{"id":14070,"date":"2020-05-01T05:49:27","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T05:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/?p=14070"},"modified":"2020-06-28T23:01:54","modified_gmt":"2020-06-28T23:01:54","slug":"how-to-successfully-scale-your-email-team-part-1-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/blog\/how-to-successfully-scale-your-email-team-part-1-people","title":{"rendered":"How to Successfully Scale Your Email Team, Part 1: People"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sending great email isn\u2019t easy. But sending great email <\/span>at<\/span> scale<\/span><\/em> is a whole different challenge. How do you set up your program to handle more\u2014and more complex\u2014campaigns, all while keeping your brand voice and email quality consistent?<\/span><\/p>\n

Experts from Litmus and Salesforce sat down to discuss the three elements of a scalable email program: people, processes, and tools. You can watch the <\/span>full webinar on-demand here<\/span><\/a>, but this post marks the first in a series breaking down the best tips for scaling your email team. Today, the focus is on the people within your email program.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What it Takes to Scale Your Email Program<\/h2>\n

In this on-demand webinar, experts from Litmus and Salesforce share the secrets to growing your email program the right way.<\/p>\n

Watch our webinar \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Scaling the human side of your email program<\/span><\/h2>\n

Creating and managing a team of email experts is no small feat, and it can be particularly tricky during times of change or growth. On one end of the spectrum, you may be juggling a lot of projects and responsibilities with a small team. Or, you could be facing inefficient workflows or scattered communication with a large crew.<\/span><\/p>\n

No matter how many email team members you have or what your current workload is like, knowing how to effectively scale your department is a valuable skill. Auditing your team structure and strategy also helps your existing department work more efficiently, making it easier for them to produce <\/span>revenue-driving campaigns<\/span><\/a> each day. <\/span><\/p>\n

People = Team + Skills<\/span><\/h2>\n

The success of your people lies in two elements\u2014your team and their skills. The first component is all about selecting the right people and organizing them effectively, while the second element focuses on their growth within your organization. Let\u2019s dive in. <\/span><\/p>\n

Finding the right people for the job: Generalist vs. specialist vs. leader<\/span><\/h3>\n

A lot goes into creating a single email. So much so that <\/span>53% of teams spend two weeks or more<\/span><\/a> to get a single campaign ready to send. Having a smaller email program doesn\u2019t magically make the all-important steps of designing, coding, and testing go away, so these teams are usually filled with generalists. Our research found that a majority of an email team\u2019s responsibilities are focused on email coding and development, while email strategy and design are also common tasks.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll get to a point during team expansion where your attention will likely shift to specialists. Hiring people who can go all-in on a single function, such as design or coding, helps them deepen their skills and knowledge to provide better work, faster. By hiring or training specialists, you relieve email team members of constantly having to switch gears or learn a little about a lot of topics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you want to add more generalists or specialists to your team, there\u2019s one crucial element that successful organizations have: a leader. Leadership sets expectations and defines rules so everyone can focus their attention and efforts on what matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to get it right:<\/strong> If you\u2019re trying to decide if you need to train or hire a generalist or specialist, your first step is identifying the areas where your team feels overwhelmed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do they feel there\u2019s not enough time to work on strategy or <\/span>analyze post-send results<\/span><\/a>? Are there <\/span>new designs<\/span><\/a> or coding skills you\u2019d like to implement, but you don\u2019t have anyone on your team who can execute those ideas? How do you think your needs will evolve in the coming year? Do you need a strong leader who can help everyone work in the same direction?<\/span><\/p>\n

All of these questions will help you identify gaps in your team. You can also talk to your team about their current strengths or preferred tasks, and whether or not they\u2019d like to be a specialist in that area in the future. When it\u2019s time to <\/span>hire a new team member<\/span><\/a>, make sure you set clear expectations in your job description.<\/span><\/p>\n

Organizing your team for success<\/span><\/h3>\n

Even the most talented individuals can\u2019t do their best work if they\u2019re part of a broken system. That\u2019s why a crucial part of scaling your program is finding an organizational structure that sets your team and work up for success. But what does the perfect team structure look like? As it often does, the answer is \u201cit depends.\u201d Each company is different, and you may need different answers as you evolve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Centralized vs. decentralized email organizations<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Our 2019 State of Email Survey looked at how different companies organize their email teams, and the good news is you\u2019ve got options.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smaller companies tend to choose a <\/span>centralized team structure<\/span><\/a>, where a single group handles all email strategy, writing, and design. Communication is a bit easier when you\u2019re working in a small group. Plus, when all of the strategy, writing, and designing comes from the same group, you end up with more cohesive campaigns across segments. When done right, a centralized email organization can also be a well-oiled machine, creating a repeatable process that utilizes different team members\u2019 strengths. When centralized teams become too large, though, there\u2019s a risk of slowing down your workflow. That\u2019s why, as organizations grow, we tend to see a shift away from centralized structures.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Large or multi-national organizations are more likely to opt for decentralized teams, where entire email units are grouped by location, product line, division, etc. Decentralized teams can be more agile around the needs of their unique customers, but they can also create a fragmented brand experience. Even smaller companies that have traditionally worked as a centralized unit can face some of the decentralized challenges if they enlist the help of freelancers and agencies or have a remote workforce.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to get it right:<\/strong> There are a few different ways you can organize your team, so what\u2019s the best option for you? If your company has less than 100 employees, it might make the most sense to choose a centralized team structure for simpler workflows and communication.<\/span><\/p>\n

In reality, our research found that centralized teams didn\u2019t fall out of the majority until a company hit 10,000 or more employees. If you\u2019re in a large company or growing with the help of freelancers, you need to pay even closer attention to your processes. Regular check-ins on goals, user personas, brand guidelines, and insights help disjointed teams work as a cohesive unit.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a deep-dive into centralized and decentralized email teams\u2014and the pros and cons that come with each set-up\u2014read our blog post on <\/span>organizing email teams<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aligning on the customer<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Want to start making your team more effective starting today? Schedule time for everyone to review how your email program can align with the customer and overall business strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are your target customers, and what are their motivators? What brand touch points will they have across other channels? Are your current campaigns based on <\/span>customer-centric journeys<\/span><\/a>? Without a clear and shared understanding of the customer and email\u2019s role in their journey, it\u2019s tough to make emails that hit the target.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to get it right:<\/strong> First, assess your current email strategy and any documentation about the customer. If you don\u2019t have a single source of truth for email marketers to learn from, it\u2019s a great time to create one. If you do have a strategy around customer success through email, do all team members know and reference it? <\/span><\/p>\n

Leveling up with skills and knowledge<\/span><\/h3>\n

Scaling a capable email team isn\u2019t just about hiring the right mix of people, it\u2019s also about investing to help them grow in their role. By empowering your current team with new skills, you may be able to get more and different work done without having to expand payroll just yet. <\/span><\/p>\n

Allow room for experimentation<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Provide your team with the room to mix up the day-to-day tasks with projects that break the routine. This can be a set of A\/B tests, experiments with new coding or design techniques, or a chance to design a one-off email that\u2019s different from your standard template. Every experiment\u2014successful or not\u2014provides an opportunity for your team to be challenged and learn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Invest in training <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Email is continually evolving, which means that learning in your email team should never stop. Training can help your current people grow into more specialist roles, or ensure new hires stay on the cutting edge. Here are a few ways you can invest in training:<\/span><\/p>\n