There are many choices to be made when starting a business or growing one. The best business structure for your needs, whether or not to look for funding, and many other decisions must be made.
Since a lot of time and resources are spent developing the sales organization and development team, marketing is frequently given second-class treatment. And yes, it makes sense that a small business would be reluctant to form an internal marketing team. The return on investment is not immediate and is substantial.
Today, however, you are not required to create an internal marketing team unless you so choose. The number of people working remotely is quickly rising. And since all, you typically need for remote work is a laptop and an internet connection, marketing roles, in particular, are incredibly well-suited for it.
Even more marketers’ eyes have undoubtedly been opened to the advantages of working from home. Additionally, there is an increase in fully remote teams operating out of nations with affordable living costs and providing highly skilled services in a variety of fields, including cold outreach, social media management, and performance marketing.
From an entrepreneurial standpoint, this implies that you don’t have to wait until your business has reached a certain size before making the major decision to invest in a full-fledged internal marketing team.
You have quick access to all the high-quality, inexpensive, and risk-free marketing services you require. Without committing to more than one or two full-time employees, you can build a magnificent brand and marketing operation.
Make the right hire first.
You will require at least one in-house marketer even if you are building a remote team of freelance marketers and offshore talent. Find a senior marketer with knowledge of all facets of marketing by investing in this position. Since they will be the ones to bring all the other components of the operation together, this person needs to be highly skilled with a clear strategic vision and strong leadership abilities.
Make an investment in a strong brand and messaging framework.
Build it out precisely, making sure to include not only your brand’s visual components, but also its central messaging and positioning statement. Without it, you run the risk of creating a creative mess in which each team member translates your brand in their own unique way.
Make use of a standard platform for cooperation.
People want and should feel like a part of the team and the company, even if they are not all in the same location. If given access to the bigger picture, those employed on a project- or freelance basis will typically perform better and be more motivated. Use cloud-based communication and collaboration tools, and encourage everyone to complete their profiles and upload pictures to lessen the feeling of isolation.
Streamline and standardize each workflow.
Consider developing a process and workflow whenever a task is performed repeatedly; ideally, an automated one. If you don’t, every new team member will have to start from scratch, which is a major waste of time and resources. Establish a clear, user-friendly structure for file sharing, and take the time to regularly remove outdated information to prevent confusion.
Use freelance marketplaces to find talent.
Before beginning more extensive collaborations, you can quickly test out new collaborators on smaller projects thanks to the setup of freelancing platforms. Work samples are easily accessible, and billing is conveniently handled by the intermediary.
In summary, even if your business is in an early growth stage, there is no longer a need to put off developing your marketing operations. On the other hand, the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll see results.