Scale Your Marketing Department

Select the right team model and agency for a high-performing organization

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Scale Your Marketing Department

Scaling up the marketing department by selecting the appropriate internal team model and third-party partner agencies is crucial for both the marketing department and the entire organization, as it enables the organization to achieve better results and drive growth by improving its marketing capabilities, simplifying processes, and fostering collaboration.

One of the primary benefits of scaling up the marketing department is the ability to take on more complex marketing initiatives and reach a broader audience, resulting in improved ROI and brand awareness. Additionally, selecting the right team model and partners can streamline the marketing process, leading to faster turnaround times, better resource management, and improved overall performance. An organized team structure can also help distribute workload and resources more effectively, avoiding burnout and optimizing performance.

However, challenges may arise in selecting the appropriate team model and partners, including identifying the right skills and expertise, managing costs, and ensuring effective communication

and collaboration. Nonetheless, with careful consideration and planning, organizations can successfully scale up their marketing department and achieve their desired results.

This blueprint addresses those challenges and provides guidance for selecting the appropriate team model and partners, enabling organizations to scale up their marketing departments and achieve better results.

Julie Geller
Marketing Research Director
SoftwareReviews Advisory

Nathalie Vezina
Marketing Research Director
SoftwareReviews Advisory

Executive summary

Your Challenge

The manner in which you structure and scale your internal teams and partner resources can greatly

impact the success of your marketing efforts.

• Poor structure and partner choices can lead to:
• Poor performance, lack of agility, and poor delivery
• Higher costs and ineffective marketing strategy development and implementation
• Inadequate resource management (budget, personnel, and technology)
• Difficulty collaborating and aligning with other teams and functions
• Poor management of marketing risks (legal, regulatory, brand, and privacy)
• Limited innovation and creativity in initiatives
• Low employee morale and high turnover

Common Obstacles

There are several obstacles that can impede the achievement of a well-organized and effective

marketing department, including:

• Limited resources (budget/technology) and difficulty in finding and retaining top talent
• Lack of alignment between internal teams and external agencies
• Non-collaborative and non-innovative team models
• Siloed departments and lack of collaboration
• Resistance to change from other departments or senior leadership
• Inadequate leadership causing confusion, inefficiencies, and low morale
• Insufficient data for measuring success and making data-driven decisions

SoftwareReviews' Approach

The methodology and tools developed by SoftwareReviews are aimed at helping marketing

leaders rethink their structure and resource allocation.

Proper organization of marketing departments can help companies to:

• Develop and implement effective marketing strategies
• Manage resources more efficiently
• Foster collaboration and innovation
• Manage risks associated with marketing campaigns
• Conduct accurate performance analyses
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers and stakeholders
• Ensure compliance with industry standards

"Scaling your marketing team is always a delicate balance between team bandwidth and profitability."
Source: MarketerHire, "Tips for Scaling Your Marketing Team."

Strategically selecting the right team model and agency partners

Essential elements to fuel growth

Proper team selection for marketing departments implies that the organization recognizes the importance of marketing in driving growth and success. It requires a strategic approach to team building and resource management, including identifying the right team structure and partners to achieve better results.

Scaling up the marketing department through appropriate team selection involves a commitment to improving marketing capabilities, optimizing performance, and fostering collaboration.

Ultimately, it means that the organization is investing in its marketing team to drive growth and achieve greater success in the long run.

"For any business, hiring is tough. Knowing how to build a marketing team, and make the right hires, at the right time, is one of the most common challenges I've seen."
Source: LinkedIn Pulse, 2021.

Critical drivers of high-performing marketing organization design

Optimizing marketing potential

Improved agility

Selecting the right team structure and partners can streamline the marketing process, leading to better efficiency, faster turnaround times, and effective resource management.
This helps the team work together more efficiently, resulting in optimized performance.

Stronger brand image

Effective marketing campaigns developed through proper team selection can strengthen
the organization's brand image and reputation.
This can lead to increased customer loyalty
and drive growth, creating a positive impact
on the organization's overall success.

Enhanced capabilities

A well-structured marketing team with the right composition and partners can increase marketing capabilities.
It enables the team to take on complex marketing initiatives and campaigns, ultimately driving better results and increasing customer reach.

"Often marketing capabilities are limited in function, due to a lack of investment. Small and medium businesses can be nimble, creative and entrepreneurial, but often, with smaller resources. This is particularly acute for small businesses, where often marketing capabilities are limited in function due to a lack of investment."
Source: Chartered Institute of Marketing, 2023.