Silos. We've still got 'em.
We know we shouldn't have them. We know they don't produce the best results. But, as human beings work in departments inside of organizations, territory will be an issue.
Whether or not your marketing team has all of the power in your organization, you should still push for greater integration. Working collaboratively across your organization will improve your product and your results.
Whether you know your organization is siloed, or you've worked hard to be a cohesive, collaborative team, here are 5 things you should be doing:
1. Put The user First
This is the first and most important rule of marketing. It's not about you. It's not about sales. It's not about development. It's about your audience. Their needs and interests aren't split along departmental lines. To them, you're one organization that they want to interact with, buy from, or donate to. Put your user at the center of every goal, every channel and communication piece.
2. Research Stakeholder Needs & Goals
Understanding what different departments are trying to accomplish and how they're measuring success helps you. As long as they don't directly contradict your goals, you can help others succeed by including them in your efforts. By helping others succeed, you'll also earn trust and collaboration that benefits your marketing efforts.
3. Solicit Feedback
Ask for input. If it's not helpful, don't take it. But always remember, gems can come from anywhere. And even if your end product is mostly unchanged, hearing from different perspectives will add depth to your work.
4. Develop A Content Strategy
Having an organizational content strategy is increasingly important for most organizations. The appetite for great content is increasing. You'll need all voices and subject matter experts to help you create content that your audiences want to consume. Soliciting and managing this content across your organization helps break down barriers.
The most important piece of this strategy is editorial planning. Pulling together your entire team to plan content across your entire organization, by channel, is a powerful connector. Preparing resources, and coming together to calendar themes and topics will help you realize how much everyone needs to be on the same page, and speak with one collective voice.
5. Share Credit
A rising tide lifts all ships. Celebrate any success and thank others for their contributions. It takes nothing from you, and it encourages other people to stay engaged. A willingness to share credit will get noticed. Before you know it you'll have even more help to continue your important work.
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