4 Ways to Build and Manage a Remote Marketing Team‍

Here is an article that suggests 4 effective ways to build and manage a remote marketing team

One of the drastic changes COVID-19 enforced was the shift towards a remote working arrangement. This led businesses and employees to adapt to new business models and change their working habits. For most individuals, adjusting to the new norm was tough and frustrating.

However, people involved in the marketing industry like designers, content writers, developers, and all kinds of marketing specialists, enjoyed the benefits of remote work long before the outbreak of the pandemic. That’s because such roles fit perfectly into the remote worker profile, seeing that all it takes to get the job done is a computer, a stable internet connection, and, last but not least, creativity and mind-blowing ideas.

With the rise in the development and use of remote working tools and dedicated services, marketers have more reasons to choose the remote option. All you need to do is take the right steps, use the appropriate tools, maintain regular communication among teammates, and your marketing team will have nothing to envy than onsite ones. To help you achieve that, we will share all the benefits and best practices of building and managing a remote marketing team.

Benefits of Building a Remote Marketing Team

For most marketers, the fact that companies with remote teams saw a rise in employee productivity came as a surprise. And that is only one of the benefits hiring remote teams brings to the table. Let’s check out some of the other benefits this option offers.

• You save time and costs on hiring procedures: Finding the right talent and having a set of interviews with them takes time. Moving this procedure online lowers recruitment time and costs, especially if you are looking to build a global marketing team.
• You gain access to the global talent tool: Remote working has given recruiters the opportunity to hire the best professionals by giving them full access to the global workforce. Embracing diversity in the workforce is a synonym for business success.
• Remote workers are more satisfied: Spending more time with their family, not going through the torture of commuting, and saving valuable time and money, results in employees feeling more relaxed and satisfied.
• It makes the world a better place: Remote working environments offer team members the opportunity to connect with individuals from all over the world. Plus, the environment is spared the consequences of commuting.
• It increases employee retention: Data shows that remote employees stay longer in companies that provide them with that option. The flexibility to organize their own working schedule or work from anywhere in the world boosts employee loyalty.

4 Ways to Build and Manage a Remote Marketing Team

By its nature, the marketing profession usually comes with great communication skills, so it’s easy for marketing teams to adapt to the offsite culture. However, such an adjustment requires a certain approach to work, from onboarding new employees to enhancing communication within the team. In this article, we will explore the best ways to build and manage an effective marketing team while working remotely. So, let’s kick things off.

Follow a Proper Hiring and Onboarding Process

Before actually moving ahead with hiring the right people for your remote marketing team, you need to be clear on your remote worker profile. What are the job requirements? Who is your ideal candidate? Implementing a hiring methodology will get you the desired outcome. After answering these questions, announce your new job position through digital platforms like LinkedIn. Don’t forget to highlight that it’s a remote position to avoid any misunderstandings.

Once you find the best candidates, simulate an in-person interview via Zoom or Skype to evaluate them. The same goes for conducting any virtual task that tests different skills you wish your prospective employees to have. Having a visual connection makes both parties more comfortable and establishes trust. Thankfully, there is a wide variety of software helping you out throughout the entire process, from virtual meeting platforms to software offering free business contract templates.

Hiring the most talented professionals seems overwhelming, but the onboarding process that comes next is no better. Through onboarding, you should focus on getting new hires the necessary training to support them in their new roles. Keep things organized through an onboarding checklist and schedule for the employer to understand the job requirements. Last but not least, make sure you communicate the company values to your new employees and that they are comfortable with the remote working settlements.

Use the Right Tools

Since your remote marketing team isn’t working in the same place, you need to supervise and document everything you have planned - or accomplished, for that matter. To succeed in managing your remote marketing team, you should invest in the right tools. There are plenty of paid and free tools that help every remote marketer produce creative ideas and share them with the team.

Here are the basics every remote marketing team should use:

• Communication platforms for team members to brainstorm ideas and turn them into actual projects. This type of software facilitates collaboration while maintaining all relevant data secure.
• Collaboration platforms for remote marketers to coordinate. Each marketing professional may work on different project parts; the designer may create an infographic while the social media specialist may plan social media posts. Collaboration services help them provide and receive feedback and monitor each other’s progress.
• Project management tools to keep track of each project’s specific details, like team members involved, deadlines, workflows, and more so that every remote worker knows exactly what should be done and when.
• Video conferencing software to run successful online meetings or host other types of virtual events to boost productivity and build employee relationships. For example, you could use such a tool to onboard new remote employees AND engage with prospective customers through educative webinars.
• Collaborative calendars to plan out projects and set deadlines for content releases. Plus, calendars give marketing managers a clear picture of their employees’ free time in order to know when to schedule team meetings.

No matter the tools you decide to use, keep in mind that you shouldn’t go overboard with having too many tools for several marketing activities. Also, don’t neglect to train your remote marketing team on how to use them in case needed. After all, what’s the point of having a state-of-the-art tool if your team has a hard time using it?

Choose the Marketing Channels

Every marketing team, whether remote or onsite, is focused on promoting the unique selling proposition their brand offers. However, there is a wide variety of marketing channels and tactics that marketers use to generate and engage leads.

Before deciding on the marketing channels you want to make use of, there are certain factors to take into account. What are your marketing objectives and budget? Where do your prospective customers hang out? What is the current state of your sales pipeline? What channels do your competitors use? After carefully considering these questions, go ahead and choose the marketing channels that fit your business needs. Let’s check some of the options:

• Content marketing and SEO are worth your while if your website already ranks for certain keywords on search engines and your marketing team can invest the time and effort it requires.
• Email marketing automation enables you to keep in touch with leads that have already shown interest in your business and educate them about your offer, making it ideal for brands that have a decent contact database, or want to build one using email marketing services like HubSpot or any of its affordable alternatives.
• Social media is a great way to connect with prospective customers if your brand gets value from a strong social media presence. This type of marketing is particularly popular among fashion or tech companies.
• Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising could help your business grow if your budget allows it and your target audience tends to search for your product or service on search engines.

Make Everyone Feel Included

It’s not unusual for remote workers to feel isolated and disconnected. They don’t get to meet teammates in person and socialize on day-to-day occasions such as having lunch together or small talks during breaks. This could result in them feeling like they aren’t included. Many managers fall into the mistake of not thinking about inclusivity when building and managing a remote marketing team.

However, it’s utterly important to create opportunities for your remote employees to socialize, such as organizing virtual hangouts, virtual gift exchanges on holidays, or an online happy hour where you could even expense beverages and snacks to each team member. If you have the opportunity and budget, plan an annual event where remote employees could get together and bond in person through fun activities.

Not all of these tips apply to every remote marketing team out there, so try to identify which group events could become more inclusive for your own. By making remote employees feel a sense of belonging through team bonding activities, you build a healthy culture in your remote team and increase chances of employee retention and enhanced performance.

Final Words

While building and managing a remote marketing team might seem challenging at first, it entails an opportunity to have diverse talent from all over the world under one roof. Remote working opens up endless possibilities for business growth and offers numerous benefits such as keeping employees happy and effective, enhancing creativity, and saving you time and money.

It’s up to you to make remote employees feel at home right from the start and help your remote marketing team thrive. You need to nurture determination and patience, instill your business values in them, and use your emotional intelligence throughout the entire process. So, make sure to follow all the tactics shared in this guide to have a high-performing remote marketing team made up of employees who don’t plan on leaving your business any time soon.

Author

Maria Fintanidou works as a Copywriter for email marketing automation software Moosend, having created the Help Articles (FAQs) and overseen the platform’s translations in Greek and Spanish. She loves exploring new cultures and ways of thinking through traveling, reading, and language learning.