The complexity of marketing requires more than just basic project management software. Marketing departments manage increasingly intricate campaigns, spanning multiple channels, that generally require management of internal and external stakeholders, compliance with increasing regulations and legal requirements, and smaller budgets. But too often, organisations rely on project management tools that lack key functionalities, especially Marketing Resource Management (MRM). This oversight can severely hinder a marketing team’s ability to perform at its peak.
While some may argue that a project management tool is sufficient for marketing workflows, the reality is that without MRM, task management, and approvals integration, you are likely to face critical inefficiencies. When resources are not properly allocated or when approval workflows are disjointed, project delivery suffers. So, why settle for incomplete solutions?
Marketing project management goes beyond tracking deadlines and tasks. It’s about orchestrating people, creative assets, budgets, and timelines—all while ensuring every activity aligns with business objectives. MRM ensures that this orchestration is possible by providing a comprehensive view of resource availability and team capacity, while also offering tools for better allocation and management.
Without a robust MRM platform, teams face significant risks:
By implementing an MRM-focused solution, CMOs can take a strategic approach to resource utilisation, balancing capacity with business priorities. This results in not only improved workflow but also better alignment of marketing efforts with overarching business goals.
The lack of MRM integration in project management software can be a hidden cost for many organisations. Without real-time insights into resource availability, projects can either be delayed or experience quality degradation due to overworked teams.
For example, when a team member is unknowingly assigned to two high-priority projects simultaneously, the result is either burnout or subpar output. Additionally, underutilisation of talent, where key team members are not assigned enough work, represents another missed opportunity.
A good Marketing Resource Management solution not only prevents these issues by tracking resources in real time, but it also allows marketing leaders to forecast resource needs for upcoming projects. This forward-looking approach enables better decision-making around staffing and workload management. It also leads to more precise budget allocations, since resources are tied directly to the tasks and timelines of each project.
Task management is about more than just ticking boxes; it’s about ensuring that the work done by teams directly impacts organisational objectives. For marketing teams, task management should be intrinsically linked to resource management, particularly when projects involve cross-functional teams or external stakeholders like creative agencies or media partners.
One of the critical oversights in many project management systems is the failure to address the dependency-heavy nature of marketing projects. A creative campaign, for example, may hinge on content creation, which itself depends on brand guidelines and legal compliance. Without a clear view of these dependencies, bottlenecks and missed deadlines become inevitable.
In addition to managing tasks and resources, marketing teams need tools that allow them to track dependencies and workflows seamlessly. This is where integrated marketing project management software becomes invaluable. When task management and resource allocation are viewed in tandem, teams can ensure projects move forward efficiently, and no task is overlooked.
When project management software operates in isolation—without integrating resource management, task management, and approvals—CMOs are forced to make decisions based on fragmented data. This disjointed approach leads to costly errors, inefficiencies, and ultimately, missed opportunities.
Disconnected systems create a host of issues:
The bottom line is that fragmented tools undermine a CMO’s ability to lead an agile, responsive marketing organisation.
Selecting the right tools is essential for any brand or organisation to ensure efficiency, collaboration, and timely execution of campaigns. The variety of platforms available means marketing leaders must decide between solutions that focus solely on specific tasks like project management or online proofing, and those that offer fully integrated marketing operations solutions.
The following categories will help break down the different types of tools available in the market, highlighting those that focus on individual aspects of the marketing process, and those that bring everything together under one platform. By understanding these distinctions, CMOs can make informed decisions about which tool best suits their organisation's needs.
These platforms provide a comprehensive approach to managing marketing projects, combining project management, resource management (MRM), and online proofing into a single end-to-end marketing operations solution. They are designed to give marketing teams full control over their operations, from task assignments to marketing content approvals, while providing real-time visibility into resource availability and project progress.
Description:
Fully integrated marketing operations solutions are ideal for marketing teams that want to manage every aspect of their workflow in one place. These platforms allow you to manage tasks, track resources, and streamline approvals without relying on multiple disconnected tools. MRM ensures that teams can optimise resource allocation, while online proofing speeds up feedback and approval cycles.
Examples:
These tools specialise in managing the creative review and approval process, offering features like annotations, version control, and feedback management. They are best suited for teams that need to simplify asset approvals but may already have other tools for project management and resource allocation.
Description:
Online proofing and approval platforms enable teams to manage feedback and approvals for creative assets. These tools excel at simplifying the collaboration process for designs, videos, and other marketing materials, but do not offer full project management or MRM functionalities.
Examples:
These tools focus on managing tasks, timelines, and team collaboration, but they typically do not include MRM or online proofing capabilities. They are ideal for teams that need to organise their workflows but rely on other tools for resource management and approvals.
Description:
Marketing project management software helps teams organise and execute tasks efficiently. While these tools are great for managing project timelines and tracking progress, they often require additional software for resource management and online proofing.
Examples:
When selecting the right solution for your marketing operations, it’s important to consider whether your team requires a standalone project management tool, a specialised proofing solution, or a fully integrated platform that manages the entire marketing workflow. Each category has its strengths, and the right choice will depend on the complexity of your projects, team size, and specific workflow needs.
Discover how an integrated marketing project management solution can elevate your workflows and ensure your marketing team delivers exceptional results. Contact us today to learn how Admation can help your organisation optimise resource management, streamline approvals, and drive business growth.