Did you know that the United Kingdom ranks fourth among the world’s largest advertising markets, and is the biggest in all of Europe? That means there are plenty of opportunities for anyone working within advertising and marketing, as evidenced by the steady increase in successful marketing managers in the UK over the past 10 years. However, the outlook for the industry may not be quite as rosy as it once was, with UK companies cutting their marketing budgets in 2019 for the first time in seven years due to ongoing market uncertainty. Habits of highly successful marketing managers must be savvier and more creative than ever. So what can you do to get ahead? Find out with our five habits of highly successful marketing managers.

Use productivity apps to stay on the ball

The use of productivity apps shouldn’t be limited to marketing managers – anyone who works can benefit from looking at how they use their time more strategically. However, with time being the top challenge that content marketers face, according to a 2019 study by ClearVoice, it’s clear that time management programmes could be particularly beneficial for marketers, who often juggle many tasks at once. For managers, there is also the added challenge of managing a team and individual performance, which can be tricky to balance with day-to-day marketing tasks. This is where productivity apps come in. Programmes such as Focus Keeper, Forest or even the classic Pomodoro technique can all help to streamline a marketing manager’s workload and ensure focus is maintained in the right areas. Find out more about productivity apps in this great blog.

Know when to delegate

A great leader can only be great with the support of their team – so make sure you use yours wisely. Research shows that business leaders who delegate experience more success than those who don’t, and it makes sense to share the workload with your team members. While you may be the team’s leader and more senior than your colleagues, they almost certainly have experience or specialist skills that you don’t have, so take advantage of them! Utilise your technical SEO consultant’s expertise to help with optimising your website, ask your creative marketing executive to assist with designing campaigns and task a social media-savvy colleague with running your company’s profiles. Being a great manager is all about knowing what you can and can’t do, and delegation doesn’t just help you. It can also give your team a chance to upskill and build their confidence, making it a win-win for the whole business.

Keep in touch with the right media

There’s a plethora of information out there for marketers at every level – all you need to do is find out which channels, subscriptions and publications are best for you. Websites such as Marketing Week, The Drum and Content Marketing Institute are great resources to stay tuned to on a weekly basis, while podcasts such as Call to Action, Duct Tape Marketing and 5 Minute Marketing are great for marketing managers who are always on the move.

Social listening should also be part of your team’s role. Track your brand on social media and pay attention to what people are saying about your business or products – and engage with these conversations in a strategic way. Tools such as Hootsuite, Hubspot and Buffer can help with this.

Never stand still

Marketing is all about innovation and ongoing change. While you will undoubtedly have long-term marketing goals that remain largely unchanged, that doesn’t mean you can’t constantly review and revise your strategy. In today’s digital-driven world, new technologies and programmes are being released daily that can positively or negatively influence consumers and how we market to them. Monitor what the competition is doing, evaluate campaign performance regularly and know when it’s time to rethink what you’re doing. Sometimes all it takes is an audience targeting tweak on an ad campaign or the introduction of a new piece of content to see an uptick in results, so always be open to trying new things!

Use data to your advantage

Data is any marketer’s best friend, particularly with so much activity happening online these days. As of October 2019 there was a global digital population of nearly 5 billion people – which means there is more opportunity than ever to reach this potential audience and use their data in your marketing campaigns! Track your conversions, probe into your social media advertising results, understand what activity occurs on your website and when, and monitor email click-throughs to get a better understanding of the impact your marketing activities have. All data can be helpful, so collect and analyse it regularly.

Find your next marketing job with BMS

At BMS, we can help you do what you love. Whether you’re looking for your next marketing manager role or want to try your hand at content or data analysis, we might have the perfect position for you. Take a look at our latest marketing jobs and make your move!