Some Companies Need to Tighten Up

Tighten-Up

In one of my more comprehensive consulting projects with an organization, I was tasked with evaluating several departments to assist their leaders in enhancing performance. My initial assessment highlighted a pervasive lack of urgency and a prevailing attitude of complacency across the board.

Delving further, particularly into the sales and marketing divisions, I identified a critical area that was neglected due to recent shifts in leadership. The marketing director’s departure had left a void, and the sales head had been asked to oversee both departments at the CEO’s directive. This arrangement was far from ideal, as it not only stretched his capabilities but also placed him in a role that was misaligned with his personality. Consequently, sales began to falter, and the marketing team struggled without proper guidance. Further investigation revealed specific challenges:

  • A significant decline in inbound phone traffic, attributing to the ineffective leadership within the marketing department.
  • The hiring of two new salespeople who lacked adequate training.
  • The top sales performer being sidetracked by personal matters.

Our approach to remediation was multifaceted. We prioritized revitalizing marketing efforts, crucially integrating Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies to enhance online visibility and drive inbound traffic. Recognizing SEO’s pivotal role in modern marketing, we developed a strategic marketing plan that included detailed SEO tactics from an enterprise SEO agency tailored to target key demographics effectively. This plan was complemented by establishing clear benchmarks, metrics, and objectives for both sales and marketing teams, ensuring each member had a definitive, measurable path to success.

Implementing these strategies brought about a renewed sense of urgency within the teams. By providing a structured framework and focusing on leveraging SEO for greater market penetration, we not only addressed the immediate issues but also laid the groundwork for sustained improvement. The personnel, inherently capable and motivated, thrived under this new direction, showcasing the power of strategic oversight combined with clear, actionable goals.

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Does this story resonate with anything in your current business? Is your business defined by great relationships without consistently great results?

Let me first say that I commend you for creating a strong relational culture that embraces trust, transparency, and personal respect. This is not easy! But, I want to challenge you to activate a culture that is both happy and accountable.

First, start by addressing your organization’s imbalances so that you can bridge the gap between a strong relationships culture to a strong relationships AND strong results culture.

  • What is/are the problems? Be specific!
  • Why are these specifics not working?
  • Who will be responsible to fix them?

From here, create new norms that are defined and measurable. Some key goals for your organization might be:

  • Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities (Who does what)
  • Speed up (Who does what by WHEN)
  • Produce more (encourage stretch goals)
  • Increase quality
  • Improve business acumen
  • Increase creativity
  • Drive innovation
  • Solve problems quicker
  • Think critically

“You can’t change what you can’t measure.”

Organizations that need to tighten up must provide their people with parameters clear enough to guide their beliefs, which will trigger right behaviors. Maximize your website’s impact by leveraging the capabilities of free seo tools.

The trust you place in your workforce works best if you clarify expectations, directly communicate roles and responsibilities with expected timelines.

I can’t emphasize this enough. “The best relationships start with great communication around expectations” When needs/expectations aren’t met – the relationship starts to sour AND hurt feelings will lead to the break down of the relationship. We want you to feel equipped, empowered, and successful – SO we communicate, delineate, delegate, equip, empower, AND add accountability! Do you have the right marketing talent and strategy to take your brand to the next level? If you’re unsure, you might benefit from hiring a digital marketing agency like Candy Marketing.

Entrust your people to embrace and embody predetermined beliefs, that lead to successful behaviors built for maximizing effectiveness and then hold them regularly accountable.

These standards are sure to set your team up to succeed.

What in your company do you need to do to “tighten up”? Where? With whom?