How I Built a Marketing System Within My First 90 Days of My Job

 

“Just remember that you're only 3 months into the job, OK?”

This is what Yoni, the co-founder and CEO of Elementor, told me a month and a half ago, making me roar with laughter. The laughter was sort of saying “I am actually a little shocked because it feels like more than 3 years - you are so right.”

I didn't start my career as a CMO. I was a “moshavnik” (kind of a villager in Israel) and a failed student when I started my first digital marketing agency, having had my ADHD issues pushed to the limit while trying to study at university. I dropped out within a year and a semester.

I later joined a fairly large start-up as CMO, and then founded Zest together with Idan Yalovich, and last October I joined the company board, while consulting start-ups in growth and hyper-growth stages, one of which is Elementor.

Idan continued managing Zest and led our sale to WalkMe that was issued not long ago in April, and in that same month I announced I would be joining Elementor, a company that has won me over personally and professionally, and I've been pink ever since.

The above story and the one that follows are my own - they suit the course of my career for better or worse, the people around me that did or did not believe in me, the good and bad decisions that I made, and a variety of non-replicable parameters.

In other words - if you try to “copy-paste” this story and apply it to your life - you will fail 100%. It's not biology and it's not mathematics.

Try understanding the principles, the methods, and the mindsets, adapting these to your personality and projects, failing, improving, learning and then advancing.

In my opinion, the mindset and communication in the first 90 days of any executive role are a thousand times more important than any stage-based plan. This period is your honeymoon with the company, the leadership, your teams, and the founders. This will define the road ahead and it is extremely important to regard it as a process and not as a full-on assault.

Another interesting point - when I signed my contract with Elementor, I quickly realized that Yoni and Ariel were giving me an automatic A+ grade, and that my challenge is to keep it at that level. But even more challenging was the fact that I received low grades from the rest of the teams in my department. Why? We simply didn't know each other and I had yet to prove myself, so my goal was to get an A+ grade from them too, and this would be a longer process that is part of the 90-day plan.

I am very familiar with being between a rock and a hard place from my own days at Zest as an entrepreneur and co-founder, and from other similar roles I previously held. However, it is always both stressful and stimulating.

I divided everything into three stages - research, planning, and execution.

 

At each stage, we need to state when it begins, when it ends, what are its objectives, and what it will actually include.

Remember that the goal of the first three months is to create trust between everyone.

The way to achieve this is through working together, beginning with planning, and it takes shape later on thanks to the execution of campaigns and projects.

And as you go along, you need to build a marketing system that speaks the same language, breathes in the same rhythm, and becomes a business producing body without losing the soul of the brand or the professional minds of the team members. Nothing is more challenging.

 

The stages are as follows:

1. Research that will help me understand what I am getting into, how to get into it, what is expected of me, and what I expect from the company
2. Planning that is built as much as possible from the bottom up and will be the flag on the top of the hill that we are aiming for
3. Execution in order to get the pipelines flowing and to build processes

A disclaimer before we dive in: I never kept a diary or journal before writing the below article. This means that some of the stages described below and their timelines in the process were updated and adapted to the article based on my memory. I am certain that some of the timelines may be slightly inaccurate.

Shall we?

Let's go!

1. Research that will help me understand what I am getting into, how to get into it, what is expected of me, and what I expect from the company

The goal of this stage is analyzing the situation as quickly as possible.

Generally speaking, this stage begins before your first day at work and should finish before the end of the first month.

 

If we can all agree that marketing leaders burn out faster than any other member of the C-suite, then things need to be approached somewhat differently. By the way, “faster” means that eventually, marketing leaders are replaced or change places every 3.5 years on average, while the general average in the C-suite is 4.9 years.

(https://www.linkedin.com/.../why-cmos-burn-out-faster.../)

So before and after joining Elementor, I tried to do things a bit differently, combining methodology with biology, maximizing marketing methods together with intra-organizational communication, working systematically but adapting all the time according to day-by-day events and above all - handling everything with empathy and humanity, trying to be an “observer” as much as possible.

Before starting any role, do your research, for real. If you bother to do research before buying a dryer, you should do some research before starting a job, regardless of your level and vertical.

My research included the following:

• A lot of reading on the company from various sources - blogs, interviews, Facebook groups, comments on the company blog, and so on.
• Conversations with people that know the company and the founders from different perspectives.
• Conversations with people that know the industry.
• Conversations with people who worked there.
• Conversations with 13 marketing leaders from Israel and around the world who lead teams and budgets on a similar scale to the one that I am about to lead.
• My previous work as a consultant (a great hack that provides a relative advantage on both sides).
• Meetings with Yoni that included browsing the marketing history of Elementor, shaping the role, defining responsibilities, human capital, existing and future marketing elements in the organization, and refinement of the marketing vision. These meeting created a high level common language.
• Meetings with other executives. I must say that these meetings, alongside meetings with the founders, were the most crucial factor in my decision to join. Once I understood that everyone realized what marketing means and why it is needed to succeed, I knew my work would be more accurate and systematic.
• Full onboarding of the product and extensive use. This is a short sentence, but one of the most important. In hindsight, I wish I had dedicated even more time to this stage because it gives a significant relative advantage, especially for marketers who need to market their company’s product.
• After starting, I held 1-on-1 meetings with each member of the marketing team. This meant meeting dozens of people and provided a very complete, substantial, and real perspective.

2. Planning that is built as much as possible from the bottom up and will be the flag on the top of the hill that we are aiming for

The objective of this stage is to coordinate expectations and lay the ground as quickly as possible for operational actions. Because you can stick with Google Docs and White Boards forever, but leaving them behind real fast is essential.

This stage begins in the first month and should be 80% complete by the end of the second month.

 

Here are some of the things I did at this stage:

 

- Write a marketing manifesto

Once I felt there was sufficient mutual trust, I wrote my marketing manifesto. This manifesto continues to be written, and it is primarily for me, but parts of it have become an anchor in the marketing work and define our role in the company. As time goes on, we incorporate additional parts of it into our work, and more people in the company contribute to writing it.

It is built as follows -

1. Values
2. Strategy and roadmap
3. Organizational structure
4. Culture and team robustness
5. Budget planning and KPIs
6. Work methodology

 

- Defining the organizational structure

The following notion originates in more traditional industries and is generally true. However, it MUST be used very carefully - “When a new manager enters a new office, they need to move their desk to another spot in the room and bring a new flowerpot, and this will make them feel more relaxed and in control.”

I agree with the mental aspect of this notion, and in the context of defining the organizational structure, it is almost true because a marketing leader has to believe in their marketing system. Without it we are either inefficient or insecure.

At a rather early stage, a few of the company’s leaders, Yoni, and some marketing leaders from my direct team sat together and defined the desired look of the department.

I admit that I had a certain plan in mind and it wasn't entirely accepted. And so, even though I do agree with the notion above, I realized that I needed to be a lot more flexible, and took part in some of the system plannings that were being held.

In these meetings we defined the organizational structure and the responsibilities of each team in the department.

I am sure that the process was not easy for everyone, but I cannot forget these meetings, and the way that everyone reacted, cooperated, and carried it forward.

It's time to build the operational layer!

This layer includes the following elements:

 

- Projects - mapping all of the “on-hand projects”. This means all of the projects that the teams are currently working on in order to better understand what is being worked on, how to prioritize it, the impact of each project, and the reason for it being worked on.

- Teams designation - defining each marketing department, each team, and each role. This generally includes vision, tasks, definitions, responsibilities, roles, KPIs and determining what is considered a success for each role/team/department. This leads to more accurate OKRs.

- Roles and responsibilities (R&R) - when it comes to defining and building teams, you will discover two things 1. Roles overlap 2. Blind spots, i.e. subjects/works that are in no man's land. The R&R document differs from company to company and from department to department. It is prepared in full transparency and involves team leaders and role holders that are relevant for this document.

It defines what everyone does, the handshake between teams, the workflow character etc. If you want to see what this document looks like, google it or ask your HRBP and adapt it to your requirements. This is a sine qua non.

- Defining onboarding for new team members - the recruitment rate grows, team members change roles, and there is a lot of work based on human capital. You must ensure that the onboarding of new team members is mutually easy and goes smoothly.

- Mapping all of the meetings in the department - this is still not complete but we have determined essential meetings such as weekly group meetings of all marketing leaders, weekly 1-on-1 meetings between each marketing leader and me, meetings of team marketing leaders with each other. Weekly kickoff meetings of each marketing leader with their team managers. We created an accepted format for these meetings and this brings a lot of order to our actions, focus, and alignment.

- Mapping of all tools and software being used to assure organization and collaboration

 

3. Execution in order to get the pipelines flowing and building processes + creating the roadmap

The objective of this stage is to increase the day-to-day activity in order to create a common language and a machine that can operate at different speeds but still be organized and planned. This stage can begin in the second month and peak by the end of the third month. From that point on it will run by itself when the array is already in sync and working properly.

 

- Having at least one ‘lightning strike’

Until you actually start running a large-scale project, it is not really possible to appreciate the magnitude of what you are facing nor is it really possible to appreciate us, the leaders at the reins.

During my second month, Elementor celebrated its fifth anniversary. The anniversary plans began a long time before I joined - a sales campaign was planned and the community had been looking forward to it for several months since it was common knowledge that Elementor offers great bargains during its anniversary celebrations.

This time, we decided to have a month of celebrations - the first half of the month would focus on growth and sales (according to plans) and the second half - an all-brand campaign.

We organized a conference on a scale that had never been seen before with presentations by Seth Godin and Gary Vaynerchuk, and other meaningful content for our community and target audience.

It was a company event that started at noon and ended at night, including live broadcasts, festivities, 25K subscribers, 11K participants, and endless satisfaction from the first thing we prepared together.

I held my breath.

every second.

there.

!!!

 

The marketing leaders team actually planned and executed the whole thing but I felt like the groom at my own wedding - I was tingling all over and very proud.

This kind of lightning strike is very valuable.

It's sort of a field test and gives you the chance to get to know each other on a personal and professional level.

This gave me more confidence and provided a greater understanding regarding the scale of things I was dealing with and the level of expectations from me.

 

- Building a complete roadmap from the bottom-up that takes into consideration ALL of the marketing activity in the company.

That is an art in itself. I promise to dedicate a special post to that topic and it is one of the greatest and most influential things that we experienced. We started preparing it just after my first 90 days but in hindsight, it should have been done two or three weeks earlier.

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Once the top level is firmly in place, and projects and campaigns start flowing through the pipelines, the work aligns as well and flows better. Remember that when the work begins to align, new challenges, changes and needs will emerge, some organizational, some personal.

Flexible thinking and management should help you solve anything.

The next stage - alignment with the growth goals of the company.

It will be challenging to meet the growth goals of the company without first preparing the ground for a well-defined marketing system that clearly states what each team does, organizes intra-department communication, and possesses a roadmap. Budget planning etc.

I try to maintain a humane and empathetic approach and to walk my talk. This has its challenges

 

I, of course, have slip ups here and there, but that's fine. It is impossible to have a completely smooth entry, regardless of the size and age of the enterprise that you are joining.

 

However, there are several things that can be done in this context:

- I often say the following - “Let's fail together”

This doesn't mean that I aim to fail, but rather it expresses the notion that failure is part of success, and if you are afraid of failure, you will never succeed. Moreover, it is important to me that the marketing leaders on my direct team, their managers, and their team members are not afraid to try and fail.

- I incorporate my notion that mutual support is the new currency and we need to trade in it often.

Mutual support is somewhat forgotten in the realms of web and high-tech. I felt this as a founder of an agency, as a marketing leader, and as a start-up entrepreneur. Mutual support is contagious and unique. It is easy to assimilate this approach in Elementor culture thanks to the immense diversity of people, genders, sectors, and cultures.

- I have neither a room nor an office

A colleague from the growth department told me this week that I am a digital nomad in the organization. Someone in the creative department nicknamed me “Mr Turtle” because I am always carrying my laptop bag on my back. Each day I sit at a different desk, with a different team, connecting with different team members in the department. This disrupts the hierarchy model and makes me feel connected, real, and authentic with regard to our work, pains, challenges, as well as big and small successes.

I don't expect this approach to shatter any built-in disparities, nor do I expect it to make me feel that I am all knowing and understanding. This approach helps me to be *more* accessible, and personally speaking, having ADHD and all that involves, it suits my tempo.

- Two issues that I could have done better and earlier in terms of intra-organizational communication.

Understanding/creating communication channels in order for us, as a marketing entity, to relay our work to other teams and departments. Second, mapping key people in each department that have great impact on work, decision making, or just have a better common language with us. These people don't necessarily have to be higher up the echelon, on the contrary. They offer added value to my work and help me understand the challenges, apply solutions, and provide professional diversity in general, something that is very important in a company with 350 employees.

 

Some specifics that will help other marketing leaders in this process:

 

- Ask for help from colleagues within and outside the company. “A Players” are people who know to ask for help. Don't burn out because you are too shy or uncertain of something.

 

- Work closely with your CEO. They multiply your power, even if only on a mental level. Ask how they perceive marketing, what has been missing, what are their weaknesses and strengths. Create a common language. You are the subject matter experts, but they are accountable for your success and they need to empower you on a weekly basis.

 

- Our role as marketing leaders is one of the broadest - we must understand branding, growth, demand, creative, stats, traditional marketing, digital marketing, positioning, messages, content, awareness, some B2B, some B2C, conversion, email marketing.

All this is wearisome in itself, so choose your strengths carefully, and let others in your department help you out with your weaknesses.

- Marketing is a business and is not about showing off. A marketing leader is like a mini-CEO yielding high budgets, from wagers to tools and up to media budgets. It is one of the most costly departments in a company. You must be able to define quantitative goals, measure them, communicate them internally, and improve them within a given period.

- A good leader is measured by their ability to quickly build a team - having a head but no limbs is not particularly useful. Recruit your marketing team leaders and their teams quickly.

 

- It all starts with empathy and empathy starts with simple semantics:

• People don't work *for you*, they work *with you*.
• They are not your *employees*, they are your *team members*.
• You are not *managers*, rather *leaders*. Every leader can manage, but not every manager can lead
• Teams don't work in a *customer-supplier* setup, but rather they work *as a team in a relay race, passing the baton from one to the other in order to win together*

Show empathy and take care of everybody under your responsibility: Team members, users, clients, vendors, freelancers, and if necessary, their families.

This has a tremendous influence and marketing leaders that take care of their co-workers will impact their brand more than any marketing budget.

If you do this, your first 90 days in ________ are more likely to be a success.

Good luck <3