Marketing Collaboration: From Software To Solutions

Marketing collaboration is thought of most often as a type of software platform like SharePointAlfresco, Google Docs, or Box.net.  But in this sense “marketing collaboration” is just an adjective that describes a type of software, and inherently implies the need for software to do marketing collaboration.

While marketing collaboration does require an investment of time, the residual impact ripples in the wake of higher quality, efficiencies, profits, and speed of completion.The next best thing to initiating an internal movement towards marketing collaboration is to work on a project with an outside source to socialize the process through observation, reflection of their experience, and first hand exposure.

Marketing collaboration should also be considered a verb or service within the context of ideation (idea generation) and problem solving  facilitated through “a meeting of the minds” to build synergy, increase productivity, and enhance delivery.  Marketing collaboration software is not required but could be used in the process as one form of supporting infrastructure.

For companies that run lean and whose employees are already stretched thin, its challenging to bring people together to exchange ideas when so much is already piled on their plate. Meetings  have been chastised as wastes of time by many efficiency gurus, and individuals are growing too comfortable working in their own silos behind a monitor. So even if IT makes
marketing collaboration software available to employees, it quickly becomes an underutilized  asset.  At first upper management might think lack of use is based on issues with awareness, training, or an easy-to-use interface – while true cause is rooted in the company’s culture and shared beliefs. However it’s soon realized that until perception’s change, and marketing collaboration is embraced as a means to lighten their work load, companies will never experience their full potential.

Humans are creatures of habit so one of our specie’s greatest challenges is, change. Once this hurdle is cleared and marketing collaboration becomes an everyday ritual,  business philosophy
and approach to solving problems, the results will be as astonishing as motivating.

Here’s a select list of the most notable benefits.  

• A reduction in errors based on working off of assumptions, wrong information, partial information, gaps of missing information, or misunderstood information.  

• Accelerated delivery pace due to error reduction and greater clarity.

• Improved quality output based on the consideration of multiple perspectives, creation of new ideas born from the input of other’s ideas and points of view.

While marketing collaboration does require an investment of time, the residual impact ripples in the wake of higher quality, efficiencies, profits, and speed of completion.The next best thing to initiating an internal movement towards marketing collaboration is to work on a project with an outside source to socialize the process through observation, reflection of their experience, and first hand exposure.