What marketing process is most effective for a junior marketing team to learn?

“One of the keys to getting a young team up and running quickly - is by giving them the information and resources that enable them to work alone, or know what questions need to be asked and who to ask.

During the time I have worked with start-ups and small companies, one of my techniques has been to create Rules of Engagement and Key Processes and Practices Guidelines. This is particularly valuable when socialized across an organization. If none exists, while a team is going through the program process, they have the opportunity to document real-time, what it takes in the current organization.

This enables the team to know other departments and how they impact Marketing's specific objective, their role in working with Marketing, what information they can provide and details the working relationships between the departments.

Standardizing materials removes the mystery and lessens the need for executive involvement through the project, except for project review meetings and an "as-needed" basis. Early practices in assigning and delegating projects should include a department kick-off meeting where marketers understand the project summary and objectives, target dates, company sponsors or key participants, resources, budgets, etc. If it is a campaign - they would have guidelines that detail a program from inception through to execution and implementation, along with milestones and checklists.

Guidelines should define types of program development, the elements, the timetables, turnaround, program participants, etc. This type of control not only informs, it helps establish a level of expectation, and if done early in an organization, will grow and expand as the company does. Most importantly, this type of knowledge share enhances efficiency and expediency by reducing (or eliminating) guesswork. I started this practice in administration, and carried it over into management.”