New Year’s Resolutions for Your Marketing Team
It’s a new year, and with it comes plenty of new opportunities. A chance to start over and reinvent yourself because last year things got off to a rocky start with Jane from HR, and you’re hoping to fix it. Marketing teams tend to start the year off with a kind of wide-eyed optimism, and that’s for a couple of reasons. One, they’re flush with cash again, and two, they’ve got change to learn from last year’s mistakes and make improvements.
Here are a few ideas for New Year’s resolutions for marketing teams heading into 2025. And don’t worry, none involve getting a gym membership you’ll forget about by March.
Embrace Change, Even When It Feels Like Chaos
Evolving Your Strategy Doesn’t Mean Scrapping Everything
A new year doesn’t mean a totally new you. Take a look at what worked and see how you can supercharge those elements of your strategy. Which campaigns worked and which failed miserably in the most embarrassing way possible. Remember: You aren’t out to reinvent the wheel here. Small-tweaks can go a long way. There are literally hundreds of books about the way small changes can create considerable impacts. Check one of those out. (Reading more is also a great resolution.)
Invest in Tools That Actually Help Your Team
Talk to your team and do an inventory of the various tools each department is using—and the ones they're not. Delete the old subscriptions and consider grabbing some new ones. Will it be uncomfortable to learn something new? Yes. 2024 saw the rise of several advancements in media and technology, many of which may have useful applications in your workflow. Try something new. Dabble. Experiment. Give your team the edge they need to remain competitive. It may not be cheap, but not spending the money could prove far pricier eventually.
Double Down on Authenticity
Be Real, Not Cringe
Authenticity is more important now than it has ever been before. In a world where just about anything can be faked, it can be a big relief to have an honest conversation with someone offering their genuine self. This is just as true for brands as it is for individual humans. 90 percent of consumers said that authenticity is critical when deciding which brands they'll support. This includes your agency.
Stop Chasing Every Trend
Denim on denim made a comeback in 2024, but it wasn’t for everyone. Remember that you don't have to be a part of every flash-in-the-pan moment. Engage where appropriate for your brand and stay relevant to your industry. When possible, draw a connection to larger moments in the cultural zeitgeist, but it shouldn't feel forced. It's okay to sit out certain trends. As a matter of fact, chasing short-term trends may negatively impact your long-term success. You don't need to be at every party. Don't be that person. Nobody likes that person.
Prioritize Collaboration Across Departments
Get Everyone on the Same Page (Preferably Before the Deadline)
There are several ways to align your teams, and each agency has their methodology to accomplish this. At Mad Genius, calibration comes in the form of a thorough but quick-to-get-through creative brief that outlines the scope of work, and a kickoff involving all relevant team members. This gives each genius a clear understanding of what's expected of them, by when, and focuses everyone on an absolute true north. It's easier to work as a team when we're all playing the same sport, but not the same positions.
Celebrate Wins—Especially the Small Ones
For most companies, finishing a large project is when the champagne starts to flow. And while we're not suggesting you should drink champagne every day, we do think some of that joy should be spread across the lifetime of any given piece of work. The science is behind us, with data pointing out that the most important thing for any workforce is daily progress. Break the big journey into a series of small steps, and give your team a bit of love every time they take those steps. Not only will this help your team feel appreciated, but it will give them a sense of accomplishment every single day, putting purpose in the work.
Measure What Matters
Vanity Metrics Aren’t Helping Anyone
We get it. A “million views” on X looks really impressive in a spreadsheet on your 70-inch conference OLED TV, but how many conversions did those views lead to? Occasionally, the goal really is just to be noticed. Usually, it's to generate or lead to a sales bump. Focus on the metrics that matter. Identify your goals clearly at the beginning of your creative endeavor, and measure for those goals. (It's a good idea to develop this expectation in a reporting conversation with your client earlier in the process.)
Set Realistic Goals (For Once)
Get honest with yourself. You know what your budget is. You know what it can and can’t cover. When your client asks you to deliver the world, tell them upfront that their budget isn't even enough for a small town. Maybe a house. A small one. Okay, a condo. Getting realistic at the beginning of the process will give your client reasonable expectations, and your team the ability to meet them—possibly even exceed them. This will reduce stress on your team, and allow for honest, uninflated reporting at the end of the project.
It's 2025. A new year with fresh opportunities. Take your brand into 2025 with a bang—or at least a loud pop. Mad Genius can help. We want to help. It's our whole thing. Fill out the form below and let's chat.