Calling All One-Person Marketing Departments: You Are Not Alone

If you’re tearing your hair out trying to analyze monthly social media stats while setting up an SEO campaign and planning your company’s blog strategy all at the same time, you aren’t the only one.

Many companies rely on one-person marketing departments to run the show, and this can work well when the person in this multitasking position has the skills and resources to take on day-to-day challenges. If you’re the lone-star marketer, there are a few steps you can take to help get the job done while also managing to keep your sanity – and your hair.

(We’ll make this quick since you probably only have 10 minutes between meetings!)

Set “Make Me Proud” Goals

Never feel pressured to turn straw into gold. You can’t get much done that way. People are most productive when their goals appear within reach. To this end, set budgets that you can afford and work with targets that can be met.

Figure out what is attainable and realistic for a single person to accomplish in a day, week, month, etc. Then break everything down to the micro level so you know what to do and when. For instance, if you’ll be buying print ads or investing in SEO, start by determining if you have the right budget, then figure out all the steps necessary to accomplish the task and decide how you will complete each step. Going small and within budget will help you accomplish your goals sooner.

Related: 5 Beginner Tips for Digital Marketing Newbies

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

Being a one-person marketing department requires that you possess extensive skills and experience. But hey, no one is perfect. With this in mind, be prepared to outsource some tasks and get training in areas where you need advanced knowledge.

For instance, marketing departments are often responsible for creating videos. They also have to code from time to time and to get involved in creating TV, Facebook and Google ads. Not many marketers are capable of handling all these without help. You might be good with creating YouTube videos but not with Google ads. If that’s the case, you can outsource your Google ad campaign. Alternatively, consider getting training on the same.

Pause and Get Organized

The most frustrating thing about being a marketing mind without a team to help you is that you can feel isolated in your ideas and beliefs because there is no one around to agree with you. That lack of moral support can destroy your confidence in spite of your training and expertise.

In a team, you’ll usually have people chipping in and arguing over color, hues, and what printer to use. These arguments often help in decision-making. But in one-person teams, there is no one to argue with or share options with. Yet every single decision will be critically examined by those above you.

To avoid this, there need to be clearly defined channels of communication between your department and other departments within the company. If other departments will be involved in decision making, map out which departments will be involved in what projects and how they will provide their input. 

Get help

These are just some of the tips you need to make your work easier in your new role. If you need a bit of help or maybe have a few questions you’d like to talk to someone about, reach out to us here at Ironmark – we’d love to give you the boost you’ve been looking for!