To Grow, You've Got to Let Go

Content Concocter: This is likely more than a one-person job. Updated, fresh content is key to your website and marketing materials’ survival, so keep a close eye on this and make it a top priority. You should never have outdated or incorrect content. And the more you refresh your website content, the more likely you are to end up on the first few pages of search engines such as Google.

Newsie: Perfect for that staff member who is always up to the minute on current events. They should post weekly articles to your website with news relevant to your audience.

Note, I said your audience, not your industry. A news feed gives an up-to-date feel to your website and helps climb those search engine ladders (the more often your site has new content, the higher it will climb in the search engine ranks).

Community Relations Coordinator: You care about your community; make sure your prospects know that. This person should ensure all of the organizations you are involved with are displayed on your website and mentioned in marketing materials. It could be logo recognition, links to the organizations’ websites, and/or stories about your involvement in newsletters or on your website. (Don’t forget pictures!)

Staff Sergeant: I’m willing to bet that your staff page is among your website’s most visited pages. People want to see and learn about who they’re doing business with. So make sure this is timely and complete with photos and bios. Same goes for anywhere you have staff information, such as your brochure or sales sheets.

Video Guru: Video creation and editing can take hours if you don’t have the know-how, but if you have a YouTube fanatic in your ranks, charge him or her with creating a video tour for your site. What better way to familiarize your customers with your company, especially if you don’t have walk-in traffic.

Analytics Analyst: Your website analytics should not be ignored or washed over briefly when you have a spare minute. Designate one of your numbers oriented employees to review this information each month, report back to you, and delegate any changes that need to be made because of it.

For example, do most people find your website by typing “California direct mail” into a search site? If so, make sure these words appear in your site’s content as well as your meta tags.

Overall Auditor: An essential role to ensure all the others are functioning properly. This person would be responsible for conducting a monthly scour of your website and marketing materials to ensure updates are relevant and happening. They may also look at things like design and image choice.

Does your website look, feel, and sound like the rest of your marketing endeavors? Is your overall image one you are proud of and that speaks to your brand?

Client Auditor: Designate an employee, student, or intern to make quarterly calls to your customer list to ensure you have the correct information. They could even ask for email addresses if you are considering trying your hand at email marketing. The key to any great marketing effort is good data, so make sure yours is updated as often as possible.

Social Monitor: Designate one of your Facebook junkies to keep an eye on the social media sphere—Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.—and report to you on what’s being said about your company. They can respond from a company standpoint to this chatter as well as update any social media sites where your company has a presence.

That Should Do It
Imagine if even half of these roles were assigned in your company. What a well-oiled marketing machine you would have! How would that reflect on your business? And how much pride would your employees take in these special assignment roles?

Now think about this on a larger scale. How else can you stop the do-it-yourself debacle and diminish your do-it-later pile. Delegate, delegate, delegate, my friends. You will be amazed at all your company can accomplish once you let go—and how grateful both your business and friends and family will be.

Tawnya Starr is a former successful print shop owner who is now president of FireSpring’s PrinterPresence. She has dedicated her career to educating the printing industry on proven website and marketing strategies. In 2005, she received the Industry Award of Distinction from NAQP for her service as a consultant and educator to the industry. Contact her at Tawnya.Starr@Firespring.com. This article is available as a podcast at www.quickprinting.com/podcast and from iTunes.