Presentation delivered at the Digital Marketing Show 2013 (www.digitalmarketingshow.co.uk)

1. Timon Rumbold
AtTask Marketing Solutions Group
WINNING AT THE GAME OF MARKETING
6 Common Obstacles to Marketing Team Success
and the Cheat Codes to Beat Them

2. ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS
Don’t just duck and cover – conquer the barrage

3. A constant barrage
• Requests via email, IM,
meetings, sticky notes,
phone calls, texts, hallway
chats, smoke signals, etc.
• FIFO (first in, favourite out)
OBSTACLE 1 – ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS

4. People work more hours than they’re
actually paid.
2013 Employerbility study on “Workplace Productivity”
OBSTACLE 1 – ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS

5. Quick Survey:
How many tools does your team use to manage your work?

6. CHEAT CODE: 1 – CENTRALISE

7. Dominate the game
• Centralise requests
• Standardise requests
• Provide visibility
• Align requests to goals
• Understand tradeoffs
• Empower workers
OBSTACLE 1 – ATTACK OF THE WORK REQUESTS

8. SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM
Process makes perfect

9. It’s all fun and games …
until someone drops
a plate
OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

10. Workers have high levels of stress and
extreme fatigue, and feel out of control.
2012 ComPsych survey
OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

11. Workers lose 1 hour or more per day of
productivity at work due to stress.
2012 ComPsych survey
OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

12. CHEAT CODE: 2 – STANDARDISE

13. “Process” is not
a 4-letter word
• Be consistent
• Use & re-use templates
• Set realistic expectations
• Align work to priorities
• Win - (i.e. reap the rewards)
OBSTACLE 2 – SPINNING PLATES MAYHEM

14. HELLO... OVER,
IS ANYONE THERE… OVER
Break the chain and appropriate the right resources for your work

15. Beg, borrow or steal
people to get work done
• No visibility into resources
or priorities
• Weekly resource meeting.
(aka “Bun-Fight”)
• Who’s doing what?
• When will they finish?
• What else is left?
OBSTACLE 3 – IS ANYONE THERE?

16. Workers say they don’t have enough time to
get their work done.
“The Knowledge Worker’s Day: Our Findings”, Basex blog
OBSTACLE 3 – IS ANYONE THERE

17. CHEAT CODE: 3 – VISIBILITY

18. Stress-free Resourcing
• Understand when it’s
urgent – and when it’s not
• Provide duration and effort
• Let resources be people
• Prioritise work
OBSTACLE 3 – IS ANYONE THERE

19. REPORTING WORK STATUS
Solve the mystery

20. Who’s doing what?
When will they finish?
What else is left?
OBSTACLE 4 – WORK STATUS

21. Over half of failed projects blamed on
ineffective communication.
“The High Cost of Low Performance”, 2013 PMI report
OBSTACLE 4 – WORK STATUS

22. CHEAT CODE: 4 – COLLABORATE

23. Clues to status visibility
• Define “Final”
(Pro tip: It’s not “done_done”)
• Real decisions get made on
real status information
• Make it easy and simple
OBSTACLE 4 – WORK STATUS

24. PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY
Take the blindfold off the approval process

25. The hunt for:
Red October
the approver
OBSTACLE 5 – PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

26. Increase in finishing projects within
budget – if effective approvals are in
place.
2012 PWC study on global project management
OBSTACLE 5 – PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

27. CHEAT CODE: 5 – STREAMLINE APPROVAL PROCESSES

28. “Structure” is also
not a 4-letter word
• Identify approvers
• Automate review process
• Establish timeframes
• Automate reminders
• Provide visibility
OBSTACLE 5 – PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

29. THE JUSTIFICATION GAME
Proof is in the data

30. Overworked
and understaffed?
OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

31. Prove it.
OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

32. 2012 increase in CMO budget …
2012 CMO Tech Marketing Barometer Study by IDC
OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

33. … but CMOs had expected 8%.
2012 CMO Tech Marketing Barometer Study by IDC
OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

34. CHEAT CODE: 6 – MEASURE

35. Data – GOOD data –
unlocks its own rewards
• Uncover productivity
improvements
• Improve resource allocation
• Provide cost reporting
• Start profitability reporting
OBSTACLE 6 – THE JUSTIFICATION GAME

36. CHEAT CODES

37. TEAMS
INTERNAL
MARKETING
CREATIVE
PLAN
COLLAB
ASSETS
APPROVAL
REPORT
POOR VISIBILITY
FINGER
POINTING
ANGRY
CUSTOMERS
FIRE DRILL
DIGITAL
DYSFUNCTION

38. TOTAL VISIBILITY
TEAMS
SINGLE
INPUT
PLAN
COLLABORATE
ASSETS
APPROVAL
REPORT
SUCCESS
SINGLE SYSTEM OF TRUTH

39. ATTASK HALL OF FAME

40. “Don’t call me on the phone. Don’t give
me an IM. Stop sending me email. Put
your communication in AtTask. Because
that allows for one source of truth.”
— Erin Frey, Creative Director, House of Blues Entertainment
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

41. “With AtTask we are at least 25-30%
more productive. That’s pretty amazing
when you consider we are also tracking
five times more information.
That’s priceless.”
— Bill Gattinger, Traffic & Production, Direct Marketing
ATB Financial
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

42. For a custom demo of the AtTask
centralized work solution,
visit us @
Booth D50
KICKIN’ SAAS