Hi Reader,
Happy Sunday! Hope you're doing well.
🥋 I earned my red belt in Krav Maga this week! The test had me very much in a flow state...it was hard but not too difficult that I was going to give up. Now setting my sights on black.
Today's newsletter is the start of a mini-series I'm writing on hiring and working with the best people to help you grow.
Let's dive in...
What Does Marketing Really Do? A Comprehensive Job Description
When you got started, marketing your business likely fell all on your shoulders.
But as you’re growing, you’ll eventually want to hire a Marketing Manager, Director of Marketing, or even CMO to lead this crucial function.
Now, what do they actually do?
I’ve recorded everything I’ve done at some point in over two years as Marketing Director at Forte Labs to give you a comprehensive job description of what this function entails.
Keep in mind that not all tasks should be done by one person. Rather, it will be a combination of you, your marketer, external contractors, and potentially agencies.
Strategy
It all starts here!
Content Marketing
You might focus on written content, video content, or a combination of both in your business.
Blog
- plan and maintain a content calendar (tools like Notion or ClickUp are great for this)
- write, edit, and publish blog posts
- optimize blog content for search engines
- optimize blog posts for conversions to email subscribers
YouTube
This applies to long-form videos as well as shorts.
- brainstorm video ideas
- plan and maintain the video pipeline to hit your publishing schedule (e.g. a new video every two weeks)
- write and edit video scripts
- plan and oversee video shoots
- write video titles and descriptions (ChatGPT is a great help for this)
- design thumbnails
- publish videos on YouTube and other platforms
- A/B test titles and thumbnails to improve the click-through-rate (we use Tubebuddy)
- analyze individual video and overall channel performance
- maintain YouTube playlists and channel descriptions
Lead magnets and other content assets
- create guides, ebooks, whitepapers, checklists, templates, etc.
Social Media
- create social media posts to maintain a steady posting cadence (e.g. 1x per day on LinkedIn, 3x day on X)
- schedule content using a social media management tool (we use Buffer)
- create and post promotional content to support product launches
- reply to comments
- keep social media profiles updated (e.g., links, banner images)
Email Marketing
- draft and send your email newsletter
- plan, draft, and send email campaigns for product launches
- set up and maintain automated email funnels (e.g., welcome sequence, lead magnets)
- maintain the general infrastructure of your ESP (e.g., tags, segments, automations, rules)
- create and update email templates
- re-engage and remove cold subscribers
Websites
You’ll likely work with a web designer/developer specialized in the platform you use such as WordPress or Webflow.
Branding & Graphic Design
- create core branding assets such as logos, color palette, graphic elements (usually done by a brand designer)
- create ongoing design assets such as social media posts and video thumbnails (usually done by versatile production designers)
- maintain a brand guide/media kit (here’s an example)
- create a writing and style guide for your brand
Data & Analytics
- Conduct regular surveys of your audience and customers
- Measure the performance of launches, evergreen email funnels, newsletter, website conversions, social media campaigns
Partnerships, Sponsorships & Affiliates
- swap promotions with other creators and companies in your space
- manage sponsorships of newsletters and YouTube videos
- set up and maintain affiliate programs (you being the affiliate for other products and services as well as others being affiliates for your offers)
Paid Ads
- write ad copy
- create visual assets for ads
- place ads (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, newsletters)
- monitor ad performance against key metrics (are your ads profitable?)
PR
- Manage outreach and incoming inquiries for speaking engagements, podcast appearances and media opportunities
Product
- brainstorm new product ideas with the team
- create products (e.g. new online courses, templates)
- set up a checkout solution
- oversee product launches
- provide/organize customer service to resolve inquiries (this could mean setting up chatbots and/or enabling a customer service agent to answer product-related questions)
Hiring & Team Management
- draft job descriptions, interview candidates, and onboard new team members
- vet agencies and external contractors and integrate them into your workflows
- lead team meetings, making sure everyone is one the same page and has all the information and resources they need to do their jobs
- train team members on new workflows and software
Project Management & Knowledge Management
This is underrated! No matter which function in business, you need a way of making sure things get done and documented.
- document what you’re doing and learning, create internal wikis
- create SOPs and checklists (e.g. a course launch checklist)
- follow project management 101
- maintain systems (e.g. Google Drive, ClickUp, Notion dashboards)
- conduct post-mortems after launches and capture lessons learned
Other
As you venture into scaling your marketing efforts, remember that the essence of marketing extends beyond any single role or strategy.
It's woven into every interaction your business has with the outside world, embodying the core values and mission of your brand.
While it's essential to delegate and bring on expertise, YOUR involvement and insight are irreplaceable.
Because the true impact of marketing lies in its ability to authentically connect your business with its audience.
Quote of the Week
"Don’t let your happiness depend on something you may lose."
– C.S. Lewis
Thanks for reading!
How I can help you
- Check out Course Creator Lab: You'll find a ton of free resources to launch, run, and scale your online course.
- Book a 1:1 session with me: If you have a specific challenge or just want to pick my brain, just reply to this email for scheduling and pricing (very limited spots).
