Marketing projection

Not to flog the proverbial, but I was reminded yet again yesterday that I may well be too much of a round peg in a square hole on this project.

I should preface it by stating that one of my colleagues has made it as plain as can be (without actually speaking the words of one syllable out loud) that this is her project, and she’s the boss. In case I get ideas above my station.

Yesterday there was an exchange of emails about a project budget to submit to potential funding organizations. I raised the notion that the first-year figures for marketing and IT seemed low—the same as years two and three, even though those would be more maintenance than constructing. It’s my sense that neither of these components can or should be provided in-house, because this is a program unlike any to come out of the company so far, and it’s clear that this outfit doesn’t do “new” well.

My colleague—I’ll refer to her as JC—had just sent a reply that she’d “brainstormed” (her term) to the executive director two weeks ago a couple of things around IT needs, and I had to politely suggest that this sort of thing is really useful information to someone (e.g., moi) who’s putting together a business plan, so I’d really appreciate being kept in the loop. (Even though, of course, hoarding information is a classic behavior of someone engaging in a real or imagined turf war.)

But then JC followed it up with her take on marketing:

“What sorts of marketing do you think we’ll need? For context, I have already commissioned and received an email template, PPT template, letterhead, logos, etc etc etc. [sic] I did that all in 2017 because that was the last time it was offered [by the marketing department] for free. 😊 Oh and there’s a website and it’s finished, just needs to be vetted by legal and approved.

“I am sure I am probably missing key elements?”

Oh, honey. Yes. Yes, you are. If you think “marketing” begins and ends with free logo design, I just can’t even.

My reply: “Well, as I said, I’m sketchy on details [I’d pointed out earlier that a comprehensive marketing plan isn’t within the remit of the business plan], but it would be essentially what you’d expect for a product launch: go-to-market plan, launch campaign, events, webinars, raising awareness, etc.”

No reply as of COB. But I don’t think I’m going to ever fit in this square thing.