For small businesses, hiring their first marketer is a monumental leap. It’s a proclamation to the world – “We’re here and we’re ready to make our mark!” – but it can be a challenge for leaders who aren’t marketers themselves.
There’s a tendency to search for entry-level marketers, hoping to balance a lower salary commitment with marketing ROI. However, there’s also an unfair expectation for these entry-level marketers to have years of experience.
The good news is the right junior marketer can bring a wealth of value to your business. It’s up to you, as the business leader, to set them up for success.
Set a clear scope
Identify where you need in-house marketing support. Remember that marketing is a diverse field, encompassing a wide range of skills. No single person can handle research, strategy, stakeholder engagement, product development, copywriting, video production, social media, digital media, paid media, PR, SEO, web design, UX/UI, eCommerce/CRM management, email marketing, graphic design, and analytics all alone.
A versatile in-house marketer is like a general practitioner, skillfully diagnosing problems and bringing in the right specialists to solve them.
Develop an actual strategy
Marketers are highly skilled, but they aren’t mind readers! Be crystal clear about what you want your marketing efforts to achieve for your business. If you can’t answer the question of what you need marketing to do – whether it’s generating specific leads, increasing brand awareness, or driving conversions – then it’s time to do some homework or invest in strategic help to craft a plan for your junior marketer to follow.
This also means considering a marketing budget. A junior marketer won’t be able to do their job without some additional investment. Be mindful that they may not have the experience to develop a comprehensive marketing budget that aligns with your plan. This is where additional support might be helpful.
Set clear KPIs
Based on your strategy and defined role scope, establish key performance indicators for your junior marketer. Ensure that these KPIs align with your business objectives and include lead and lag indicators, as not all marketing efforts yield immediate results. Remember, marketing and brand building takes time.
Make sure the KPIs are realistic for your marketer’s level of experience. Junior marketers need early wins to gain confidence and trust, but they also need stretch goals to strive for.
Develop an onboarding plan
Outline a comprehensive onboarding plan that covers their first week, first month, and first 90 days, allowing them ample time to understand your business, meet the team, visit sites, and engage with stakeholders. Let them familiarise themselves with your brand assets, tools, and systems.
Involve your junior marketer in the onboarding plan as well. Ask them what they need from you and collaborate on establishing KPIs for their first 1-3 months (remembering point 3). Be available to support them and schedule regular catch-ups to check in on progress.
Trust in their skills
Once you’ve done the above, give your marketer the autonomy to do their work. Trust that they are leveraging their skills in the best interest of your business. You don’t need to become a marketing expert monitoring their every move.
Enabling them to deliver outstanding marketing results means being a sounding board, making decisions, allocating sufficient resources, and removing any barriers hindering their progress.
Yes, making the first marketing hire for a small business requires thoughtful planning and consideration, but when it could amount to growing your business, it’s worth it. By following these tips, you are setting your junior marketer up for success, building in-house capabilities that will serve your business for years to come.
