Originally Posted on Search Engine Journal by Jason Hennessey
Everyone loves a good pizza party, but there are many more fun and creative ways to motivate your marketing team!
Motivation is about creating an environment where people can do their best work, offering incentives that meet real needs, and building a healthy team culture.
Giving incentives for hard work can significantly increase company loyalty, prevent burnout, and keep the creative juices flowing.
It’s not only about rewarding performance. Your team should feel supported and that they have the trust and appreciation of their peers and managers.
In this list, we share some unique ways to motivate your marketing team while promoting a positive company culture and continued performance.
1. Convenient Rewards Programs
Gift cards, vouchers, and other flexible perks can address the needs of employees by letting them choose how and when they use the rewards. These can be merit-based, but making them permanent perks for all team members can help increase retention.
Many companies offer business-focused rewards programs to make implementation easier on your end.
Uber for Business is a great example of a program that allows businesses to offer perks to employees, such as ride and meal vouchers.
Regularly improving an employee’s day or making their commute a little easier is a great way to show that you care about their wellbeing as well as their performance.
2. Remote Flexibility
Since the boom of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home (or from a cozy coffee shop) is now easier than ever.
If your company still requires your marketing team to come into the office, it might be worth considering a more flexible work model.
Remote or hybrid work allows employees to enjoy greater flexibility in their schedules, which reduces commuting time and lets them structure their day in a way that suits their needs.
Not only does this promote better work-life balance, it can also lead to improved employee retention and productivity.
3. “Weekly Wins”
Allow your marketing team to share their wins and gain encouragement from other team members.
Daily stand-up meetings are often all housekeeping and business; this is a missed opportunity to showcase the amazing things your team is working on.
Dedicate a time each week to share “weekly wins” – or any other catchy name to match.
Announcing accomplishments can boost morale while encouraging all the marketers on your team to participate, identify their wins, and strive for success.
4. Mentorship Hour
Most employees identify longevity and upward mobility as essential factors when deciding to stay with a company.
Unfortunately, many managers create an environment of stagnation by not providing mentorship, training, or opportunities for growth. Implementing a mentorship program could be a great way to keep your team motivated and feeling supported.
Whether that’s pairing some of your senior team members with junior marketers to hone their skills, or allocating a portion of your training budget to coaching or learning platforms, continued education in the workplace shows your team that you are willing to invest in career development and skills.
5. Local Activities & Events
Team Happy Hour is always a favorite, but it can also feel overdone.
Why not mix it up with some more creative activities? Some great ideas include mini golf, escape rooms, sporting events, hiking, wilderness retreats, and concerts, to name a few.
Now, not every type of event will be everyone’s cup of tea. Attendance should be optional.
However, getting creative with your team events can help you build rapport and nurture relationships between team members. You could always survey your marketing team to field ideas about cool things to do in your area.
6. Friendly Competition
Turn mundane tasks into a friendly competition by creating games, charts, or leaderboards tracking success. These don’t have to be highly structured; in fact, the more fun, the better!
For example, marketing team members can place a sticker every time they post a video that goes viral.
Or, create funny bingo cards with various milestones that your team can check off – and then win a prize.
7. Lunch-And-Learn
Even the junior team members have something to share, and a “lunch and learn” allows them to share knowledge.
Team members can volunteer to share a unique learning from the week, a tutorial on something they’ve accomplished, or a think-piece on something they find super cool to the group.
This allows team members to share their insights and learn from their colleagues.
8. Office Aesthetics
If your marketing team works from a company office, then you’ll want to make sure their workspace is as inviting as possible.
Office aesthetics do matter – from incorporating elements like artwork and plants, to comfortable furniture and community spaces.
A comfortable yet focused space both helps to promote productivity and collaboration between team members. Yes, ping-pong tables are still a thing.
9. Workshops (Without The Work)
Give your marketing team time off from the daily grind by bringing in guest speakers or hosting a workshop.
This can be a time for your team to hear fresh insights, learn new techniques, and explore industry trends.
It can also be inspirational to hear from marketing leaders on what works well and the lessons they’ve learned.
10. Join The Club
Give your team a piece of the company culture by offering participation in the brand’s podcast, YouTube channel, or blog.
These channels can allow team members to share their own insights, grow their professional brand, and build trust in the company.
Your team likely brings a treasure trove of experience to share with your audience. Giving your team these platforms can be a great motivator and vote of confidence in their skills.
A Little Support Goes A Long Way
Many business owners forget how important it is to provide continued support and incentives for their marketing teams.
Your team wants to feel that you respect their work, energy, and contributions to the company. There are many effective and creative ways to show your marketing team you care.
From career growth opportunities to remote flexibility to customizable perks, every business should incorporate some incentive program to encourage team retention and promote well-being.
Not only do happy marketers do better work, but they are more likely to stick around for the long run. This can pay off for your company for years to come.
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Featured Image: Lucky Business/Shutterstock
