This blog post is for all of my Type A marketers out there. The ones who like to be in control, want everything to be perfect and like to do things themselves. If this sounds like you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I do want to share an important lesson from James Winter on an episode of Real Marketers. Sometimes you need to let go of things. Whether that be accepting you can’t get every single thing done that is asked of you or automating daily tasks that suck time. It is easy to want to do it all, but in marketing that isn’t realistic, and sometimes the best thing you can do is just let stuff go.
Manage Up: Your Boss Will Thank You
The idea of managing up is much easier said than done, but trust me, if you learn how to do this well your boss will thank you. A trap many marketers fall into is the idea they always need to say “yes.” I get it, you want to be viewed as helpful and as a team player. But, if you say “yes” when you don’t have the capacity, you will only be hurting the organization in the long run. Instead, be realistic with what you can and cannot get down in a certain time frame. If you don't have the time or resources to take on another project, be honest with your boss about what you can do. Determine what the tradeoff of taking on a new project will be. Maybe that means another project has to get pushed off or maybe it will just have to look different. Whatever the tradeoff is, it is better to be upfront about it than trying to do it all. Additionally, it is also important you ask for the resources you need to get the job done. You know what you need to be successful better than anyone else does.
Automate Daily Tasks
James shared a great piece of actionable advice on Real Marketers. Look at all of the tasks you do on a daily basis that take up a good amount of time. Then start thinking of ways to automate that task and get that time back. I know this can be challenging for those of us who like to do things yourself, but you will save so much time and increase productivity when you start automating mundane tasks. Plus, we are in the midst of a digital transformation, so you can find a digital tool out there for almost any task you need to complete. But, remember you don’t need to be adding the most expensive tools to your tech stack. You can automate these tasks in a budget-friendly way. For example, you can outsource proofreading to an individual rather than spending thousands of dollars on software. There is always a way to make things more efficient, so be open to automating and letting go of menial tasks.
When it comes to marketing, it’s okay to let go a little bit. Be honest with yourself and your team about your bandwidth, the resources you need, and don’t be afraid to automate tasks that aren’t worth taking up all your time. If you want more tips from James and other Real Marketers you can listen to the podcast here.
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