What Makes A Successful Marketing Team?

Marketing teams are the main conduit between a brand and its customers. Pivotal to a company's success, marketing teams use a variety of skills and techniques to promote products and services, build brand awareness, and engage with customers. An effective marketing team can help to find, attract and retain customers, boosting profits and accelerating growth.However, assembling and maintaining a high-performing marketing team isn’t always straightforward. Some inherent challenges include identifying the right skills and experience, finding candidates with the right cultural fit, and keeping up with the rapidly changing marketing landscape. Thankfully, you needn't navigate this process alone.With a specialised marketing recruitment agency like Propel by your side, sourcing and scaling an exceptional marketing team can be a smooth, hassle-free experience. If you want to know what makes a good marketing team and how to build a marketing team to be proud of, this useful guide from Propel will give you all the insights and strategies you need to succeed. 

What essential roles make up a successful marketing team, and what are the key skills and experience required for each role?

Although no two marketing teams are the same, some essential roles are fundamental to building a successful marketing team. Here are some of those roles and the key skills and experience required for each:

Marketing Manager

Someone needs to steer the ship, and in a marketing team, that task invariably falls at the feet of the Marketing Manager. Successful candidates should have relevant in-house or agency experience (both is ideal!) in leading, coaching and motivating a multi-disciplinary team to execute the marketing strategy and KPIs they set.

Content Strategist

Content Strategists plan and develop content strategies that drive inbound traffic and help to achieve a brand's business goals. Aside from excellent writing skills, Content Strategists should have demonstrable experience in strategising and analysing content marketing strategies, as well as managing creatives and copywriters. 

Social Media Specialist

Social Media Specialists need a chameleon-like, finger-on-the-pulse ability to create and leverage engaging written, photo and video content across the main social platforms. They also need to have a keen eye for data and analytics, with a proven track record of executing paid social campaigns that deliver returns on investment. 

Graphic Designer

They say 'a picture is worth a thousand words', which goes some way to illustrating (pardon the pun!) the importance of a skilful graphic designer in any successful marketing team. Graphic designers should have an aptitude for establishing and maintaining a brand's identity, enhancing UX, and delivering impactful visual content. 

Data Analyst

Data Analysts bring a much-needed analytical bent to the best marketing teams. Their interpretation of key data points, such as those that inform the efficacy of campaigns and emerging trends, provide the strategic insights needed to implement well-planned marketing campaigns and sharpen or streamline processes.

Project Manager

Another methodical, detail-oriented type of role, a marketing Project Manager uses their strong leadership and strategic planning skills to plan marketing campaigns, delegate key responsibilities to relevant team members, and supervise their progress, to ensure that all marketing projects are delivered on time and budget.

How can businesses build a successful marketing team, and what are some best practices for recruiting and hiring for each role?

Building a successful marketing team is no mean feat considering the ever-changing digital marketing landscape and the fierce competition to attract and retain the most exceptional talent. Unfortunately, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to assembling a high-performing marketing team, but here are just a few recruitment best practices to help make your hiring process run that much more smoothly. 

Creating high-quality job descriptions

A pre-requisite for any job description designed for marketers is to ensure that your job description is clear, concise and accessible. The higher the quality of your job description, the higher the quality of your applicant.

Identifying skills and experience needed

A major facet of creating a high-quality job description is to identify and stipulate the necessary skills and experience required for the role you need to fill, keeping key qualifications and seniority in mind.

Understanding when and how to hire new talent

When and how you hire new marketing talent depends on your budget, business needs and marketing strategy. Start-ups may need a core group of all-rounders, with specialists added as projects and budgets expand. 

How can businesses measure their marketing team's success, and what metrics and KPIs should they track to evaluate performance?

There are several key performance indicators (KPIs) that provide a useful yardstick for evaluating performance:

• Cost Per Lead – The cost of generating leads, which helps to evaluate the efficacy of marketing campaigns. 
• Cost Per Acquisition – The cost of acquiring new customers, which gives a realistic insight for budget planning.
• Ratio of Site Traffic to Leads – Provides insights into the behaviours of site visitors and opportunities to adapt.  

What steps can businesses take to ensure the continued success of their marketing team?

There are several steps businesses can take to ensure the continued success of their marketing team, including:

Training and development opportunities

The best marketers have a growth mindset and a voracious appetite for learning. Tap into that with relevant CPD opportunities that keep individuals motivated and the wider team abreast of the latest strategies and methods.

Fostering a positive team culture

Building a strong team culture is less about ping-pong tables and more about making the company's values, goals and priorities clear so that marketers (and other employees) are united and clear about their roles.

Regularly reviewing and updating the marketing strategy

The goalposts are constantly moving in the marketing world, making it imperative to regularly review and update marketing strategies. This will ensure that the most effective tactics are employed, and goals are met. 

Why should businesses partner with a recruitment company specialising in marketing to find the best candidates for their marketing team, and what benefits does this partnership offer?

Understanding what makes a good marketing team and implementing that knowledge are two entirely different things. A specialised marketing recruitment agency can help you do both, supporting you in building the ideal multi-disciplinary team according to your budget, needs and goals. Partnering with a dedicated marketing recruitment specialist like Propel will ensure you fill your senior roles with the most exceptional candidates.Our talent consultants will work collaboratively with you to gain a deep understanding of your marketing skill gaps, strategic objectives and company culture to source the best-fitting talent for your business. We have a deep understanding of what makes up a marketing team and the skill sets required. So, if you're looking for a recruitment partner that knows how to build a successful marketing team, look no further than Propel.To find out more about our functions or to propel your career with us, please get in touch with the Propel team. Contact us today on 0203 965 6524 or email enquiries@propellondon.com.