet has also changed the workplace. People are using computers for nearly every activity and even devices like smartphones and tablets are becoming commonplace.
What is a modern marketing director supposed to do to give employees all the tools and power to perform at the highest level?
Here is an overview of what the today’s marketing directors can do to get the most from their marketing teams.
Giving Individuals Power With a Framework
Recently, we discussed how marketing managers need to understand individuals. Every person typically looks out for their best interest first. As humans, we’ve evolved to focus on the survival of ourselves and those we care most about.
It’s human nature for individuals to want to do well. They want to advance in an organization and do great things. It gives them personal satisfaction and potential financial rewards that will make their lives better for themselves and for their family.
The marketing director’s job is to make sure individuals are able to grow the company and themselves. The trick is to provide no limitations other than a basic framework.
For example, the greatest basketball teams are the ones that score as many points as possible while limiting opponents from scoring. The team is limited only the rules of the game including the time. Players are challenged to reach peak performance by shooting close to 100% from the field and stopping every shot by the opponent.
Each team also has a framework for success. The coach designs schemes and strategy. The best coaches understand that individuals want to do well so the coach provides specific frameworks for advancement and success.
The best shooter on the team can find success by becoming efficient at making baskets. Another player is challenged to become the best defender on the team. Each individual can improve and succeed as individuals and by becoming successful in those roles the team becomes successful.
In business, the marketing director needs to provide a framework for today’s marketers.
It’s common for a marketer today to get excited about social media. Rather than letting the social media marketer run wild, the marketing director has the task of providing a framework, which likely includes things like budget and performance metrics (profit).
Let the social media marketer strive to exceed as much growth as possible using social media within the provided framework. The social media marketer is one part of the entire team and if they succeed in their role they become a success as an individual and as a team member in the business.
Understanding of Modern Technology
Marketing directors are often the best at managing people. The best coaches might not have been the best players, but they’re the best at getting the most out of individuals.
A coach might not have the skills to be a great player, but they need to at least understand the skills of the modern game in order to get the most out of the team.
Modern marketing directors need to understand things like social media, big data and other modern marketing technology.
Usually, the marketing director has seen technology come and go during their tenure. The basic concept of marketing has always been the same. It’s about exposing your brand to new audiences and getting those audience members to become customers.
In the past it might have been advertising on television. Today it might be building a business blog.
By understanding modern technology like social media, blogging, etc. the marketing director can provide understanding and direction for the team members. It’s background for the framework that allows employees to succeed for the betterment of the company.
Conclusion
The marketing director is very much in charge of getting the most out of the marketing team. By gaining and understanding of modern marketing technology the direct can create a framework (by aligning new opportunities with the business’s core values) that allows individuals the opportunity to succeed.
That is how the marketing director can empower employees in today’s business world.
It’s really nothing new. The best directors have been doing it for some time.