I have three kids running around my house… and family fun night is a BIG HIT round these parts. Our last “night o’ fun” found our family in a game of Operation on the Wii. Now do you remember playing Operation as a board game? I remember being pretty bad at it, but I was even worse on a 36 inch television screen. It definitely takes a specific type of hand to remove the patient’s butterflies, tennis elbow… or (the grand prize of them all) his funny bone.

Similarly, if you’re under pressure to demonstrate more results, produce marketing campaigns and strategies that close more business, and gain stronger engagement from current and prospective customers, then just any marketer won’t do. You need people that are made up of the right parts:

Big Feet
You know what they say about big feet??

Yep, big shoes. And when you’re looking for a marketing group you want a group with a solid foundation of client successes and strategy steadily beneath them. Look for a group that will ask the right questions and use your data to show you what you need to build a solid branding foundation. You’ll also want to ensure that any proposed marketing initiatives align with stated corporate goals and have a direct tie back to them.

Wandering Eyes
Marketing is about helping your brand stand out so you make money. A marketer that does the same type of work day in and day out for clients similar to you, most likely is walking around with blinders on. No, you want a marketer that has wandering eyes and sees trends and successes in multiple industries. Someone once said that, “most inventions and breakthroughs come from reassembling existing ideas in new ways.” Look for a marketing organization that routinely brings innovations from multiple industries and has an eye for what can get your market talking.

Brain Power
A steady stream of fresh ideas that will elevate your brand in the marketplace is definitely the name of the game. Seek out a team with the know how to make sense of your company data and uses that knowledge to improve your brand position. Marketing is not all art… there’s a fair deal of science.

Sonic Ears
It’s no accident that we all have two ears and only one mouth. Great marketers have their ears piqued and on the constant listen for the things customers are saying that make your brand special and then work to promote and build messages off those attributes. Most businesses I work with are surprised when they “hear” from customers what makes them special… it’s almost never the things they think are their differentiators.

Strong Arms
In most cases, ideas are actually the easy part. But getting the idea executed… well, that’s a different story. And that’s why you need a marketing group with big brains and even stronger arms to get the heavy lifting done. After all, it doesn’t matter how strategically sound the idea is, if it never gets implemented.

Healthy Heart
Regardless of what the CFO says, sales are emotional. How many of you have an iPhone or know someone who does? Did any of them absolutely have to have that phone? Absolutely not. There are tons of less expensive smart phones one could choose from, but having an iPhone serves an inner need. Maybe it makes the user feel more hip… or seem more successful… or look smarter. The same must become true for your product or service. Align with a marketing team that is actively seeking to find the emotional connection your brand has with customers.

Long Legs
When it comes to your brand, it’s more important that your marketing team can walk the walk, than talk the talk. Does your marketing partner know what it’s like to sit on the sales side of a deal? You want to find marketers who have had to hustle for their clients… who know what it’s like to sell a deal, and have to deliver on the deal they sold. Marketers who’ve done that are the best marketers of all. It won’t be about book smarts, but real world savvy. That kind of marketer will go the extra step to make sure that the strategies they’re selling deliver real value. 

Partnering with the right marketing team is not a game. Your brand’s perception is at stake. Be sure that your marketing team has the right anatomy. Think I left some things out? Be sure to let me know.

As always, please click “like” and know how glad I’d be if you’d share this with your networks.