-By Victor Adewole
I began building a marketing team two years into my career. Creating an effective marketing team is about having the right people in the right roles, working well together. The vision was clear: to create a team that could drive brands forward with innovative strategies and relentless dedication.
I’ve always likened a marketing team to the acceleration pedal of a brand. Every business relies on its marketing team to not just maintain momentum but to push boundaries, navigate growth challenges, and stay ahead of the competition. Marketing isn’t just about selling a product or service; it’s about crafting compelling stories, fostering loyalty, and adapting to an ever-evolving market landscape. This was the gap VadePulse Tech aimed to fill in the business space.
The highest-performing marketers are perpetual learners. So, I started by making professional growth the core of my hiring and management philosophy. My own journey began with a commitment to professional growth. I sought out every opportunity to learn, from industry courses to late-night reading. This thirst for knowledge became a key part of my team’s ethos.
When I started assembling my team, I looked for individuals who shared this hunger for learning. I prioritized providing resources for skill development, keeping the team updated on the latest marketing trends, and encouraging participation in workshops, webinars, and industry courses. This approach not only kept us ahead of trends but also encouraged innovation. One instance was at our earliest stage when one of our PPC specialists, after attending a workshop, introduced a new bidding strategy that increased our client’s ROI by 35% in just three months. And sincerely, that inspired me to invest even more on up-skilling my team members.
The Rollercoaster of Leadership
Leading a team is rarely a smooth ride, it’s a rollercoaster filled with highs and lows. Here, I share some of the key approaches that have helped me build one of the most formidable and high-performing marketing agencies in southwestern Nigeria- VadePulse Tech, highlighting the critical role our well-crafted marketing team has played in driving client success.
Fostering Creativity and Innovation:
One of the most rewarding aspects of building this team has been promoting creativity and innovation. I encouraged my team to think outside the box and take calculated risks. Failure is not stigmatized but viewed as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Empowering Team Members:
I also empowered individual team members to take ownership of specific projects. In fact, it has been one of our onboarding tasks for new team members. Assigning a major project to a relatively new team member and giving them the autonomy to lead gives them that sense of responsibility that not only made them exceed expectations but also deliver successful campaigns. A case in point is a content marketer who recently joined the team. She was tasked with developing a comprehensive content marketing strategy for a fintech client. Her campaign drove a 50% increase in organic traffic within two months. Truthfully, it’s not always the case, but having built a culture that does not stigmatize failure, we’ve always projected it as an opportunity to improve.
Clearly Defining Roles and Responsibilities:
It is crucial that every team member understands their contribution to our collective success. This has created a sense of ownership and accountability within the team.
Recognizing and Rewarding Outstanding Performance:
Recognition is a powerful motivator, and fortunately, I learned that early on. I developed a recognition program to celebrate our successes. I made it a point to highlight exceptional contributions, whether through formal awards or informal shout-outs. This culture of recognition not only boosted morale but also reinforced the behaviors and outcomes that drove continuous improvement.
Building on Client Feedback:
Client feedback has been invaluable in shaping our strategies and improving our performance. Being an agency that works with diverse industries and companies, it was paramount that every team member engaged closely with clients. This not only energized the team but also provided individual members with insights crucial for crafting effective and unique campaigns specific to every brand we work with. I ensured that we had regular feedback loops, both with clients and within the team. This approach allowed us to be agile and responsive, consistently improving our deliverables. I also sought feedback from team members at the end of each project to understand what they had learned and how we could improve.
Leveraging Project Management Tools:
To keep track of our progress and ensure accountability, we leveraged project management tools. I created dashboards where team members could see the results of their work. This transparency allows everyone to see the impact of their efforts and helps managers better track resource capacities. It also makes measuring success easier and more accurate.
Through this journey, VadePulse Tech has achieved remarkable results. From increasing clients’ organic traffic to boosting engagement rates and increasing conversions, each achievement has been a collective effort and a proof of the effectiveness of these approaches.
Finally, building and leading a high-performing marketing team is a challenging and rewarding journey. Leading this team is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a balance of strategic thinking, empathy, and effective management.
By fostering creativity, engaging with clients, and leveraging effective tools, we have consistently driven success for our clients and positioned VadePulse Tech as a leader in the industry. This journey has been one of growth, learning, and shared success, and I look forward to the continued evolution of my team.
