With the rise of emerging technology and increased need for digital transformation to meet the new, digital-first needs of customers and clients, traditional notions of how marketing departments should be structured are being overhauled as many marketing leaders struggle to find the magic formula.
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Much like the transient nature of our ever-evolving marketing landscape, marketing departments are also required to adapt and mould to new digital trends in order to keep up, remain successful, and stand out to their consumer in a highly competitive market by completing transformation projects.
What is becoming clear is that the boundaries of marketing are permeable, not permanent, as we approach the ever-increasing need for digital transformation and enter a transitional phase to navigate new influences that challenge existing marketing team structures.
Not only do marketing leaders have to consider how best to structure a team to facilitate transformation, they also need to balance them against the need for new methods of disseminating functions that can no longer be contained in the traditional marketing building blocks, such as data analysis, digital marketing, social expertise, new technology platforms and more, they have to ensure they remain customer-focused and continuously look for ways to innovate.
Marketing departments need to be able to transform existing business models for a digital world, create purpose-driven marketing, champion technology integration, deliver positive customer and employee experiences, as well as continue to push creative boundaries, to name but a few priorities on a very lengthy list.
Questions are being asked about how the marketing function should be woven throughout the business, as traditional marketing structures where digital expertise are confined to one team are ill-suited to an era driven by consumer-behaviour or to deliver company-wide digital transformation.
With this dual structure and purpose in mind, the 21st century CMO needs to consider several factors before approaching the move away from a centralised marketing team, such as:
Marketing merging with product and sales
Considering consumer buying habits and behaviours are fluid, the traditional, rigid structure of the marketing and sales funnel are no longer valid. Customers have the power to buy anything, anywhere, and at any time, so honing in on the performance of individual channels or one-dimensional brand experiences are now considered ineffective.
Segment-driven marketing
Rather than thinking of a product and then marketing it to a consumer, brands have rejigged their approach to focus on the customer they’re trying to engage first. This has resulted in a segment-driven model, where teams are grouped by marketing discipline according to their role in moving customers through the funnel.
The rise of digital
Many employees across all different departments now require an understanding of social, data and digital marketing techniques, not just the marketing team. Digital is now a key strategic channel within an organisation and plays an important part in their ongoing transformation.
Collaboration ecosystem
Campaign management is best driven by collaboration, as teams within the business should share service support, along with social and digital marketing. This ensures the harmonious running of customer experience, data and analytics, insights, and overall employer brand.
Bridging the technology gap
More and more marketing professionals are turning IT experts into strategic partners, as it is vital they can maximise the benefits of their investments in technological solutions to stay ahead of the curve.
It is important to reorganise your marketing structure so that it’s fit for the future and can adapt to maximise efficiency for transformation projects. Although the ideal team structure will vary depending on the size of your business and digital transformation needs, here are a few tips on how to get the ball rolling:
Gaining an understanding of overall market trends and keeping up to speed with the latest innovation, is crucial to developing an adaptable, functionable and forward-thinking marketing team structure.
Deconstruct your current marketing procedures and map them out in detail, gaining granularity from conversations with individual employees and how each function fits in the bigger-picture dynamics of your campaigns.
Examine your overall business strategy and long-term goals and ensure that your marketing and transformation objectives align. Pinpoint the areas that don’t deliver on the bigger picture and look for any unwanted duplication of processes, or any responsibilities that are unclear.
Ensure you draw up your current processes and your desired, future processes and map out the transition plan from one to the other. Detail steps to initiate change and ensure the correct processes and procedures are in place to achieve it successfully, in an attempt to remove any potential bottlenecks.
Ensure you communicate change effectively amongst senior directors, stakeholders and management. Relay the benefits of your restructure and transformation clearly, so that each team member is working towards the same goals and objectives and ultimately, taking the necessary steps towards improving productivity and efficiencies within the business.
Successful marketing teams start with talented individuals that can collaborate effectively to drive performance and results. Our global talent consultancy at DMCG Global helps to quickly connect marketing agencies and brands with the right individuals anywhere on the planet. If you are looking for marketing professionals and would like a bespoke, high-quality recruitment service, our expert consultants will be happy to help. Get in touch below to find out more.
