5 Tips for Boosting Productivity in a Remote Marketing Agency

In this guest post, Mike Obradovic of MA Team explores five practical tips designed to enhance productivity within a remote marketing agency. By implementing these strategies, both agency leaders and individual team members can foster a culture of efficiency, collaboration, and high-quality output.

This topic often makes business owners anxious because they know boosting productivity usually also requires encouragement of unproductivity. But for many creative industries, such as marketing, there is no other way to be productive.

Marketing minds are often some of the most creative minds out there. Therefore, you must give your team a chance to reconnect with one another and share their thoughts in a safe place where ideas and support are growing. So it is no wonder they need extra care to do their thing and a different environment to stay productive. And in a remote marketing agency, there are a few ways to ensure this happens.

1. Use Project Management Software to Keep Track of Deadlines and Progress

If you want to keep your marketing agency projects organized and on track, many project management software programs can help everyone stay focused and avoid overlap.

CRM software is project management software that helps businesses keep track of customer relationships. For example, it can track customer contact information, sales opportunities, and support requests. In addition, you can see the exact hours worked on each project, which can help with billing clients.

Also, software for the work of a marketing agency is beneficial when tracking the progress of campaigns and projects. It can help you to quickly see which tasks are due, when, and who is responsible for each job. This will allow you to keep your projects on schedule and avoid delays.

Many different project management software programs are available, so it is essential to find the right one for your marketing agency. And don’t settle on the first one. Test and see what works best in situations and find the most comfortable software for your agency. And remember to show all that hard work to your clients by including them as customers in your CRM. This could also help build a good reputation for your agency, as potential clients will see that you are efficient and capable of handling complex projects. Furthermore, by working closely with your clients you will build trust and foster a good working relationship.  

2. Delegate Tasks Based on Strengths

Trust is important in any relationship but is imperative in a remote work environment. The best way to gain trust in your team is to start delegating tasks based on strength and skill. For example,  if you’re working on a project that requires design, and you know one of your team members is particularly good at design, delegate that task to them. Not only will it boost their confidence, but it will also give them more time to focus on other aspects of the project. Also, having team members specialized in different digital marketing fields can benefit a project’s success.

So it is imperative to understand that you must delegate tasks based on trust to grow your business. And the only way to start trusting your team is to give them chances to succeed. If you can master these, you’ll be well on your way to growing a thriving business. And don’t forget to celebrate wins, big and small. This will help build trust within your team and keep everyone motivated. 

3. Set Work Hours and Stick to Them

As a busy professional, it can be easy to let work consume your entire day. To-do lists work, but there will always be employees who could be better managers of their time. But, again, this could be managed by simple office hours. 

During these times, you’re available to answer questions and give feedback. Of course, your team members are free to work independently the rest of the time. But in a remote marketing agency, one potential option is to make two shifts, so everyone has time to overlap, communicate, and be available to answer clients’ demands all day long. But remember that marketing is creative work, so always leave some space for them to shuffle their schedule. 

You can watch their progress using project management software to help you and your team keep track of deadlines and assigned tasks. This can be a great way to increase transparency and accountability within your remote marketing agency. This way, you can still have some personal time while ensuring that your team is on the same page. And if there are any issues, you can address them immediately without worrying that you interrupt someone’s family time or rest.

4. Create a Workflow 

Marketing agencies have multiple teams, like social media management, advertising, writers, design, and web development. Therefore, a remote marketing agency should have a workflow that unites all these teams, which will help ensure everyone is included and avoid any potential bottlenecks. This can be accomplished by setting a transparent workflow process for each team. 

For example, the social media team should have a defined workflow that includes tasks like creating a content calendar, approving content, scheduling posts, and analyzing results. And once the written content is approved, it should be passed on to the design team to create visuals. After the visuals are complete, they should be passed on to the web development team to be implemented on the website. And finally, once the content is live, the social media team should monitor the results and analyze the engagement.

So it is no wonder a clear workflow especially comes in handy for a remote marketing agency. It allows the team to cooperate with multiple teams and clients while still producing high-quality work. For instance, with a transparent workflow, when some urgent tasks occur or something big is being worked on, the regular workflow will ensure everyone is on the same page. Hence, they can always pick up and continue where another left off.

Moreover, with transparent workflow processes, your team will know exactly what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. When everyone knows what to do, there is a better chance for growth, new ideas, and fewer disruptions. 

5. Try More Updated Team-Building Activities 

Consider trying some newer, updated team-building activities if your marketing agency comprises Gen Z members. Doing something fun and engaging with your team will help bond and build trust. 

Online games and drawing battles are great ways for team members to interact and collaborate. Plus, they’re fun! You can also use this time to get to know your team members on a personal level. This way, when you have to work together on projects, you’ll understand each others’ strengths and weaknesses better. 

If you want to get your team members talking and interacting, holding regular team discussions is a great way to do it. This can be anything from discussing current events to sharing interesting articles. Many owners of remote marketing agencies choose Discord, an excellent team-building platform that allows games, activities, and interaction in one place. It’s also free, so you don’t have to worry about spending money on team-building activities. 

Also, don’t be afraid to encourage small talk on your general channel on Slack. Even if it sometimes looks like your team members are just wasting time, these little conversations help build team morale and trust. Of course, as a business owner, you should sometimes participate in those casual talks. But not always. Leave that space to them to feel safe, but show your fun side too. Let them know their boss is fun and loves to have a good time. This will make everyone feel more comfortable working together and being productive.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a way to get your team working together, consider trying one of these team-building activities. And remember, by doing all this for your team, you’ll not only make them more productive, but you’ll also make them happier. 

And that’s a win-win for everyone! By taking the time to get to know your team and what makes them tick, you can create a work environment that is fun, productive, and collaborative. By doing so, you’ll not only make your marketing agency a happier place, but you’ll also make your business more successful.

Author Bio

Mike Obradovic is the founder of MA Team, a marketing agency that specializes in helping small and medium businesses expand their online presence. From website design and development to social media management and search engine optimization, MA Team Agency offers a wide range of services to help clients reach more customers and grow their brand.