The key to business or marketing success is the delivery of the promised product or service, at the original price, to the expected quality and on the time. This is what professional business, marketing and project management delivers. More importantly, an opportunistic link between small business success, fractional marketing and project management, is established.
Business is currently investing in these critical skills. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports businesses are investing in higher standards of marketing management. The Project Management Institute (PMI) suggests there’s a widening gap between employers’ need for skilled project management and the availability of professionals to fill those roles.
In general, it is observed that the field of marketing project management is increasingly gaining acknowledgment.
This reflects a growing understanding in the industry that service delivery to highest level of professionalism is required. This is especially true for small businesses.
First some definitions.
What is a project, and what is project management?
A project may be described as a set of tasks which must be completed, usually within a defined timeline and to agreed objectives and deliverables.
Further, project management can be thought of as the processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience required in completing the project to those agreed times, budgets and quality.
The definitions introduce times, budget, and acceptance criteria, deliverables or outcomes, producing something unique, complex and dynamic, and managing risk, to the discussion. Another critical addition is the sense of a project being a temporary endeavour. It is not continuous.
As a working summary, the PMI definition encapsulates a project as a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.
In understanding more fully the concept of project management in a small business, it is worth noting operational management is very different to project management.
And while efficient managers in a small business may be comfortable with their own operational management skills, different skills are required in project management.
So, what is the difference between managing operational activities and managing projects?
Operational management involves managing day-to-day tasks, ongoing and repetitive activities, such as monthly forecasting process, raw materials procurement, manufacturing on the production line, managing dispatch, invoicing, and collection and reporting of finances, or even managing a sales team.
The marketing profession is replete with projects.
From executing a customer survey to planning a new product launch, marketers are frequently involved in new, unique and once off ventures. These may include
- Working alongside the marketing director to create a new marketing strategy,
- Mounting a new advertising campaign,
- Executing a new shop opening,
- Developing a new product launch,
- Building new training programs,
- Creating a content calendar for the company’s blog and social media accounts,
- Managing the production of television or YouTube commercials,
- Building and maintaining external vendor relationships,
- Creating project timelines and budgets,
- Liaising with graphic designers to create print and digital advertisements or
- Commissioning freelancers to create a blog or eBook content.
So, when you are looking to someone to head up a new project, what kind of skills should you be looking for?
What are the Marketing Project Management skills required?
Marketing Project Management requires its own marketing specific skills.
These include marketing leadership and the marketing project manager must be able to lead their team members, manage excellent communication, both internally (team members, general staff, executive leadership) and externally (external stakeholders, vendors, and freelancers) , be able to leverage marketing analytics , understand typical marketing product development such as website redesign, a viral social media campaign, or a product launch , and make brand centric strategic or tactical marketing decisions.
And then there are the more familiar project management skills such as proficiency with project management tools, such as MS Project, resource allocation, and the ability to set deadlines, and manage timeline planning.
The small business can acquire those skills in the fractional marketing industry.
Attributes of a fractional marketing consultant
By definition, a fractional marketer is a highly experienced individual who can bring a wealth of experience, practical and specialised skills, and strategic insights to your small business. They have in their past managed complex marketing project effectively.
This freelance assignment offers cost-effective solutions, by prioritizing high-impact activities and eliminating wasteful expenditures and without requiring the commitment of a full-time salary.
That cost effectiveness includes scaling their involvement up or down based on the needs of the business, providing flexibility as the business grows.
An experienced marketing executive will be familiar with project planning and execution, both in the “big picture” sense and in making sure the details are completed on time, to the right cost and to the correct quality.
That experience will bring effective resource management, and marketing leadership to staff individuals, to teams and of external advertising agents and communication consultants.
In addition, an experienced marketing executive will be familiar with risk identification and more importantly in managing the crises which might occur if the risks manifest. Crisis Management remains a core communication requirement for any seasoned marketing professional.
A seasoned professional will be familiar in the practice of setting key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of marketing efforts, and in measuring the results.
Your fractional marketing consultant will be familiar with managing the expectations of the business owners and other stakeholders, ensuring alignment and satisfaction with the marketing efforts.
The fractional consultant will always focus on core business, thus ensuring the best person does the best work for your brand or business.
Conclusion
Fractional marketing will provide your small businesses with access to experienced marketing professionals who can manage projects efficiently and cost-effectively.
More importantly, your customers and clients, will experience the marketing activities or events as being professionally developed!
There is no doubt that a new initiative (product, service or communication), if professionally conceived, developed and presented to the target market, is more likely to achieve success.
Would you agree that hiring a fractional marketing consultant is essential for a small business to achieve success?
Call to action
Ready to give your small business the best chance at success? Contact Garth Sutherland today at +27 (0)81 265 5803 or email garth@smallbusinessmarketing.co.za to discuss how our fractional marketing services can elevate your brand and achieve your business goals.
About Garth Sutherland
Garth Sutherland has an extensive multicultural understanding.
He has worked with local brands (creating independent strategic positions) and international brands (integrating the international brand vision with the local demand to optimize the “on the ground” brand presence). His strengths include bringing a strong strategic focus into all aspects of marketing delivery, working with multi-agency perspectives, independent thinking & implementing with a consistent and practical interdependent teamwork focused delivery.
He is currently heading up www.smallbusinessmarketing.co.za, a fractional marketing consultancy that specialises in the SME sector.
And writing on modern marketing.
If you are looking to maximize the strategic value of your brand opportunity, Garth is the ideal resource to task.
Contact him at garth@smallbusinessmarketing.co.za or +27 (0) 81 265 5803
Other posts in this series can be read at https://www.linkedin.com/in/garthrsutherland/ or on http://www.smallbusinessmarketing.co.za
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