With a Little Help from Your Friends
By Mike Crawford

Attention, marketing professionals. There’s one enormous thing they didn’t teach you in college. In fact, I’d bet it’s completely non-existent in every single marketing textbook. It’s a pity, too. At least as critical as focus groups, distribution channels and product lifecycles, this one thing can make the difference between your success and your failure.

I’m talking about a network. A network of people and organizations that help make sure your marketing programs are approved internally and successful externally.

All marketing people have two masters. Internally, the master includes everyone in the review and approval process. Externally, it includes prospects and customers.

First, let’s look at your internal master. Right now, if you’re a marketing manager, you’re working on next year’s budget. Always an uphill battle, to be sure. But you can increase the likelihood of effective budgeting with input from your product development department, the sales organization and all other departments or individuals involved in the marketing process. The importance here is listening to all parties. You should use this part of your network to create internal consensus, turning your internal master into staunch supporters. The simple fact is they’re going to be involved in marketing throughout the year. You’re better off with them onboard early.

The internal half of your network also might include a marketing communications agency. That’s good. An established, qualified agency will have a wide network of its own, giving you even more resources and help during the budget review and approval process. An agency can help you with ideas, strategies and tactics. They can gather pricing information for all of the proposed programs. They can provide third-party research, prepare timelines or just act as a sounding board. They can be your arms and legs and provide you with credibility during the various stages of internal reviews and approvals. Perhaps best of all, a marketing communications agency can help you prioritize your programs, balancing effectiveness against costs. After all, CFOs love to reduce marketing budgets (I think it’s in their DNA). With your agency’s support, you can make sure your must-haves, the programs with the most bang for your buck, are prioritized for survival. That’s what networks are for.

So how about the external half of your network? There are so many organizations and individuals that influence your prospects and customers. They include but aren’t limited to market research analysts, the press, various distribution channels and any number of employees with the prospect/customer company.

Concerning public relations, which reporter from The Wall Street Journal will do justice to your product? Or will the reporter cover your company at all? If the right reporter is in your network, you’ll have a better shot at good publicity. Regarding market research, which analysts focus on your industry niche? For advertising, what media outlets should be on your advertising schedule – and who will work with you for favorable rates? Who are your contacts at the prospect companies? If they’re merely influencers, you need to expand your network to include decision-makers. Staying in contact or even making friends with the right people in each of these areas will make your job much, much easier.

In other words, get out there and network, both internally and externally. Then, work hard to keep your network active. Where it will benefit you, rely on your network’s networks. Leverage the networks of your suppliers or marketing communications agency. That’s how networks work. They branch out and multiply from each individual, giving you a wealth of perspectives, ideas and support. Take advantage of them.

The great English poet John Donne famously wrote, “No man is an island.” The same goes for marketing professionals. At least the successful ones.

Don’t be an island. Network.

E-mail the author: Mike Crawford

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