How to Build a Marketing Function From Scratch

Short answer: To build a marketing function from scratch, start with strategy and clear goals, establish the core marketing capabilities you need, put in place the channels, systems, and processes to execute, get the right people or partners, and build measurement to track results. Building marketing from scratch means creating the strategy, capabilities, and systems for marketing to work - not just doing random marketing activities. A well-built marketing function has direction, capability, and accountability from the start.

Building marketing right from the start

Building a marketing function from scratch is an opportunity to build it right - with strategy, capability, and accountability from the start. Done well, it creates a marketing function that works; done poorly, it produces random activities. Building marketing from scratch means creating the strategy, capabilities, and systems for marketing to work. For a business in your area, building marketing right from the start sets it up to drive growth. Here's how to build a marketing function from scratch.

Start with strategy and goals

Building marketing from scratch starts with strategy and clear goals. Before doing marketing activities, establish what marketing is meant to achieve (goals) and how it will (strategy). Starting from strategy and goals ensures the marketing function is built with direction, rather than assembling random activities. Strategy and goals are the foundation of a marketing function that works.

This matters because marketing built without strategy is just activity. Starting from clear goals and strategy gives the marketing function direction - a clear purpose and approach - from the start. Building marketing activities without this foundation produces disconnected effort. Starting with strategy and goals is the foundation of building a marketing function from scratch, ensuring it has direction. Start with strategy and goals to build with direction. Strategy and goals give the function purpose.

Establish core capabilities and systems

Building marketing from scratch means establishing core capabilities and systems:

• The core marketing capabilities you need.
• Channels to reach customers.
• Systems and processes to execute.
• The infrastructure for marketing.
• Capabilities matched to your strategy.

Establishing core capabilities and systems gives marketing the means to execute. Based on your strategy, establish the marketing capabilities you need, the channels to reach customers, and the systems and processes to execute. These capabilities and systems are the infrastructure that lets marketing actually happen. Establishing the core capabilities and systems your strategy requires is central to building a marketing function, providing the means to execute. Build the capabilities and systems to execute the strategy. Capabilities and systems enable execution.

Get the right people or partners

Building marketing from scratch means getting the right people or partners. Marketing needs people to execute - whether in-house hires, agencies, freelancers, or a combination. Getting the right people or partners, matched to your needs and strategy, provides the capability to execute the marketing. The right people or partners are essential to a functioning marketing effort.

This matters because marketing needs capable people to execute. The strategy and systems need people or partners to carry them out - and getting the right ones, with the right capabilities for your needs, determines execution quality. Whether through hires, agencies, or freelancers, getting the right people or partners provides the capability to execute your marketing. Getting the right people or partners is important to building a marketing function, providing execution capability. Get the right people or partners to execute. The right people or partners enable execution.

Build measurement from the start

Building marketing from scratch means building measurement to track results. From the start, establish how you'll measure whether marketing is working - the metrics tied to your goals. Building measurement in from the start makes the marketing function accountable to results, and lets you improve it. Measurement built in from the start ensures the function is accountable and improvable.

For a business in your area, building a marketing function from scratch means starting with strategy and clear goals, establishing the core marketing capabilities you need, putting in place the channels, systems, and processes to execute, getting the right people or partners, and building measurement to track results. Building marketing from scratch means creating the strategy, capabilities, and systems for marketing to work - not just doing random marketing activities. A well-built marketing function has direction, capability, and accountability from the start. Building a marketing function is a core part of fractional marketing leadership, creating a marketing effort that drives growth from the ground up.

Frequently asked questions

How do I build a marketing function from scratch?

Start with strategy and clear goals, establish the core marketing capabilities you need, put in place the channels, systems, and processes to execute, get the right people or partners, and build measurement to track results. Building marketing from scratch means creating the strategy, capabilities, and systems for marketing to work - not just doing random marketing activities.

Where do I start when building marketing from scratch?

With strategy and clear goals - establishing what marketing is meant to achieve and how, before doing marketing activities. Starting from strategy and goals gives the marketing function direction from the start, rather than assembling random activities. Strategy and goals are the foundation; everything else - capabilities, systems, people, measurement - builds on that foundation to create a marketing function with direction.

What does a marketing function need to work?

Strategy and goals (direction), core marketing capabilities and the channels, systems, and processes to execute (infrastructure), the right people or partners (execution capability), and measurement (accountability). Together these create a marketing function with direction, capability, and accountability - able to actually drive growth, rather than just doing random marketing activities without strategy or means to execute.

Should I hire people or use agencies when building marketing?

Either or both, depending on your needs and strategy - in-house hires, agencies, freelancers, or a combination. What matters is getting the right people or partners with the right capabilities to execute your marketing. The strategy and systems need capable people to carry them out, so match the people or partners to your needs, whether that's building in-house, using external partners, or combining both.

Related reading

• Fractional Marketing
• How to Build a Marketing Strategy That Actually Drives Growth
• Signs Your Business Needs Marketing Leadership