Last time, we covered three of the top signs your marketing department is in dire need of a marketing project manager. Today, we’ll tackle some symptoms of team dysfunction that a marketing project professional can help resolve.
- The C-Suite Is Frustrated with Marketing ROI
A jaw-dropping 96% of Fortune 1000 C-suite executives consider their marketing and PR teams “unwilling or unable” to prove their return on investment. In other words, marketers are spending money without being able to demonstrate the benefit of those dollars. Marketing projects like product launches have clear connections to business growth, but a failure to plan ahead often leaves valuable data out in the cold.
A skilled freelance marketing project manager can build KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) into the project to ensure the C-suite knows exactly where those dollars are being spent and converting into increased business.
- Inter-Departmental Friction
It’s no secret that marketing works hand in hand with sales, IT, and sometimes customer service, along with additional divisions depending on special project needs. But ensuring smooth communication and preserving alignment between departments can be a tricky prospect without proper mediation. In competitive workplaces, everyone’s looking to get credit for success.
Many companies turn to software to automate interdepartmental processes, but marketing projects that demand stakeholder buy-in from different departments need a steady human presence to act as the interface. A part-time marketing project manager can advocate for marketing’s needs and mediate the demands of other departments. Plus, they bring their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) with them, adding more oversight and structure to complement your organization’s existing processes.
- You Can’t Keep Employees Around
Marketing has the highest turnover rate at 17%, but if yours is eclipsing this number, you may need the calming force of a marketing project manager. Often, marketers get burned out because they’ve been spread too thin or asked to do things that fall far outside their job description.
With a freelance marketing project professional keeping everyone on track by delegating duties to the most capable people, projects are more likely to be successful—keeping valuable employees from flying the coop. When marketers are able to proactively plan projects, they’re 365% more likely to report success.
Contract marketing project managers can be brought in on an as-needed basis—and brought back to help with future projects as they arise. The best part is that freelance marketing managers already know your business and your policies, so there’s no onboarding time or learning curve, and your employees already know and trust them.
- The Creative Types and Number Types Don’t Talk
Workplaces can have just as many cliques as a middle school. When creative marketers and data-driven marketers don’t (or don’t know how to) work together, it can create feelings of competition and alienation. Marketing project managers can bridge that gap. JABR’s team is open, objective, and experienced at interfacing with various, diverse departments.
- Best Practices Aren’t in Place or Repeatable
Marketing project professionals don’t just make one project work. They put into place repeatable processes to ensure the next project and the project after that work just as well. When marketers document their strategy, they’re 313% more likely to be successful.
At the end of the day, marketing operations encompasses a series of iterations—testing, analyzing, tweaking, repeating. The longer a marketing project manager sticks around, the more smoothly things often go.
Choosing a Fractional Marketing Project Manager
For companies that don’t need a full-time marketing project manager, contract marketing, also known as fractional marketing management, is an excellent solution. You get the support of a seasoned marketing project professional without the expense of a salaried employee.
Get in touch to see how JABR can support your marketing project management needs today. Just in case you missed it, don’t forget to check out part one of this article!