Marketing shouldn’t be this complicated

Too many media channels to manage. Widening audience divides. Constantly seesawing technologies. A plethora of different partners. Being a marketer today is a bit like being a kid in a candy store: you want to try everything, but you won’t want the stomach ache that follows. The industry sums it up as “choice overload,” and what it leads to, in the words of Mike Woronuk, CMO at Juneberry Ridge and longtime Bartley & Dick client, is “decision-making inertia.” That feeling of being “stuck” – of not exploring a new path because you may not immediately choose the right one – is more common than you might think.

Overcomplexity loves company

If you recognize what we’re talking about, you’re not alone. In a 2023 cross-industry study of marketers by Harvard Business Review Analytic Studies, only 30% ranked their marketing as “very effective.” By contrast, 66% say that rising complexity is making it increasingly difficult to deliver business value. And to add extra angst, 65% say they’re struggling with limited marketing budgets. Many marketers are relying on technology – data analytics, automation, generative AI – to reframe how they work, but these come with complexity of their own, not the least of which is a constant learning curve. So what’s a marketer to do?

Be flexible and agile

It could be said that “resistance is futile” in the face of multiplying technology, channels and specialized partners. A more optimistic way to express it might be that flexibility and agility aren’t just good-to-haves; they’re your greatest assets. The ability to pivot has become currency.

That ability is also what you share most with your audiences, whose tastes and behavior are responding to the same trends you are. Take AI, for instance. It’s not only revolutionizing the way marketers work; it’s changing consumer expectations. Your customers are as attuned to AI possibilities as you are, and sometimes even more so – if you don’t learn the “language,” you risk not being heard.

Prioritize a long-term marketing strategy

One fundamental rule for reducing complexity is having a detailed, relevant, actionable strategy. Yet “marketing strategy” can sometimes turn into an oxymoron. Marketing is, by its very nature, so tactical that a larger strategy can be backburnered in favor of short-term goals – especially when the pressure is on and you’re short on time and funds. Prioritizing a long-term marketing strategy – one that reinforces your brand’s business strategy – is a good way to start streamlining the complexity.

Ask yourself:

• Are all your partners working with you toward long-term, “outside-in” (customer-focused) goals?
• Is every platform necessary to achieve them?
• Are you investing in growth or maintenance?

Simplify the process

Streamlining may seem pretty intuitive, but it’s also incredibly hard to prioritize among deadlines and performance benchmarks. Clearly, since the Harvard Business study shows only 24% of marketers claim to have “very streamlined” processes in place. Yet throwing more systems, channels, processes or even people at the problem will usually only add to it. The “latest” technology or platform may only be the latest for a millisecond (MySpace anyone?). So while the ability to pivot is key, keeping up indiscriminately may also be holding you back.

Like any massive task, it’s probably best achieved by taking a beat and assessing before you act.

Some things to ask:

• Are you still working in silos? Since everyone in the organization – including outside partners — should be working toward the same goal, can the process(es) be integrated?
• Are you using metrics to understand your customer but not your own processes? Measuring the effectiveness of your internal processes is every bit as important to your bottom line as knowing click-through rates.
• Are you losing time and energy to “decision-making inertia?” Filtering decisions through long-term business goals can help, and so can small, achievable benchmarks.

Bottom line, there’s no single, simple solution here. No magic bullet.

Yet when there’s friction in your marketing processes, it can lead to friction in the consumer experience. Not addressing the issue isn’t an option;  it can affect your bottom line, and even – given the stress – your personal well-being. There’s no going back, only forward, in whichever way is most strategic for your brand.

How you solve for complexity will be dependent on your business goals, and sometimes, who you ask for help.

Want some practical tips on how to streamline your strategic planning from other marketers like you? Download our “Marketing on a Mission” tips.

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