No matter what the industry or position, it all leads to some level of project management—from managing your own workload, to leading a large scale project or partnering with multiple internal departments as well as your marketing agency. Regardless of the project scale, trust these few simple steps to improve your skills.
Create a checklist and timeline to map out the project.
Think through the different action items that need to happen and break them out into key milestones. For each milestone, assign a date to complete it by, and do the same for the tasks that need to happen to accomplish it. With larger scale projects, you’ll likely partner with your agency to establish this framework. As your agency works with you to pull these details together, make sure that the timeline is doable and collaboratively work through everything with your internal team.
Make your calendar your new BFF.
Set reminders for big deadlines or when you have an upcoming to-do in order to make sure you stay on track and don’t miss any action items you’re responsible for. If your schedule is jam-packed the day you have a big deliverable, schedule time for yourself to sit down and work on your piece of the project.
Communication is key.
If you’re working on a complex project with several vendors, your agency and different internal departments, make sure to keep everyone in the loop. If there’s a delay with one step or a significant change to messaging, send a quick email, or have a five-minute status meeting to outline the update, impact and next steps. If you have an unexpected project update that may affect the scope or timeline, but aren’t sure what the next step should be, call up your agency contact. They’re always ready to help and can talk through potential impacts with you to determine a game plan for moving forward.
It’s all about teamwork!
At the end of the day, any successful project comes down to a dedicated team. When you’re starting a new project, choose people that are positive and reliable. Know when to delegate and what the strengths of each team member are so you can effectively work together to accomplish the end goal. Remember that your agency is part of your team too, and they will be ready to jump in and help, no matter how small or big the ask.
Next time you kick off a big project, keep these tips in mind and you’ll be a project management expert in no time!
