We are going to start monthly themed blogs based on our Academy theme for the month. This month is Marketing Academy (you can register here for it) so let’s talk about marketing! One of the sessions we will be teaching on for this upcoming Academy will talk about how you should not only structure your marketing team, but what types of personalities are needed for a rock star team! DISC is critical to the success of both companies. Because of DISC we are able to not only create teams that work well together, but that feed off of each other’s weaknesses and strengths. I am not the most organized, but with a few people on the team that are highly organized, they help to keep me on task. We also have a few people on the team that are not as social as others; I can clearly make up for that! This is what I mean for a good balance.

Now going a step further, DISC is also critical to keeping your team together. By knowing what motivates your team, you know how to effectively bonus and give promotions. If someone is not motivated by money, giving him or her and large bonus as an incentive for a project is not going to get the project done faster; however if you know they are motivated by knowledge, then you know letting them attend a conference or training will be right up their alley.

Now aside from DISC, there are a few other things that are important for building any marketing team. One of the most common overlooked items is the roadmap/job duties. This is more than their title on a business card or signature. This clearly outlines what is expected of the individual, job roles, and team responsibilities. Not only will this give clarity to the new hire, it will also give them a sense of belonging on where they fit in to the bigger picture. Roadmaps are critical to spinning up any and all employees. You have a roadmap for sales people and technicians, so why not marketing? Or for that matter, why not all positions? This will keep them engaged and show that your company is serious about their success. Remember, set up for success not failure.

Finally, what does the team think? Sure, each company has their own culture, but what about the department? Each department has their own sub culture and often times if someone doesn’t fit within that culture, they are going to have a hard time with the team and building bonds. Be sure the team gets input on new team members.

Once you build the perfect team, you can sit back and watch your well-oiled machine do its work! Remember, you’re there for guidance and if you’ve built your team properly, they will run on auto pilot. Watch as your marketing team wrangles the sales lions, walks a tightrope of leads, and performs a website high wire act!