Some companies that are just beginning to shape their marketing function may be confused about the best way to organize their staffing model.

Following are considerations that may help leaders achieve key marketing strategies and objectives. The idea is to first think through the likely scope of marketing work and the skills needed, then use that as a tool to help create an organizational framework.

Job Scope Considerations

Brand and marketing strategy

• Researching and understanding your target market
• Deciding what you want to be known for and how you want people to perceive your brand
• Honing your unique value proposition, narrative, and visual identity
• Deciding revenue goals and the role marketing will play in achieving them

Campaigns and programs to generate leads and sales conversations

• Deciding who you want your message to reach, and how you’ll find and connect with them.

Campaigns and programs to nurture prospects through their decision-making journey

• Helping quality leads to stay engaged and remember your brand

Strategies and programs to build loyalty among existing clients

• Thinking through what it takes to delight customers and to deepen profitable relationships

Infrastructure, technology, and content to support the above functions

• Building and managing a website and other corporate communications
• Automating lead management and communication workflows
• Creating in-demand, unique, and shareable content
• Monitoring/measuring funnel activity and results

Reality Check

It’s important to understand that each of the above areas often require completely different skill sets, and that not all of the work needs to be managed full time or ongoing. This reality can be both helpful and stressful for company leaders.

Sample Organizational Solution

Taking into account various marketing functions such as those mentioned, one organizational model is to:

• Hire a Marketing Leader to drive both a Corporate Marketing function as well as a Field Marketing and Sales Support function.
  • A Field Marketing Manager could drive tasks in support of the Sales team’s outreach plan, while leveraging the strategies, campaigns, policies, guidelines, templates, content, and infrastructure driven by the Corporate Marketing Team.
• Hire vendors and creative agencies to support both functions – e.g., with website development, graphic design, content writing, media buys, SEO/SEM, events, and CRM setup.

This Infographic shows a sample organization chart that takes common scope-of-work (for B2B companies) into account.  

To sum up

This is just one concept, but you get the idea – there’s more to marketing than a website, trade shows, and press coverage. And…

1. There are special considerations for B2B due to a potentially longer and more complicated sales cycle.
2. Many areas must be worked on simultaneously (against a well-defined strategy) to drive meaningful results.
3. Analysis is necessary to determine the best execution model for ROI.

So, think it through and consider a thoughtful organization model that effectively supports your strategy and objectives.

Updated Sept 2022