How can Marketing Operations professionals maintain quality when meeting deadlines?

During my first Black Friday season at Mattress Firm, we had to balance quality with looming deadlines. The trick? We started planning our Black Friday email campaigns months in advance. This early start allowed us to meticulously create each message, A/B test different content, and segment our audience for personalized touches. By breaking down the multiple email campaign into manageable stages & constantly coordinating as a team, we ensured each email was not just sent on time, but maintained the high quality our subscribers expected using personalization & dynamic content. This approach led to a successful Black Friday with high engagement. Even in the busiest times, quality isn't sacrificed if you plan ahead & work together efficiently.

Ensuring quality amidst Marketing Operations deadlines: Prioritize Tasks: Focus on high-impact tasks to maintain quality standards. Effective Planning: Strategize deadlines with realistic timelines for each task. Automation Tools: Leverage automation for repetitive tasks to reduce errors. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster clear communication among teams for seamless execution. Quality Assurance Checks: Implement checkpoints and reviews to catch potential issues. Continuous Training: Keep teams updated on industry trends and tools to enhance skills. Agile Methodology: Embrace agile practices for adaptability within tight schedules. Resource Allocation: Ensure the right resources are allocated to each task. Feedback Loops

At PwC, defining quality standards for our email marketing campaigns meant closely collaborating with other Marketing Leaders, who were key stakeholders. I took the initiative to develop strategies that not only met but exceeded our benchmark KPIs. For instance, I analyzed past campaign data and industry trends to set higher targets for open rates and click-through rates. By proactively suggesting innovative segmentation and personalization strategies, we were able to surpass these elevated benchmarks consistently. This hands-on approach not only aligned our goals with the desired outcomes but also positioned me as an email expert in the eyes of my colleagues, enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of our marketing operations.

At Deluxe Rewards, automating our loyalty email programs for clients like Allstate and Verizon was a game-changer. We utilized sophisticated tools to schedule and execute campaigns, which dramatically cut down manual tasks and minimized errors. This automation ensured consistent and accurate communication, vital for maintaining brand trust. By standardizing our operations with templates and workflows, we not only streamlined processes but also upheld the high standards expected by these major brands. This strategic use of technology was key to managing complex loyalty programs efficiently, showcasing the real efficiency gains possible in MOps.

There are some fundamental human traits and truisms that come in here. One is many hands make light work. That and a more recent approach the “scrum” from Agile project management where teams and partner groups surge their efforts and resources to stay on track and meet objectives. To maintain quality it’s important to have clear, understandable and communicated standards, measures and the ability to break down objectives into smaller focus areas that can be aggregated back to the final result.