The Growing Need for Marketing Operations

Marketing has traditionally been driven by "right-brain" practices revolving around the execution of strategic thinking and creative tactics. As you may know, the right side of the brain is where functions such as imagination, creativity and perception of shapes and motions are stored.

However, as the marketing function continues to increase its influence and role within the organization, there is a growing need for "left-brain" practices to come into play. The left side of the brain stores sequential, analytical and logical processes.

That's where marketing operations comes in, specifically in practices such as quantitative planning and forecasting, constant measurement of marketing performance and consistency in implementation of best-practice processes.

How is the marketing function implemented in your organization?

Is marketing still driven by right-brain practices or has it evolved to the point where left-brain practices are the order of the day?

If you answered the latter, perhaps it's time for you to pay closer attention to marketing operations. You can start by asking yourself this question: how can I make marketing operations the bedrock of my company's overall marketing effort? The answer involves a three-pronged approach that considers the following:

- Are my marketing processes, resources and systems clearly defined?

- Are my marketing processes, resources and systems properly allocated?

- Are my marketing processes, resources and systems strictly audited?

These questions will form the basis of a sound marketing operations plan and will pinpoint the areas where significant improvement can be achieved. After all, since marketing has the highest reach of any internal corporate function - as well as the highest risk - it is only fitting that marketing operations comes into play to ensure that the marketing function is properly executed. The mission of marketing operations, after all, is "optimizing your marketing machine"!

Jeff Curley is managing director of eMARKETING OPERATIONS (a.k.a., eMO), a growing service provider in the domain of marketing operations. Jeff has over twenty years of experience in marketing operations, program management, and business development across Asia and North America.

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