Setting Up a Marketing Department 

If you were starting to set up a marketing department, but had to do this over time e.g. 3 years, how would you go about it? What functions and skills would you hire and in what order and why?

There are several ways that you could go about it, but here’s a considered approach that would work as a template for many businesses. 

Setting up a marketing department over three years is a strategic initiative that requires thoughtful planning and staged implementation. This approach allows for the gradual development of capabilities, alignment with business growth, and adaptation to changing market conditions. Here’s a structured way to approach this, considering essential functions and skills to prioritise in each phase:

Year 1: Foundation and Core Capabilities

1. Strategy and Planning

• Skills needed: Strategic thinking, market research, and planning.
• Justification: Establish the strategic direction for all marketing efforts, aligned with the company’s overall goals.

2. Brand Management

• Skills needed: Brand strategy, visual identity design, and storytelling.
• Justification: Develop a strong brand identity that will be the foundation for all marketing materials and campaigns.

3. Digital Marketing

• Skills needed: SEO/SEM, content creation, social media management, and basic analytics.
• Justification: In today’s digital-first world, establishing an online presence is crucial for reaching and engaging customers.

Year 2: Expansion and Integration

4. Content Marketing

• Skills needed: Advanced content creation, video production, and content strategy.
• Justification: To build on digital marketing foundations, delivering regular, valuable content that attracts and retains a clearly defined audience.

5. Marketing Analytics

• Skills needed: Data analysis, performance metrics, and marketing ROI.
• Justification: To measure and understand the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and to drive decisions based on data.

6. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Skills needed: CRM software management, customer segmentation, and email marketing.
• Justification: To manage customer data, improve customer interactions, personalise marketing, and increase customer retention.

Year 3: Optimisation and Advanced Development

7. Integrated Marketing Communications

• Skills needed: Multi-channel campaign management, public relations, and advertising.
• Justification: To ensure consistent messaging across all channels and leverage various platforms for broader reach and engagement.

8. Advanced Digital Marketing

• Skills needed: Programmatic advertising, advanced SEO/SEM, and mobile marketing.
• Justification: To refine digital tactics based on analytics insights and emerging trends in digital marketing.

9. Innovation and New Technologies

• Skills needed: Marketing automation, artificial intelligence in marketing, and virtual/augmented reality.
• Justification: To stay ahead of the curve by adopting new technologies that can optimize marketing efforts and create unique customer experiences.

Cross-Cutting Skills Throughout All Phases:

• Project management: Essential for overseeing the execution of marketing strategies and campaigns efficiently.
• Communication: Crucial for internal coordination and for crafting messages that resonate with the target audience.
• Creativity: Fundamental for developing innovative marketing campaigns that capture attention and differentiate the brand.

Implementation Considerations:

• Recruitment and Training: Focus on hiring individuals with a strong core in strategic marketing and a willingness to adapt to new technologies. Continuous training and professional development will be critical.
• Technology Investments: Invest in the right tools from the start, such as CRM software, analytics tools, and digital marketing platforms, to support scalable marketing operations.
• Alignment with Business Goals: Regularly review marketing strategies to ensure they align with the evolving business objectives and market conditions.

By structuring the department’s development in this phased approach, you can ensure a solid foundation is laid down first, upon which more sophisticated marketing strategies and technologies can be built. This strategy allows for flexibility and growth as market dynamics evolve and the business scales.

Kevin Harrington

I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.

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