WHAT I’ve LEARNED Managing a Remote MARKETING TEAM
Leading a team of any size in any environment can be challenging. In a remote-first setting, this can be more difficult due to the inability to connect and problem-solve in person. When I first joined Optimotive as Managing Partner three years ago, I stepped into a remote marketing agency filled with digital nomads across the globe. As organizations and companies continue to debate returning to the office, going hybrid, or moving to remote-first; here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.
Create Systems That Contribute To A Great Work Culture
Work cultures start at the top and are critical to a company’s success, but what does that mean on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis? Here’s a calendar cadence we developed based on a lot of trial-and-error, team feedback, and best practices.
Every Monday morning we have a meeting we call L10 (Level 10). This sets the agenda for the week, recaps the previous one, and allows for discussion around client needs, project status, and issues for resolution. We created a client satisfaction scale that our Client Success Managers fill out for every account they oversee. This factors into a traffic light system measuring individual and team performance. Anything green gets mentioned briefly, yellow gets discussed during the review, and red warrants a deeper discussion and gets passed onto the “Engine Room” with the CSM and supporting team members. While this system gives us structure, we’re not robots on an assembly line, so we need to establish connections first. Before we dive into the nitty-gritty work details we make sure to spend five minutes catching up and chatting about weekend activities, birthday celebrations, engagements, and vacations.
Beyond Monday, we established an ongoing series of short meetings both work and non-work related. Wednesday we have our “Midweek Sync”, a 30-minute all-hands check-in on project progress, potential delays, and team member needs. Thursdays are Growth Marketing sessions where we collectively review a new client, break down a brand of interest or discuss a real-world marketing example that’s gained notoriety — ideal for learning purposes and getting the team to think quickly when prompted with a question. Friday we set aside another 20 minutes for “Coffee Talk”, a non-work-oriented opportunity to connect as a team. These little moments can help break up the monotony of independent work and long weeks.
Regardless of size, showing your team your dedication to creating a great work culture in a remote-first setting will have an outsize impact on your organization.
2. Clear Communication Across Platforms is Crucial
Context is critical. Because not all team members will be privy to information at the same time but often work across all client deliverables asynchronously, it’s crucial to communicate not just what is needed but why. Producing high-quality work promptly depends on it. To ensure consistency we created guidelines on how best to use our core comms platforms.
Email: Primarily for client communication, especially when sharing strategies, decks, creative work that needs review, administrative needs, etc.
Slack: Our main channel for internal comms as it affords a quick and easy way to check in on items, share team-wide updates, and with the help of a bot - wish someone a happy birthday. We have bridge channels in Slack for some clients but these are used mostly for informal comms, quick chats, requests, or reminders around previously emailed topics.
Zoom: Any collaborative meetings that require constructive conversations with internal teams and external partners - including clients. Since Zoom fatigue is real, we are mindful of how many meetings are scheduled weekly.
Loom: This video recording platform allows us to share self-recorded snippets that help contextualize all elements of a project. Whether it’s articulating a strategy, asking for help on a tricky issue, or reviewing the design and development of a new site, Loom is our go-to when Zoom is too much and Slack is not enough.
Because we’re a lean, mean, and tight-knit team, we have the luxury of getting calendars aligned (relatively) easily. But larger teams don’t always have this luxury, which is why communicating the what and the why is imperative.
3. Hire the Right Humans
When I first started, team retention was a challenge. Part nature of the agency life, part self-inflicted, between the JD posting, hiring, onboarding, potential off-boarding, and everything in between, I was taxed. I learned that hiring for specialist roles on limited budgets meant we sometimes hired people who were great for the skill set but lacked cultural fit. So we went back to the drawing board and decided to hire for character and emotional intelligence first. Over time we found the right formula for a candidate which is strong communication skills, accountability, adaptability, and resourcefulness. I’m happy to say we now have an exceptional core group that thrives in a remote-first structure.
4. Mental Health Is Central To Sustained Success
If health is wealth, mental health is the investment vehicle. While much is made about the flexibility and freedom remote-first environments provide, it can be draining on the psyche. Isolation, feeling stuck to your desk, and having to “always be on” are common complaints that don’t get the attention they deserve. While a remote-first setting is part of a new paradigm that's here to stay, it’s important to find a balance that provides both opportunities for socializing (particularly for entry-level growth), while respecting that many are comfortable being producing without distractions.
In addition to unlimited PTO, we have monthly mental health check-ins that offer a space to share what's going on away from work, either collectively or privately. It's essential to allow colleagues to feel heard and be seen beyond task lists on Monday. At Optimotive (now a part of our parent co. Rytech), we embrace vulnerability and have worked hard to create a safe space for all. It's perfectly okay to cry tears of joy or tears of stress. After all, grass can't grow without water.