Running Lean with Purpose
The rapidly evolving business and technology landscape makes big-picture strategy a challenge. Companies that are organized in lean structures remain nimble and protect capital for the highest growth potential. The best lean organizations focus on a compact core of generalists to serve the business. In this environment, many small-to-midsize organizations concentrate on sales and rarely find the time for big-picture strategy.
Cultivating a thorough marketing plan, executing content programs, managing internal and external communications, traditional and social media administration, and occasional events are often too much for a core in-house team. A lean in-house staff regularly runs in reactionary mode. Even in the most collaborative culture, focus on some component will be lost and prime branding opportunities will be missed. Further, an inability to scale quickly may cost you a promising pitch.
Tapping external resources to support marketing is far from a new concept. Organizations customarily outsource creative marketing functions such as advertising campaigns. However, many have not accessed the full potential of outsourcing marketing operations. Outsourcing offers access to specialists and established relationships with freelance producers facilitate scaling. The result is usually increased quality while protecting revenue through lean organization.
