MARKETING CAPABILITY
Having resources and having capability aren’t the same thing. Marketing capability is more than just having people. It’s about having the right skills, experience, structure and capacity to deliver what the business needs from marketing.
Understanding what a team can deliver is the first step in building a high-performing team. Businesses that understand which capabilities they have, where the gaps are and what needs to be built, strengthened, hired or outsourced are better placed to achieve their marketing objectives.
WHY CAPABILITY MATTERS
As a business grows or changes, its needs can change too. The team that was right for one stage may no longer have the skills, capacity or experience required for what’s planned next.
There may be gaps in strategic thinking, digital expertise, communications, customer experience, analytics or execution. Or the business may have the right people but an unclear structure, competing responsibilities or a mix of internal and external resources that isn’t working effectively.
The question isn’t simply whether you have a marketing team. It’s whether you have the capability needed for marketing to succeed.
DOES MARKETING HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
BUILDING THE RIGHT STRUCTURE
There’s no single structure that works for every business. The right approach depends on its stage of growth, objectives, internal expertise and the role marketing needs to play.
For some, that might mean developing an internal team. Others may need a small core team supported by specialist partners, while others may need experienced leadership and strategic capability before building out execution.
The key is to build around what’s needed, rather than assume every capability must sit in-house.
THE CAPABILITY FRAMEWORK
Marketing capability needs the right balance of expertise, experience and capacity. That mix depends on objectives and how the function is structured.
STRATEGIC CAPABILITY
Direction and planning.
Connect marketing to business objectives, set priorities and decide where to focus and invest.
SPECIALIST CAPABILITY
Technical skills and expertise.
Provide the knowledge and skills needed across digital, search, communications, content, CRM, and analytics.
EXECUTION CAPABILITY
Turn strategy into action.
Coordinate the people, processes and resources needed to plan, coordinate and deliver effectively.
LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY
Experience and judgement.
Align strategy, people, priorities and performance to ensure marketing delivers what the business needs.
HIRE OR OUTSOURCE?
A capable marketing function doesn’t necessarily mean building a large internal team. The right mix depends on what the business needs, the expertise available internally and where specialist support can add value.
The decision is about more than whether to hire or outsource. It’s about determining which capabilities need to be developed and retained internally, which are best brought in through recruitment or external partners, and which can be accessed as needed.
What skills should we build internally?
What roles should we hire for?
What should we outsource?
What needs ongoing capability?
What is better accessed on an ad hoc basis?
THE CAPABILITY GAP
Sometimes the problem isn’t a lack of marketing activity. It’s a gap in capability.
That might mean a missing skill, insufficient capacity, limited senior experience, unclear responsibilities or a mismatch between available capability and business needs.
01
ASSESS
Understand what marketing needs and where capability gaps exist.
02
PRIORITISE
Determine which gaps matter most and where to focus.
03
BUILD
Strengthen capability through people, structure or external expertise.
FAQ ABOUT CAPABILITY
What is marketing capability?
Marketing capability is the combination of people, skills, experience, structure, resources and capacity a business needs to deliver what the business needs from marketing.
How do I know what marketing capability my business needs?
It starts with understanding what marketing needs to achieve, where it needs to focus and what capability already exists.
Marketing Direction helps establish the priorities; Marketing Capability looks at whether the people, skills, structure and resources are in place to deliver them.
The right model will depend on the business, its objectives, stage of growth and the role marketing needs to play.
Does every business need a dedicated marketing team?
When should I hire and when should I outsource?
Can you help strengthen or restructure an existing marketing team?
Yes. I can assess the existing team, roles and responsibilities against what the business needs marketing to deliver, identify gaps in capability or resources, and recommend where changes or additional expertise may be needed. This might involve reshaping the team, strengthening existing capabilities or determining how internal and external resources can work together.
How does Marketing Capability differ from Marketing Leadership?
Marketing Capability focuses on having the right people, skills, structure and resources to deliver what the business needs. Marketing Leadership focuses on providing the senior judgement, direction and accountability needed to lead the marketing function.