The first step in using a project management tool is to define your project management methodology.
This will help you identify the roles and responsibilities of each team member, as well as define the process that they’ll use to manage their time.
That’s why we brought Gray MacKenzie, Co-Founder of ZenPilot, onto the Garlic Marketing Show to discuss how to plan and manage marketing projects.
When considering which program would be best suited for your organization’s needs and goals, ask yourself these questions:
- Does my company have employees who specialize in different areas related specifically to projects?
- Do we need access to certain features provided by certain programs, such as advanced scheduling options/tracking progress throughout sessions?
“We’ve got all these brilliant creatives who have all kinds of ideas, but the actual execution is really weak. And so that needs to happen in terms of thinking about it, like what’s the marketing campaign? What are the deliverables that make that up? And what are the tasks that go into that? Who’s gonna own each of those tasks?
What’s the timeline need to look like? What are the milestones as we move through it? So that’s been like managing things in a really clear hierarchy and doing that planning. And then having consistent accountability, which is a piece of project management. It’s a big part.”
Once you have this information in mind, it’s time to figure out what tools are most appropriate for your needs.
But before we proceed, don’t forget that this episode is brought to you by videocasestory.com. Click here if you need help collecting, crafting, and delivering customer stories.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The ultimate goal of project management is success.
That’s it.
But what makes up success?
Planning does.
Planning is a continuous process, not an exact science.
What do I mean by “planning?”
Well, planning means thinking about how you’ll use your project management tools, what they will be used for and how often they will be used.
“And then if we zoom all the way down to the bottom, like the individual contributor layer, I’m looking at what’s on my plate today, how do I get it done? That kinda stuff. So I think that’s the ultimate outcome or the ultimate goal of project management.”
It also includes making sure that everyone involved in the project understands their role and what it is they’re responsible for doing on a daily basis.
WHY IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT SO IMPORTANT?
Project management is important to marketers because it allows them to set goals, plan and execute projects, monitor progress, and communicate with other team members.
This is especially important in marketing because marketers and agencies have constantly shifting priorities and timelines as they work to meet their clients’ needs.
“If you’re delivering projects on time and budget, it’s gonna show up in your profitability right away. But it’ll also show up in your client retention and lifetime value of customers.”
This means that the project management process will allow them to stay on top of their game and make sure that they are meeting expectations at every stage of the process.
Watch the full episode now, and make sure to leave any questions or comments you have about the episode.