The reality of campaign management for modern marketing teams relies on the ability to successfully spin multiple plates. 

Now imagine trying to keep those plates spinning for numerous different projects, each with various components. Finally, consider doing all of this while switching from email, to spreadsheets, to Google Docs. At times, it can seem physically impossible.  

This always-on, process-driven way of working has made collaboration more critical than ever before. It has also made it even more challenging to achieve. Marketeers now need to have access to every element of a campaign at any given time, without exception. This drive towards real-time insights isn’t easy and requires support.  

To effectively manage the growing number of project components they are being tasked with executing, marketeers need to be able to rely on the tools and technologies they are deploying. Collaboration should be seamless, productivity needs to be a priority, and quality control is a must. When time is of the essence, inefficient and complex processes can leave questions unanswered and team members unsure of how tasks should be progressing. 

With so many solutions out there, however, how can spoilt-for-choice marketeers ensure they are investing in the technologies that will unify their teams while delivering high-quality results at speed and scale?  

No compromise on quality 

For decades, teams would have months to come up with ideas, develop sophisticated strategies and stagger delivery at a pace that also supported wider business plans. Today, marketeers don’t always have that luxury. Under pressure to execute plans at speed, agility can mean the difference between a campaign taking off or a competitor stealing your limelight.  

But, as all marketing teams will have experienced, speed and quality don’t always go hand-in-hand. Demanding deadlines often lead to hurried workloads which regularly result in mistakes. Team members become frustrated and it quickly becomes a case of scrambling to get things done.  

When put to good use, collaboration tools can empower teams to prioritise the various components of a campaign, keeping track of ever-changing deadlines and outputs. It also allows them to do more with the same amount of resources, eliminating the need for administrative tasks that hinder productivity. 

A single-source of truth 

The nature of work is constantly evolving and it’s now uncommon for organisations to have all employees in one office at any given time. Whether people are working remotely, or with teams in other geographies, having a centralised hub of information and updates is critical. 

Collaborative work management platforms help teams – regardless of where they are based – to interact efficiently. Tasks are easily accessible for everyone meaning fewer mistakes, greater consistency and a shared knowledge of what others are working on. This not only helps encourage a certain level of transparency and accountability within teams, it also promotes a culture of open communication. 

Through increasing visibility, you can ensure that each individual is aware of exactly how they are contributing to a project and their role as part of the wider team. If a certain element of a campaign is delayed or not where it should be it quickly becomes apparent, and can easily be picked up on before it has a knock-on effect. This helps marketing teams keep things on track and swiftly spot mistakes, leading to an overall increase in productivity and results. 

Benefitting from balance 

Despite the majority of UK workers (90%) claiming to be engaged at their current job, Wrike’s 2019 employee engagement study found that one in four (23%) believe they are only productive at work less than half of the time. The study also revealed that feeling ‘burnt out’ from being overworked was a primary cause of disengagement, with 35% reporting it as an issue. 

In order to drive greater engagement through technology, employees referenced having a way for their manager to see everything on their plate and better balance their workload (32%) as key. Collaboration tools aren’t just about being more organised or productive. They are also an essential way to manage resources and make certain that workloads are being shared evenly. With so many moving parts and new deadlines to meet every day, managers need to know who is under too much pressure. 

Today’s marketing teams are facing a number of challenges. Any one campaign involves videos, banner ads, landing pages, and more. Results need to be measured and analysed across traditional, social, mobile, digital, and plenty of other mediums. 

While not all of these hurdles can be overcome through the use of technology, it can certainly do a lot to help. In an industry full of silos, the value of being able to join the dots can’t be overlooked. Through revolutionising the end-to-end marketing process, teams have everything they need to be able to manage, collaborate and succeed.