The digital marketing world moves fast, and for small businesses, keeping up can feel overwhelming. But the secret weapon isn't a huge marketing budget – it's your team! Here at Navigamo, we help small businesses build dream teams that are excited and dedicated to seeing your company succeed.
Whether you’re a business owner moonlighting as a marketer and are ready for some help with everyday tasks, or you’re building upon your existing marketing talent, there are a few elements to consider when adding to your team.
In this article, we are going to share a few hiring truths that we’ve lived by through the years.
Building a Dream Team: the Navigamo way
If you’re looking for new talent, the traditional, if simple idea is to look for one “specialist” for each role. For example, a marketing team for a small business might include a developer to maintain and update the website, a content person, and a digital advertising guru. That’s a good starting point, but there are other factors to consider beyond the main job title.
Think Beyond the Present
In addition to each “job to be done” right now, try to think about your overall business priorities for the next few months and beyond. Take the website position. Maybe in the near future you will need someone to help build and maintain a business app. Or perhaps the ideal hire could have additional computer skills, certifications or interests that can benefit other business functions.
Although it’s not always easy to look beyond your urgent needs and the proverbial “fires to put out”, thinking of tomorrow will most likely benefit your business sooner rather than later.
The Power of T-Shaped Marketers
If you extend a broad mindset to the entire marketing team, you’ll end up creating a team of "T-shaped" marketers. These are individuals with a strong understanding of the big picture (the horizontal line of the T) but also have a deep expertise in one specific area (the vertical line).
Think of it like having a marketing Swiss Army Knife – someone who can tackle a variety of tasks but also excels in a specific area, like social media or email marketing.
Here's why T-shaped marketers are great for small businesses:
Creative problem-solving: With a diverse skill set, your team can come up with fresh ideas and solutions you might not have considered before.
Stronger team spirit: When everyone can chip in and learn from each other, it builds a more collaborative and supportive team.
Resilience to challenges big and small: Business moves fast, and you can count on people that are ready for anything that comes their way.
Cost-effective: You don't need to hire a whole team of experts. A few T-shaped marketers can cover a lot of ground*.
Just a little disclaimer: we’re not recommending you build a team of T-shaped marketers just because you want to hire 5 people when you know there is plenty of work for 6. Glassdoor is littered with frustrated and overworked people, and this eventually leads to a negative business impact. What we know works is to hire a team of versatile problem solvers, then help them develop and grow, gaining their loyalty, job satisfaction and productivity.
How to Find Your Hidden Gems
Most people have many interests and skills that can be developed quite easily–with their employer’s support. Perhaps you already have some T-shaped talent hiding in plain sight! Look around your office – could your customer service specialist be a social media whiz waiting to happen? The key is to uncover these hidden talents and give them a chance to shine.
Think Outside the Box When Hiring
Don't get hung up on traditional experience. Sure, someone with 20 years in the industry might seem perfect, but are they stuck in their old ways?
Sometimes, the best person for the job is someone with a varied background and a willingness to learn. They'll bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your team.
Perhaps a potential hire with 20 years in a different industry but a lot of excitement to learn new things might actually become a star employee if given the chance.
A caregiver who’s been out of the workplace for a few years might have a long list of useful skills despite their recent resume gap.
These are just some examples. While the people who are “good on paper” – relevant experience, no resume gaps, 4-year degree, tend to get all the attention, the world is full of scrappy, passionate potential hires who can actually propel your business to new heights.
The Secret Ingredient: The Right Attitude
The right mix of personalities is magic for a marketing team. You need the challenger who questions the status quo, the data whiz who uncovers hidden insights, and the creative spark who dreams up successful campaigns. But even more important than skills is attitude. You can teach skills, but you can't teach someone to be a lifelong learner or to have that extra drive to succeed.
Focus on What People Can Do, Not Just What They Know… or Who They Know.
A fancy degree or even decades of experience don’t guarantee that someone will make a positive impact at your business. What does matter is what the new hire is able and willing to do. At Navigamo, we know how to find people with the skills and attitude to get the job done, and train them if they need upskilling.
You may also wonder: should I hire based on a personal recommendation? While it’s fine to think of “who you know”, don’t forget to apply the same critical filter you’d apply to anyone else: consider the potential fit within your team and company, and make sure to look for the right skills and a willingness to learn. Simply having a personal connection doesn’t guarantee they are actually your best choice. And in a small business, each hire counts proportionally more than in other workplaces.
Ready to Build Your Dream Team?
Building a dream team doesn't have to be complicated or expensive, but it helps to be strategic. By focusing on T-shaped skills, hidden talent, and the right attitude, you can create a marketing team that pushes your small business forward.
Now it's your turn! Share your thoughts in the comments below. What hiring and training challenges have you experienced? What skills are essential to your business? And if you want some help building your marketing dream team, let us know!
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