A Solution for Making Retail Marketers’ Jobs Easier

With the increase in sales and engagement channels for consumers over the years — from mobile (apps and websites) to social media to stores to e-commerce, and the list goes on — the jobs of retail marketers have become increasingly complex. For the typical marketer, they’re responsible for formulating a strategy for each channel, executing upon that strategy, measuring the performance of their efforts, analyzing the results and then making improvements based on that analysis for future campaigns.

As you can imagine with all of these moving pieces (campaigns, data points), the retail marketer’s job can get quite hectic. That’s why savvy marketers are looking to work management principles to tame their workload without sacrificing performance.

In this interview with Nick Scholz, solutions marketing manager at Workfront, a web-based work management and project management software provider, and Rhonda Cancino, marketing traffic specialist at Pier 1 Imports, they discuss how retail marketers can leverage project management solutions to help them be more effective at their jobs.

(And for more on this important topic, Total Retail is hosting a webinar tomorrow titled, 6 Steps for Success: How Pier 1 Imports Tames Marketing Work Chaos. You can still register for this free webinar. Take advantage of this opportunity to hear more insights from Nick and Rhonda.)

Total Retail: Why is marketing workflow and project management important for retail marketers?
Nick Scholz: For the typical creative and marketing team, chaos is the norm, and it's costing a lot of time and money. The right marketing workflow can change all of that, and the right tool can make adopting that workflow easier and more successful.

TR: How can retailers benefit from a project management solution?
NS: Today's retail marketers are being asked to do more than yesteryear's marketers ever were. Burnout is climbing across the marketing industry, and retail marketers aren't immune. A good solution for managing projects can help them fight burnout, manage workflows more efficiently, track projects, and demonstrate their value clearly to managers and executives.

TR: What are they types of projects that retailers are using workflow management solutions for?
Rhonda Cancino: All kinds of projects. From catalog layouts and online ad production to budget assessments and store redesigns, as well integrated campaign management and photo studio resources.

TR: How do you get executive buy-in for marketing workflow and project management solutions?
RC: Project management software is about your organization producing its best work, and your executives want that, too. Find out what goals, metrics or functionality is important to your executive, and then work with the vendor account manager to find a way to show how this tool will help you achieve those goals.

TR: What's one tip for retailers looking to implement a marketing workflow and project management tool?
NS: Don't settle for "good enough." Think about ways in which your business or role may grow and change in the next two years to five years, and see if the tools you're looking at will grow and change with you. Look for flexible customization to accommodate the different teams and roles in your company and provide the ability to continuously evolve to fit your changing needs.