Are you wasting resources on the wrong technology for your team? Think about it. Measuring efficiency isn't only about the people–it’s about the software they have at their fingertips.
In this episode, I interview Neha Dadbhawala, Director of Digital Marketing Operations at McAfee, about the process of helping customers choose your brand and why it all starts with solid systems.
Join us as we discuss:
“It isn't about the abundance of information today, but how do you utilize that information? And where in the funnel do you utilize it?” — Neha Dadbhawala
There are a million ways to gather and use data, but what are the most efficient workflows?
For Neha, it’s all about asking the right questions and gathering the important information:
The challenges in marketing are the same problems that marketing operations face—they’re solutionizing around a common goal.
“Most of the time organizations build a great Ferrari, but they don't have enough drivers to take it and use it. So we build great technologies, we build a great product, but you need that last mile to be achieved for customers to really experience your product.” said Neha, on why it’s essential to evaluate the efficiencies of workflows.
Operations mean always asking yourself, “Could we be doing this better?”
A question with countless results. In the end, it comes down to teamwork.
“Do you have a two way street between what your customers are doing online through messages? How are they interacting with you? And is that data readily available to put to use? These are some of the blockers that marketers have that operations can come in and really help evaluate, where we all jump in and make these workflows better for the business.” continued Neha.
When it comes to bringing ideas from paper into reality, marketing operations hold the baton for implementing changes.
“The way you want to structure your team is according to how workflow happens today. In the org, how do we decide on our priorities, how do these priorities get built out into actual strategies?” — Neha Dadbhawala
Part of the effectiveness of a system depends on the team utilizing it. Every good team knows what they are responsible for, what the expectations are, and the priorities of their role.
Neha shared a few key aspects of a team structure that help with efficiency:
What are the needs of your team right now? What are the company’s priorities? What seats need to be filled?
The priorities should be clear, actionable, and timely. When people know what’s needed from them in direct terms, more gets done. It’s as simple—and as complicated—as that.
Who is in which seat? How are you measuring the success of each role?
Determine how you are going to measure the quality and accountability of your team based on their specific responsibilities. Communicate those benchmarks, and hold people accountable to that standard.
Who is making the final call? Who decides how to pivot?
There needs to be someone who owns the decision; a leader people can turn to for direction around new initiatives, priorities, and problem-solving.
Clear, consistent, and reliable leadership can take a team from good to outstanding.
What’s the end goal? How does this affect daily workflows? How is each person contributing?
Decide what you are investing in and ensure alignment across the team.
Commitment to an objective is the most potent when understood and aligned throughout the people who will be the boots on the ground to see it to fruition.
“You have to meet the customer at the right place, at the right time, with the right benefits and the value that your product brings to them for that momentary decision.” — Neha Dadbhawala
The magic of funnels is shown best when the timeline is impeccable—customers develop loyalty, are encouraged to move forward to the next stage, and trust that the product is what they’re looking for.
“It is really about that next best decision the customer can take, or the next best motivation you can give your customer, to move to the next step.” said Neha.
So much of marketing operations is about creating systems that, when working properly, are barely noticed. And yet, if they were to falter, the effect would be immediate.
“It was curiosity that led me into operations to understand “what are we not doing?” Or “what could we do better, that would help that customer make the decision today?” because ultimately, the business is about customers making their choice, and you want them to make the choice for you, for your product, for your service. So how do I help them?” Neha explained.
The real question in all forms of marketing is “how can I help this customer with their decision?”
Go the extra step, gather the appropriate data, find the right technology, and build systems aligned with company priorities. Those four simple actions become so complex the more you zoom in.
That’s why marketing operations exist—to be both the magnifying glass and the map. We're here to navigate!