4 Tips for Managing Your Remote Marketing Team

With remote work becoming more and more common, you might find that putting together a remote marketing team is the best way find the talent you need. However, managing a remote team comes with some unique challenges - from communication issues to a lack of performance tracking.

Keep reading to find out how to keep your remote team operating smoothly, regardless of where in the world they’re located.

1. Use Online Communication Tools

When your employees aren’t all in the same room, you're forced to find new ways to communicate - and email doesn’t always cut it.

Messaging services like Slack allow you to keep in touch via instant messages, which is ideal for daily updates, brainstorming issues, and keeping a strong team atmosphere in place.

For more in-depth conversations, video call services are ideal. You could have a one-on-one chat with a team member who’s about to start a new project, get updates on ongoing work, or hold group meetings with the entire team present.

It’s a good idea to schedule regular meetings and catch-ups to make sure that everyone stays connected. Keeping in touch can boost motivation, increase community spirit, and prevent workers from feeling isolated.

2. Create a Content Calendar   

When your team aren’t physically together, there’s a risk that multiple team members might inadvertently duplicate work, or important tasks might be missed.

Putting together a content calendar and then assigning tasks to different team members is the best way to avoid this. For example, you might put a new blog post title in the calendar each Monday, and then assign keyword research to one employee, writing to another, and promotion to a third.

It’s easy to share online calendars with multiple employees and this helps everyone get clear on what they’re responsible for. It also makes it easier for staff to get in touch with the right person when they need a question answered, rather than going via you.

3. Store Important Documents in the Cloud

There’s nothing worse than trying to get started on a project, then realizing you don’t have all of the necessary information. Since staff are in different places and might work different hours, waiting for someone to email documents could cause significant delays.

Instead, encourage staff to store important documents in the cloud, where they can be accessed by anyone who needs them. This makes knowledge sharing easier and saves time and frustration for everyone. There are different types of cloud computing, and private cloud services are the best choice in this situation, to ensure that all information is kept safe and secure.

4. Track Performance and Results

When your staff aren’t right in front of you, it can be hard to figure out who’s working hard and who’s slacking off.

Deciding on metrics to help you track performance is a smart way to make sure that everyone is pulling their weight, and can help increase productivity. Set up regular meetings to discuss performance, and be sure to make your expectations clear.

If you’re not seeing the results you want, consider offering incentives in return for hitting certain goals. This is particularly effective if there’s one area that often gets neglected or pushed to the bottom of to-do lists.

Hiring remote workers is a great way to benefit from talent all over the world - but it can be challenging at times. Use the tips above to help your remote marketing team succeed.