The Perfect Startup Marketing Team Structure

Jan 10

Building your marketing team is a pivotal part of your startup’s journey.

In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the nuances of structuring a marketing department that not only aligns with your startup's vision but also drives growth and innovation.

Drawing from the wisdom of industry veterans, this article is going to equip you with knowledge and tools to build a dynamic and lean marketing team — tailored for the unique challenges and opportunities of the startup world.

Table of Contents

The Journey of Building a Startup Marketing Department Structure

The way you decide to structure your marketing operations is absolutely critical for a startup.

This section explores the journey of creating an effective marketing department, emphasizing the right “order of operations” in developing a blend of marketing skills and talents.

POV — Veteran EdTech Marketing Team Leader

In our insightful interview with Rachel Jordan, a veteran EdTech marketing team leader, we gain some pretty profound insights into the intricacies of building and leading a successful marketing team in the startup world.

Watch the full interview below, or continue to read highlights..

The Ideal Startup Marketing Team Hierarchy

Let’s explore the lean startup marketing team hierarchy — how to balance skill sets and roles for maximum impact and efficiency.

Early Steps in Structuring Your Startup Marketing Team

The cornerstone of any successful marketing department is its leadership.

This section delves into the essential attributes of a head of marketing and how their role shapes the entire team.

We'll discuss strategies on structuring a startup marketing team that's poised for success.

Your Marketing Team’s First Hire

The first marketing hire for your startup is a critical decision that will impact the future of your business. So it’s mission critical that you do this properly..

So, who should be the first marketing person you hire?

Copywriter? No
Content strategist? Wrong again
PPC specialist? Heavens, no.

The answer is simple. First, you need a leader.

Check out my Linkedin slide carousel on the topic 👇

In a resource-limited startup environment, it's essential for the first hire to not only develop high-level marketing strategies but also be able to execute.

The marketing leader can both guide and actively participate in marketing activities, setting a robust foundation for the department's growth. With a on a balance between visionary leadership and practical marketing skills.

Next Steps: Building Your Startup Marketing Team

After establishing a strong head of marketing, expanding the marketing team becomes the next critical step for a startup.

The question of who to hire next is a common one among startup founders.

Hiring for Specialist-Skillsets

When considering further expansion, the focus should be on building a team that complements the existing strengths and fills in the gaps.

This could mean hiring specialists in areas like content marketing, digital advertising, or analytics, depending on the startup's specific needs.

Expanding a startup's marketing team involves carefully selecting individuals who not only have the necessary expertise but also the adaptability and drive to thrive in a dynamic startup environment.

The key lies in finding the right mix of strategic insight and hands-on ability, ensuring that each team member contributes effectively to the startup's overall marketing goals..

That’s why it’s critical to have a head of marketing in place first - they’re instrumental in determining what skills are needed from your marketing team and what they should be accountable for.

Overcoming Startup Marketing Challenges

The path to building a stellar startup marketing team can be fraught with complexities and uncertainty.

Startups often find themselves navigating a fast-paced maze of strategic decisions, from defining their brand identity to crafting a message that resonates with their target audience.

Balancing budget constraints, limited resources, and the need for rapid growth adds another layer of challenge. It's a journey that requires not only creativity and innovation but also a keen understanding of the market and the ability to adapt quickly to its changing dynamics.

Difficulties in Hiring Great Startup Marketers

Unlike larger enterprises, startups require marketers who can thrive in a fast-paced, resource-limited environment. These professionals need a broad skill set, adaptable to various roles and capable of crafting innovative strategies on a limited budget.

Structuring Your Marketer Interview Process

One of the most challenging aspects for startups is structuring the interview process to identify the right marketing talent. The key lies in creating a hiring process that not only evaluates a candidate's marketing expertise but also their fit with your startup's culture and vision.

You need a structured approach that delves into how candidates have tackled previous marketing challenges, their ability to adapt to the dynamic startup environment, and their potential to contribute creatively to the startup's growth.

Important Marketing Team Interview Questions

In the interview process, it’s crucial to ask the right questions that reveal a candidate's problem-solving skills, adaptability, and creativity. Make sure to explore;

How they have navigated marketing challenges in the past
Their approach to developing strategies in resource-limited scenarios
Their capacity for innovation
Alignment with the startup's core values and long-term vision

If you’re a founder or exec, you should keep these areas in mind when you consider your head of marketing. And if you’re a head of marketing, it’s your job to consider these for the rest of the team!

The difficulties in hiring for startups are not just about finding someone with the right skills, but also about identifying individuals who can thrive in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment and who are in sync with the startup's ethos and objectives.

What should the Head of Marketing be Accountable for?

1. Early Responsibilities of the Startup Head of Marketing

Assessing the performance of a head of marketing in a startup involves a comprehensive look at their strategic impact and operational execution. The primary responsibility of this role is to develop a cohesive marketing strategy that reflects the startup's core mission and vision. Their most important early task is clarifying three things;
A. key objectives
B. target audience (ideal customer profile
C. unique selling proposition.

2. Ability to Incorporate the Brand Vision

It’s the head of marketing’s job to integrate the startup's vision into the marketing strategy, and ensure that it resonates across all departments. So, executives should measure their ability to translate the founder's vision into a well-articulated, actionable plan.

3. Ability to Execute

Don’t get it twisted.. a startup’s head of marketing is expected to lead from the front — actively participating in marketing campaigns and content creation. Their involvement is not just supervisory but hands-on, especially in early-stage startups, where resources are often limited.

Key performance indicators should include the success of marketing campaigns in generating leads, increasing brand awareness, and contributing to the startup's growth trajectory.

4. Leadership Quality

In a startup environment, the head of marketing should be a driving force in building and mentoring the marketing team. Their ability to foster a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continuous learning is integral to the startup's success. In order to measure there performance in this area, you’ll need to talk to their direct reports for a 360 degree view.

In summary, the performance of a head of marketing in a startup should measured through a blend of strategic development, hands-on implementation, and team leadership, all anchored to the startup's overarching goals and vision.

Digital Marketing Agencies for Startups

The decision to engage with a digital agency is a strategic one, often made when the startup recognizes the need to build a more structured marketing practice.

As startups grow and the demands increase, the need for specialized skills becomes critical. Digital agencies provide the expertise, process and bandwidth required to truly run an effective marketing operation.

Digital Agency vs In-House Marketer

When it comes to executing specialty marketing tasks like; SEO, Content and PPC, startups are often have to choose from two options:

Hiring junior, in-house talent
Outsourcing to an agency service

Agencies have the clear advantage, when factoring experience and process.

You’ll often pay the exact same price for a junior marketer with no experience and an agency with decades of combined experience in the exact task you’re looking for..

And while that choice may seem obvious, you’ll only see the benefit when a few conditions are met.

When Startups Should Use a Digital Marketing Agency

1. There is Already Head of Marketing in Place

Founders are often tempted to work directly with agencies, before they hire a head of marketing.

In our experience, this is almost never successful.

Choosing the agency, managing them and holding them accountable for the right things is a big job.

Founders and other execs need to focus their efforts on other operations, and almost never have time to do that job justice.

That’s why it’s best to leave the job of managing marketing agencies and outsourced team in the hands of your head of marketing.

2. You Hire a Specialist (vs a Generalist) Agency

Especially when it comes to startups, you’ll be hiring an agency for their experience and process.

And in our experience, full service agencies that operate across all industries just can’t cut it. If you’re going to hire one of those you might as well just go in-house..

You should look for an agency who specializes in the exact task your looking for, your industry specifically, or both. With sufficient case studies to prove their value.

3. The Agency has a “Sprint” Based Offer

Large enterprises may be suited to long-term contracts.. but as a startup, you need to think differently.

Strong startup agency offers are based on “sprints”: short work cycles (often 3-6 months) with a clear, pre-determined scope and deliverables.

Engagements that are structured this way are flexible and dynamic - perfectly suited to the needs of the startup world.

Digital agencies can be valuable allies for startups, especially at a stage where scaling marketing efforts becomes necessary. They offer specialized skills and resources that complement the internal team's capabilities, playing a crucial role in the startup's growth journey.

But you need to keep the above qualities in mind before choosing an agency..

Your head of marketing will be critical in the decision!

Best Practices in Building a Startup Marketing Department

1. Hire a Balanced Marketing Leader

In building a marketing department for a startup, the initial focus should be on hiring a leader with both strategic vision and hands-on capabilities. This first hire is crucial in translating the founder's vision into a practical marketing strategy.

2. Build for Marketing Impact

As the startup grows, the next step is to bring in specialists like a creative educator for multimedia storytelling and social media. These roles, filled with specific expertise like design and video editing, enhance the marketing department's reach and impact.

However, it's important to first establish a solid marketing foundation before adding specialized roles. Hiring specialists too soon, especially if the founder lacks marketing expertise, can lead to challenges in management and direction.

3. Follow the Order of Operations

The expansion of the marketing team should be a thoughtful, strategic process. Each new hire should complement the existing team and align with the startup's evolving goals, ensuring a cohesive and effective marketing unit.

In summary, start with a versatile marketing leader, then carefully expand with specialists. This approach ensures a balanced, dynamic marketing team that can grow with the startup.

Building Your Startup Marketing Ops Properly — The First Time Around..

For startup founders and executives, the task of building a marketing strategy and assembling a team from the ground up can be daunting. You now know that your first step is to find a competent head of marketing to drive growth and establishing your marketing ops.

But startups often find themselves at a crossroads.. You may be balancing your limited resources with high cost and significant commitment required to onboard a full-time (untested) head of marketing.

This predicament leaves startups in need of experienced marketing guidance without the financial strain of a hefty executive salary.

Enter the Fractional CMO — an ideal solution to this pressing challenge.

Benefits of a Startup Fractional CMO

Incorporating a fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) into a startup's operations is a strategic and cost-effective solution, especially for early-stage companies grappling with the complexities of building a robust marketing department. This approach addresses a crucial challenge many startups face: the need for experienced marketing leadership balanced against budget constraints.

A fractional CMO offers the expertise of a seasoned marketing executive at a fraction of the cost of a full-time head of marketing.. and without the stigma of a longer commitment. It’s the ideal choice for startups operating on limited resources.

There are a few distinct advantages of the fractional CMO approach:

1. Lower Cost (The Obvious)

The most immediate benefit of a fractional CMO is cost-effectiveness.

Simply put, a fractional CMO can provide the same or higher level of expertise and strategic guidance but at a substantially lower cost.

You’re going to be saving a lot.. Think one half to one quarter of what you’d spend, per year, on a full time head of marketing.

2. Lower Commitment (Think “Sprints”)

You may be (understandably) anxious about committing to a full-time head of marketing, especially without demonstrated proof of their value.

With a fractional CMO, founders and exec startup teams can test a CMO for a short period, assess there value and scale the role up or down based on current needs and future goals.

Many fractional CMOs (at least the good ones) offer a “sprint” framework catered this benefits.

3. Process and Accountability (Most Important)

In our view, similar to a marketing agency or contractor, you should hire a fractional CMO for their process.

A great fractional CMO brings with them a clearly defined process, playbook or blueprint for installing your marketing strategy and operations.

From our experience, the expectations with a fractional CMO are typically much clearer compared to a full-time hire. It's important to look for a fractional CMO who offers a well-articulated plan with specific milestones and deliverables from day one.

The value of their deliverables or sprints should stand on their own merit. With a fractional CMO, you’ll never have to worry about the “clock-in, clock-out” mentality.

Your Next Steps

Whoever you decide to hire, learn their process in advance to see how they work (and to ensure they have structure).

For example, I provide the same four-step framework for all of my clients, before we ever work together:

Analyze your past marketing efforts
Review the market and competition
Create a high-level plan of attack to boost your acquisition
Provide pricing and expected ROI if you decide to work with me

If the fractional CMO you’re considering doesn’t give you these basics, then continue looking.

On the other hand, if you’re ready to start scaling, improving, or building your marketing strategy, then book a strategy call with me today.