Getting the Whole Team Involved in Marketing
Marketing doesn’t work in a vacuum. It takes a concerted effort across the company to make it successful. Yet, too often, small businesses treat marketing as a separate function—siloed from other departments and disconnected from the company’s broader goals.
On top of that, marketing is frequently handed off to a single person who is expected to “just handle it.” Without a solid understanding of how marketing works, leadership assumes that one person can manage everything—blog posts, website management, social media, design, email campaigns, and ads—all without clear direction, resources, or support. That’s two or three job descriptions rolled into one, and frankly, it’s an outdated model.
“I don’t want anything to do with social media. I don’t know why we spend so much on _____. My marketing person handles all that, but I don’t really know if it’s worth it.”
I’ve heard this countless times. Small business owners and leaders, understandably stretched thin, often view marketing as a set of tactics to be executed rather than a strategic function integrated into the business. They delegate it, forget about it, and assume (rightly or wrongly) that it’s being handled.
But here’s the problem: This approach isolates marketing from the rest of the organization and, worse, abdicates the customer relationship and feedback loop to one person—who typically doesn’t have a direct, ongoing connection with customers.
The reality is, marketing isn’t just one person’s responsibility—it’s a function that should be woven into the fabric of the business. While specialists exist to execute specific tactics, leadership plays a critical role in shaping the strategy and ensuring marketing aligns with broader business goals.
The Business Owner’s Role in Marketing Strategy
Rather than treating marketing as another task to delegate and forget, business owners would benefit from having marketing as a strategic partner in driving growth. If you’re a business owner or leader, here are a few essential questions to help define how marketing fits into your business strategy:
Customer Experience
How do we want customers to experience our company/brand? What does their ideal journey with us look like?
After they become customers, how do we continue that relationship?
Business Goals & Positioning
What are our goals for revenue, customers, team growth, locations, profit margins, service delivery, training, etc.? Have they been communicated to the team?
Where do we want to align in the media landscape? Are we traditional or forward-thinking? Do we entertain and inspire, or lead with expertise—or both?
Among all the options customers have, where do we fit? Why would they choose us? Do we want to be first, fastest, smartest, lowest cost, most innovative?
What three unique things define us and should be reflected in all marketing communications?
Market & Growth Potential
Where is our market? Can we reach revenue goals by focusing here, or do we need to expand?
What is our growth potential, and can we be profitable in new markets with our current offerings?
What else are customers asking for that we could provide? Is it worth pursuing?
Investment in Marketing
What percentage of revenue are we willing to invest in marketing to achieve our goals?
(Hint: Stop looking for the cheapest/fastest marketing options. Viral success is rare. Sustainable growth takes time, and you get what you pay for.)
Getting Marketing Out of a Silo
Once you’ve answered these questions, take these steps to integrate marketing across the organization:
Communicate Goals & Strategy – Ensure leadership, managers, operators, service staff, and administration understand the marketing strategy.
Engage Other Departments – Identify ways they can contribute through content, expertise, customer feedback, or advocacy.
Make It a Recurring Process – Develop systems for all departments to consider the customer journey and integrate marketing goals into their work.
Encourage Collaboration – Ensure marketing teams work with other departments to create valuable content and report back on results.
Create a Sales-Marketing Feedback Loop – Regular communication between sales and marketing is key to sustained growth.
Leaders, Get Involved – Play an active role in marketing, whether as a company spokesperson, thought leader, podcast host, or contributor.
If you’re a small business owner or leader, I know you feel this struggle. You don’t have to tackle it alone. There are resources available to help you (ahem—we can help!) so that you can continue to be part of your customers’ success and your business’s growth.