Building the right marketing team is like buying a house. Do you go all in with a new build, or do you get a fixer-upper? Both can cost a significant about of time and money, but the key is that you want the right people to help, and if you focus on a solid structure, it will last.

Going all in with a new marketing team. 

Let’s say your business has operated for years with ad hoc marketing done by a few people in the company. You’ve made the decision you're ready to upgrade by building out a marketing team to provide structure and create a strategy for engagement, growth, and dare we say - revenue.

To put together the team, you’ll want what could be considered the “base package” of your new marketing house: social, email, and website. Below are the marketing roles and salaries for each. Overall you’re looking at over $500,000 for your new build.

Where do you start? It’s not likely you have an integrated CMS that can help you analyze the key customer touchpoints that lead to your sales (but that's definitely the goal!), so a quick way to assess is with engagement metrics. Look at each channel (website, social, and email) and see where engagement is the highest. That should point you to where to start your first hire. We see success with this method as it allows a few things to happen. 

1. Quicker Onboarding process. Whichever current employee is managing that channel will be able to give great insight into what’s been working and the priority list of company goals. This insight allows the new hire to come up to speed quickly, and immediately integrate core updates. And you'll see faster results. 

2. Deepening Customer Relationships. Your employees pulling double duty can now concentrate on more 1-1 client touch points and find time to collaborate with your new hire to bring out their expertise, using that channel to further the customer experience. The results are a deeper client relationship. 

As you move on to the next hire, make sure you give enough time for the integration and training of each person. If there’s a strong need and financial support to expand rapidly, bringing in a VP of Marketing to oversee the team is highly recommended. There are plenty of examples where a company grew their teams too fast, only to lay off employees just as quickly. A systematic approach to growing your team will give you a better chance that your marketing house is on a solid foundation. 

A marketing generalist to improve your current marketing house.

You know the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none?” It's used as a compliment for an individual who knows enough from many learned specialties and skills to bring all those together in a practical manner. So, a general contractor, not a trade specialist. 

If you’ve decided to build your marketing team in this manner, you’re looking for a Digital Marketing Manager to perform the role of the general contractor. In this instance, you’ll hire someone with just enough experience to fix the current marketing structure, create repeatable processes, and grow your current channels.  

As with the new build, you’ll see the benefits of deepening customer relationships and onboarding and a few new benefits. 

1. Expansion into channels. You’ve probably dabbled in or put on the wish list, expanding into a new marketing channel. A marketing manager can recognize and integrate new channels that have the potential to reach clients.  

2. Increase in content. Every marketing strategy is built on content. A marketing manager will likely have experience with multiple content types, allowing your team to explore the content they feel most comfortable with to deepen client relationships further. Video and audio, for example.

Remember that this person is a generalist, so you’re likely to succeed if you keep the expectation that they can’t be an expert on all things marketing. After all, you shouldn't expect an electrician to fix the roof on your fixer-upper. To help your new manager succeed, set three priorities you want to be accomplished for the year, establish metrics related to your overall company goals, and review quarterly to see what additional resources are needed or reset priorities. Like a house fixer-upper, you’re improving a little at a time, focusing first on structural integrity with an eye on the long-term value to your team and customers. 

How many marketers do I need to succeed? 

Of course, there isn’t a definitive answer. It depends on your company goals, financial position, and desire to integrate marketing into the overall leadership structure. Once you decide, find the right people that will continue to improve customer relationships and open up new channels for growth.