Here’s How I Write a Resignation Letter That Makes a Good Last Impression

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I’m all too familiar with that uncomfortable feeling in your stomach when you have to hit send on a resignation letter to your manager.

(I’ve written four over the course of my career.)

I always try to tell myself that millions quit their jobs every month. But as a people-pleaser, I can never seem to shake the nervous energy.

Download Now: 5 Free Resignation Letter Templates

Since it’s very rarely an easy conversation to have, I like to make sure my resignation letter is direct but respectful. Appreciative but intentional. Cordial but professional. You get it.

Here’s how you can write a good resignation letter that turns an awkward goodbye into a chance for a long-term professional connection. Or at the very least, a chance to secure a few references for the future.

Table of Contents

What is a resignation letter?

A resignation letter is a formal document that lets your employer know that you are resigning from (or leaving) your position.

It’s the official announcement of your departure from the company with details about your last day and your transition plan.

David Rubie-Todd, co-founder & marketing head at Sticker It notes, “I'd say that the resignation letter should not be an explanation of why you are leaving. It is a notice that you are — nothing more and nothing less.”

I couldn’t agree more. It’s your official statement that you will no longer be performing your duties and will be moving on from the company. We’ll get into what you should and should not include a little later.

There’s only been one instance where I’ve handed in a physical resignation letter to my manager, but it can be submitted either by email or print.

I typically submit my resignation letter during the conversation where I’m giving my two weeks' notice or immediately after.

The way I see it, your resignation letter should effectively convey two things: your gratitude for the opportunity and your professionalism.

I like to start the resignation process with a face-to-face conversation with my manager. That way, I can keep the actual letter brief and only focus on the relevant details — like the date of my last day and my exit plan.

There are other touchpoints, like the final 1:1s with your manager or your exit interview with HR, where you can discuss your departure (and the reasons for it) in more detail.

Should you use AI to write a resignation letter?

As a writer, I use AI for very specific purposes — like summarizing information or outlining ideas for inspiration. That said, I believe it’s best to use AI tools like ChatGPT to help you format or finalize your resignation letter.

Here’s an example where I asked ChatGPT to write a simple resignation letter for me.

how to write a resignation letter using AI, ChatGPT example

Granted, I didn’t provide any background details about my role or experience with the company, but this is a pretty good structure to help me get started:

[Date]

Dear [Manager’s Name],

I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign from my position as [Your Position] at [Company Name], effective [Last Working Day, typically two weeks from today’s date].

I have appreciated the opportunities and experiences I’ve had during my time at [Company Name], and I want to thank you and the team for the support and guidance you provided me.

I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition during my remaining time here and will do my best to complete any outstanding tasks or projects.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Another one of my favorite ways to use AI is to polish my writing, and HubSpot's AI paragraph rewriter is so great for this.

You can use it to experiment with different tones and strike the right balance. This is especially handy if you’re leaving a job with a bad taste in your mouth — been there.

Here’s an example:

Original language: I guess I learned a few things from this job, but I need to move on from this toxic environment as soon as possible.

Updated with AI paragraph rewriter: While I’ve gained some valuable insights during my time here, it’s essential for my well-being and professional growth to move on at this time.

how to write a professional resignation letter, sample output from HubSpot’s AI paragraph rewriter

Try HubSpot’s AI paragraph rewriter for free.

You can also use it to refresh language from a previous resignation letter or rework an output from ChatGPT to fit your current situation.

Either way, resignation letters are pretty straightforward, so I say use AI to help speed up the writing process.

OK, now let’s talk about the ideal resignation letter format.

Resignation Letter Format

I pulled one of my old resignation letters from the archive, so I’ll use this to talk about format.

(Removed all the juicy details, sry.)

resignation letter format

January 20, 2022

Dear [Manager’s Name],

I’m writing to notify you that I’ll be leaving my role as [My Position] at [Company Name]. My last day will be February 9, 2022.

I want to thank [Company Name] for all of the support and guidance I received during my time here. It has been a pleasure working alongside people who are truly passionate about giving underrepresented communities the resources they need to lead healthier lives. The Healthcare Team here is, without a doubt, one of a kind.

During the next couple of weeks, I’ll work closely with you to make this transition as smooth as possible, and I’ll reach out to [Colleague Name] to notify [Client Name] of my departure.

Wishing the team continued success, and I look forward to staying in touch.

All the best,

Alana Chinn

alana@email.com

LinkedIn

The format of a resignation letter should be detailed but brief. Inform your manager of your decision, but keep it professional.

I’ll break it down further in the next section for easy reference.

resignation letter format, what to include in a resignation letter, and what not to include in a resignation letter

Writing a professional resignation letter starts with understanding each of its components. We’ll use mine as an example.

example of what to include in a resignation letter

1. Date and Greeting

This part is straightforward. List the date you’re submitting your resignation letter so HR has a formal filing date. Then, greet your manager with a simple salutation.

Here’s what I did:

resignation letter format, date and greeting

January 20, 2022

Dear [Manager’s Name],

2. Statement of Resignation and End Date

The fact that you’re leaving your role at the company is why you’re writing the letter in the first place, so I like to lead with that. State the position you’re resigning from and the date of your last day.

That, folks, is your statement of resignation.

Pro tip: I wouldn’t feel the need to gush here. In fact, I’d avoid openings like this:

“I'm so sorry, but I'm resigning from the role of [Your Position] in two weeks, although it's been a true pleasure working with you all. I know this is the worst, but I promise, I wouldn't if I didn't have to.”

Here’s what I did:

resignation letter format, statement of resignation and end date

I’m writing to notify you that I’ll be leaving my role as [My Position] at [Company Name]. My last day will be February 9, 2022.

3. Expression of Gratitude

For the body of my resignation letter, I usually include two short paragraphs. The first expresses my gratitude for the opportunity.

Take a moment to reflect on your time at the company. Thank them for the valuable training, the supportive team environment, or even just the work experience.

If you have negative reasons for leaving, try to be as specific and genuine as possible. I'm sure you can find at least one good thing about the job … right?

Here’s what I did:

resignation letter format, expression of gratitude

I want to thank [Company Name] for all of the support and guidance I received during my time here. It has been a pleasure working alongside people who are truly passionate about giving underrepresented communities the resources they need to lead healthier lives. The Healthcare Team here is, without a doubt, one of a kind.

4. Transition Details

Onto the second body paragraph: the one that briefly talks about my transition plan. Here, I note how I’ll help tie up any loose ends and make the transition as seamless as possible.

Pro tip: I recommend creating a separate transition plan that outlines your projects and tasks with full details on how you’ll hand over your responsibilities.

No need to include that in your resignation letter.

Here’s what I did:

resignation letter format, transition details

During the next couple of weeks, I’ll work closely with you to make this transition as smooth as possible, and I’ll reach out to [Colleague Name] to notify [Client Name] of my departure.

5. Closing Paragraph and Contact Information

To wrap things up, I usually include a closing paragraph with well wishes and an opening to stay in touch. I’ll add a link to my LinkedIn profile (if we’re not already connected) and my personal email address.

You can add your phone number too, if you feel moved to do so.

Here’s what I did:

resignation letter format, closing paragraph and contact information

Wishing the team continued success, and I look forward to staying in touch.

All the best,

Alana Chinn

alana@email.com

LinkedIn

1. Future Career Moves

While you can mention where you're going next, I don’t recommend telling your employer about your new position at length. Keep things professional and focus on setting your existing team up for success before your departure.

2. Distasteful Language

While you may feel the urge to criticize your former job, the resignation letter isn't the time to air out the dirty laundry.

Trust me, you never know when you might cross paths with your old colleagues in the future — especially if you’re staying in the same industry.

George Cotter, SEO consultant at Tall Marketing says, “If you are leaving because of a conflict or something overtly negative, remember, you‘re resigning — it says all they need to know. You don’t need to tell them again.”

You’re on your way out anyway. Let that speak for itself.

3. Emotional Attachments

It’s not uncommon to form connections with your teammates. I’ve been known to have a work bestie or two. However, save the emotional sentiments for face-to-face conversations.

Your resignation letter is a professional document, so I say stick to the formalities.

4. Criticism of Coworkers

Similar to distasteful language, your resignation letter doesn't need to include negative comments about your colleagues or managers at the company. The letter is meant to conclude your tenure — stay focused.

5. Anger or Bitterness

The reality is you may be leaving a job with some resentment. I know I have.

But expressing anger or bitterness on your way out is not the way to go.

Daniel Cook, HR/marketing executive at Mullen and Mullen says, “I like to avoid negativity, as this is not the place to air grievances or provide criticism about the company or co-workers.

Even if I am leaving because of negative experiences, a resignation letter should be focused on moving forward — not on past complaints.”

Try to reflect on positive moments and how you gained useful knowledge about the industry rather than airing out the dirty laundry.

For more tips, watch what HubSpotter Jamal Meneide has to say on the topic of resignation letters:

Free Professional Resignation Letter Templates

Let’s face it: We have just about everything at HubSpot, including free resignation letter templates (hooray, we all say in unison). These templates are versatile and super easy to customize based on your role.

HubSpot’s free professional resignation letter templates

Download the Templates for Free

I pulled out a few of my favorite one-size-fits-all options from the pack.

General Resignation Letter Template

general resignation letter template

Download this Template

[Header]

[Date]

Dear [Manager's Name],

I’m writing first and foremost to thank you for my experiences at [Company Name] for the last [Time Spent Working at Company]. During this time, I’ve [Outline Positive Experiences/Learnings/Relationships During Your Tenure].

Today, I’m sharing the news of my difficult decision to resign from my role as [Your Position] at [Company Name]. My last day will be [Last Working Date].

The decision to move on was not easy, but I believe it the best thing for me at this time. I have been afforded the opportunity to [Describe New Role/Opportunity], which will allow me to [Explain Benefits of Transition].

I look forward to making the next [Length of Time Until Departure] as positive and productive as possible. I want to leave this team in the best shape for the organization and my replacement, and will be happy to work in whatever capacity is needed until my last day. Please let me know what I can do to help during this transitional period.

Once again, please accept my sincerest thanks for everything these past [Time Spent Working at Company]. I wish nothing but success for this company and team in the future and hope to stay connected. You may reach out to me at any time at [Email or Phone Number].

Sincerely, 

[Your Name]

What I like: This resignation letter template is a good one because it provides space for you to thank your manager, outline positive experiences from your time at the company, share your last day, and talk about why you decided to leave.

New Opportunity Resignation Letter Template

new opportunity resignation letter template

Download this Template

[Header]

[Date]

Dear [Manager's Name],

Please accept this message as my letter of resignation from my role as [Your Position] at [Company Name], effective [Last Working Date].

After this time, I will be [Describe New Opportunity].

During this time of transition, I will aim to be as supportive as possible to this team. Specifically, I plan to [Outline Steps You’ll Take to Ensure a Smooth Transition]. If I am needed in any other capacity before my departure, please let me know and I will be glad to assist however I can.

While I will be moving on, I know I will look back on my time at [Company Name] with fondness and gratitude. Specifically, [Positive Memory or Contribution #1] and  [Positive Memory or Contribution #2] will always be moments for which I will always be appreciative.

Thank you for your support and understanding during this time. I look forward to ensuring a successful transition for my team and my replacement.

All the Best,

[Your Name] 

What I like: If you're interested in sharing details about the next steps in your career, this is a great template to use. It also gives you the opportunity to reflect on your experience and accomplishments at the company with gratitude.

Reason for Leaving Resignation Letter Template

reason for leaving resignation letter template

Download this Template

[Header]

[Date]

Dear [Manager's Name],

I would like to formally notify you of my decision to part ways with [Company Name], effective [Last Working Date].

The reason for my resignation is [Reason(s) for Resignation]. While I would have liked to continue working for [Company Name], I have decided the best option for me was to move on, because [Reason(s) for Departure].

I understand that my departure may cause some disruption, and so I’d like to be as helpful as possible before I go. Please do not hesitate to let me know how I can assist in an effective transition.

Thank you for this experience. I wish this company and everyone who works here all the best.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

What I like: This resignation letter template gives you the space to explain your reason for departure, should you choose to do so. However, it‘s still a simple and concise way to let your current company know you’re planning to move on.

Job Resignation Letter Templates

While HubSpot's templates are great for all-purpose use, I recognize that certain positions — like healthcare and C-suite roles — merit a more specific letter of resignation when you leave.

I've included a few templates for some of these more dynamic roles below.

1. Contractor Resignation Letter Template

As a contractor, you may need to adjust the focus of your resignation letter to address your final assignments, unfinished tasks, and how you’ll accept your final payment.

Use this template:

contractor resignation letter template

Image Source

[Header]

[Date]

Dear [Manager’s Name],

I regret to inform you that I will be resigning from my position as the [Department] Freelancer as my contract with [Company Name] expires on April 20, 2022.

I have enjoyed my time here, and I have learned and grown a great deal. I am happy to have been a part of the company, and I would like to thank you for the opportunities I have had.

I am saddened to be moving on from the company, but I am going to be taking on new challenges with [New Company Name]. I hope my experience here has helped the company with its projects, and I am happy to have been a part of the team.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. I will be available to help you with any final projects.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

2. Executive Resignation Letter Template

A quick email or two-paragraph notice to your superior might not suffice as an official resignation if you're in an executive- or senior-level leadership role.

Because these roles are harder to fill, you might play a more significant role in the transition period.

Use this template:

executive resignation letter template

[Date]

Dear [Leadership Entity],

Please let this letter serve as my resignation as [Your Position] at [Company] effective [Last Working Date].

I will cherish the friends I have made and hold onto the many accomplishments that are part of my history with [Company Name]. As we part ways, I’m proud we were able to [List of Major Accomplishments].

I am confident that the board will be able to find an excellent replacement for [Your Position] and continue the company’s well-deserved success.

For all future communications, you can reach me by phone at [Phone Number] or by email at [Email Address].

I wish you and the company the best in the future.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

3. Teacher Resignation Letter Template

As a teacher, you may want to hold space to discuss your experience working with students and how you will help your temporary or full-time replacement with the transition.

Use this template:

teacher resignation letter template

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[Date]

Dear [Leadership Entity],

Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from my position as [Your Position] at [School Name]. To ensure ample time for a smooth transition, my last day of employment will be [Last Working Day].

My experience as an educator has been insightful, challenging, and fulfilling, and working with the [School Name] students has brought me great joy. Thank you for the opportunity to invest in the lives of children through learning and play. I am grateful to have been part of this team and will carry the many lessons I learned with me into my future endeavors.

Because the continued success and care of the students are of the utmost importance to me, I am dedicated to doing whatever I can to make the transition as seamless as possible. I am happy to train my replacement on our current curriculum and [List of Responsibilities].

I wish all the best for the [School Name] students, teachers, and administration. Thank you again for your support and leadership during my time here.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

4. Nurse Resignation Letter Template

As a nurse, it's important to give adequate notice of your departure to ensure there are no healthcare disruptions for your patients.

You can use your resignation letter to thank your employer for the experience and offer training support for your successor.

Use this template:

nurse resignation letter template

Image Source

[Date]

Dear [Manager’s Name],

I am writing to inform you of my resignation as [Your Position] at [Facility Name], effective two weeks from today. My last day of work will be [Last Working Day].

Working at [Facility Name] has been a rewarding experience. I have enjoyed my time with you and learned a great deal about working successfully with a team.

It was an honor to work with such dedicated staff who are committed to making [Facility Name] a place to receive compassionate care. I thank you for the training and the opportunity to grow with you in my career. I wish all the residents and staff good luck in the future.

If you feel it would be helpful, I would be happy to assist with the hiring and training of my successor over the next two weeks.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. My email address is [Email Address], and my cell phone number is [Phone Number].

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Resignation Letter Examples

Now that you have a few templates under your belt, I’m going to share some hypothetical (!) examples of resignation letters from my current position as Marketing Blog editor at HubSpot.

That way, you can see some of the blanks filled in with real information.

Short Resignation Letter Examples

Short resignation letters are great for situations where:

  • You need to leave a job abruptly for personal (or professional) reasons.
  • You don’t want to overshare details about your departure or next steps.
  • You’re unhappy with your experience and want to remain professional.
  • You haven’t been with the company for very long.

Here are two short resignation letter examples using my role as an inspo:

Example 1:

short resignation letter example 1

November 15, 2024

Dear Meg,

I’m writing to inform you that I will be resigning from my position as Marketing Blog Editor at HubSpot on November 30, 2024.

I appreciate the opportunity to grow as a content strategist during my time here. I am committed to working with you and the rest of the Blog team to facilitate a smooth transition before my departure.

Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of such a fantastic team and HubSpot’s impactful work.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

Example 2:

short resignation letter example 2

November 15, 2024

Dear Meg,

I’m writing to notify you that I’ll be leaving my role as Marketing Blog Editor at HubSpot. My last day will be November 30, 2024.

I want to thank you, the Blog team, and HubSpot for all of the support and guidance I received during my time here. My goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible over the next couple of weeks.

Wishing the team continued success, and many more well-timed GIFs.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

Long Resignation Letter Example

Longer resignation letters work well if:

  • You’re leaving on a positive note and want to emphasize that.
  • You’ve been with the company for a while and have built close relationships.
  • You want to leave things open to work together again in the future.

Here’s an example (again, using my role as an inspo):

long resignation letter example

November 15, 2024

Dear Meg,

I am writing to formally announce my resignation from my position as Marketing Blog Editor at HubSpot, effective November 30, 2024. This decision has been made after careful consideration and reflection of my professional goals.

I want to express my gratitude to you and the entire Blog team for your support and camaraderie during my time here. Thanks to HubSpot, I’ve had opportunities for growth and learning as a content strategist that I will be able to take with me.

I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition during my last two weeks with the company. I’m willing to assist with the handover of my responsibilities and support any training for the acting editor.

Thank you again for the opportunity to be a part of the HubSpot Blog team. I wish you all nothing but continued success in the future, and I look forward to keeping in touch.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

Professional Resignation Letter Samples

Haven’t had enough yet?

I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many examples. So, here are some more resignation letter samples for even more scenarios.

1. Gracious Resignation Letter Sample

For times when you can honestly say you loved your job:

gracious resignation letter sample

[Date]

Dear Manager,

I would like to inform you that I am resigning from my position as Data Analyst for Company A, effective November 30, 2024.

I appreciate the opportunities for professional development that you have provided me over the past four years. I have enjoyed my tenure at Company A, and feel grateful to have started my career alongside such a dedicated team.

I have accepted a teaching position in Virginia. While my experience at Company A was rewarding, I'm excited to pursue my passion for teaching.

If I can be of any help during this transition, please let me know. I am willing to help out with freelance work until you find a replacement.

Thank you again for the opportunity to work at Company A. I wish you all the best and look forward to staying in touch. You can email me at alana@email.com.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

2. Immediate Resignation Letter Sample

For times when you have to leave your job sooner than anticipated:

immediate resignation letter sample

[Date]

Dear Manager,

I regret to inform you that I'm resigning from my position as the Data Analyst at Company A, effective immediately.

While my contract requires me to work until December 31, 2024, I would be grateful if I could cease working immediately. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this sudden news may cause.

Thank you for the fantastic opportunities you've offered me to grow professionally and personally.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make the transition smoother.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

3. Retirement Resignation Letter Sample

For the time when you’re officially, really, and truly off the clock:

retirement resignation letter sample

[Date]

Dear Manager,

After much consideration, I have decided to retire from Company A on December 31, 2024.

I have enjoyed working here over the past 10 years, and I am proud of everything our team has accomplished. Though I am sad that this chapter of my life is closing, I am looking forward to traveling and spending more time with my family.

As we prepare for my departure, I am happy to assist with hiring my replacement and anything else that will help make this a smooth transition.

Thank you for all the opportunities and support you have offered me over the years. I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

4. Extended Notice Resignation Letter Sample

For times when you’re able to provide ample time for transition:

extended notice resignation letter sample

[Date]

Dear Manager,

Please accept this letter as notice of my intent to resign from my position as Data Analyst at Company A at the end of this quarter. My last day will be December 31, 2024.

While it is tough to leave this incredible team, I will be moving on to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Iowa. It's always been my dream to write books and I believe that this is the best path for me to achieve that.

Thank you for all the support and guidance you have given me over the last five years. I am deeply grateful for all of the opportunities I have had here.

Since my last day is six weeks from now, I will work toward completing my current projects, along with training and handing off my high-level tasks to other members of the team. Please let me know if there's anything I can do that may help ease this transition.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

5. Personal Reasons Resignation Letter Sample

For times when life throws you a curveball:

personal reasons resignation letter sample

[Date]

Dear Manager,

I regret to inform you of my resignation from Company A. Due to personal reasons, I am no longer able to fulfill my duties as Data Analyst. My last day of employment will be November 30, 2024.

It has been wonderful working with you and the team for the past three years. I truly appreciate the opportunities I have been given to develop my skills and grow within my role.

Over the next two weeks, I will work to complete my remaining assignments and hand off my ongoing projects to other team members. I am also happy to assist with anything else you may need during this transition.

Thank you for your guidance and understanding. I will look back on my time here at Company A fondly, and I wish you all the best in the future.

Sincerely,

Alana Chinn

Ready, Set, Resign

“Remember, your resignation letter is part of your professional brand, says Harmanjit Singh, founder & CEO of Website Design Brampton. “It's like your digital footprint — it lasts longer than you might think.”

My final advice? Don’t let one bad experience keep you from building your professional bridges and keeping your network intact as you start your next adventure.

Best of luck with your graceful goodbye!

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

10 Best Event Registration Software Tools [+ What Makes Them Great]

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I won’t pretend I’m an event marketer. But my mom has been a director of special events for over 20 years (shoutout to her), so I completely understand the importance of good event registration tools.

I’ve heard her rattle off the many tasks that need to be completed before, during, and after an event. And she comes from a small team, so it’s very easy for things to feel overwhelming … and quickly.

Create surveys, contacts, and happy customers using HubSpot's free form  builder.

So, I did two things: 1) I sat down with my event pro of a mom to talk about her favorite event registration software, and 2) I scoured the internet to give you a few more options to choose from.

All I ask for in return? An invite to your next event 😉

Let’s get into it.

I’ve broken this list into three sections:

  1. Free Event Registration Tools: You may see a familiar face here since it’s one option that’s always free.
  2. An Event Director’s Favorite Tools: These are a couple of my mom’s picks based on her experience running events for a large, well-known non-profit for the last 20 years. (Here’s a hint: Great futures start there.)
  3. Best Online Registration Tools: These are all of the highly-rated event registration tools that I found in my search that offer paid or both free and paid plans.

Pro tip: Before you start your search for the perfect event registration tool, I’d recommend creating an event checklist if you haven’t already. Might I offer HubSpot’s Ultimate Event Planning Checklist? It covers everything you need to know to seamlessly execute any event.

Anywho, happy browsing!

Free Event Registration Tools

1. HubSpot Free Online Form Builder

event registration software, free event registration tools, HubSpot’s free online form builder

Download the Online Form Builder for Free

I know, I’m tooting our own horn a little bit here. But HubSpot’s Free Online Form Builder really does make it easy for you to design an event registration form.

The drag-and-drop builder lets you create, integrate, and share forms with your audience. Plus, all of the attendee contact information is automatically stored in your CRM. Nice.

What I like most: There are over 1,000 form fields and over 12 field types you can use to customize your event registration form. Plus, it’s versatile and offers plugins with tools like WordPress and integrations with tools like Gravity Forms.

You can’t really go wrong if you use a free tool like this for event registration (or as your Content Hub, CRM, Marketing Software, Sales Software, or Service Software, for that matter).

Okay, I’ll stop gushing now.

An Event Director’s Favorite Tools

2. Cvent

Real-time data and reporting_1

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Cvent’s event technology allows you to personalize your registration experience.

You can build automated workflows to collect signups. You can also customize the guest experience using targeted campaigns and Cvent's comprehensive library of event templates.

I asked my mom, an esteemed director of special events, what she likes most about Cvent, and she said, “the great thing about it is you can do as little or as much as you need it to do.”

“The first year we used it, we had an 800-900 attendee event, and we used to do all of the registration manually. Now, we’re able to use Cvent to print badges and set up self-registration with minimal involvement from our staff.”

Overall, she’s a fan of the scalability of the platform and the support it provides to businesses with little to no resources. She notes that this tool “has been a huge help for her small but mighty resource development team.”

Price: Contact Cvent for pricing.

3. OneCause

event registration software, best event registration tools, OneCause

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OneCause offers a customized ticketing and fundraising platform. You can create custom ticket types, group packages, and promo codes for attendees. So, if you work at a non-profit or oversee donor events like my mom, this one’s for you.

Similar to Cvent, she likes OneCause because it cuts down her manual work by a ton. She says, “it allows us to sell tickets to attendees and sponsorships to our biggest donors.”

Plus, it’s really good for managing other event elements including silent auctions.

“My team sends the auction link to guests through OneCause, and winners get notified at the end of the night and pay directly via the platform. It’s super simple, and the backend is easy to navigate,” she says.

Price: Contact OneCause for pricing details.

Best Online Registration Tools

4. Google Forms

event registration software, best online registration tools, Google Forms

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I send a good amount of surveys to my team, and I always use the free version of Google Forms.

It works great for personal use, but I found that Google also offers a paid version for teams that comes with greater security and control over your data.

Google Forms allows you to:

  • Create and send event registration forms for attendees and track all sign-ups.
  • Drag and drop your form fields to customize the registration experience.
  • Add images, videos, and custom logic to your form as you see fit.

What the G2 score says: Google Workspace has a G2 score of 4.6. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews say the tool allows you to easily “create a ticketing system for sign up by attendees” and “promote events through email marketing and social media platforms.”
  • Cons: Others say the “formatting and design of the forms could use an upgrade” and they’d “love integration with Gmail” and other tools so they can embed short forms during the registration process.

Note: Since I don’t have personal experience with most of these tools, I sifted through the G2 reviews to give you an idea of what works best for users and what doesn’t. I’ll include insights like the above for each tool in this section.

What I like most: Since Google Forms Workspace requires a Google Business Plan, you’ll also gain access to Google's other products as well as more data storage, wider video hosting options, and added security and management controls for your events.

Price: Plans range in price from $6 to $18 per month.

5. Splash

event registration software, best online registration tools, Splash

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During my search, I learned that Splash was recently acquired by Cvent, but it’s still operating as an event marketing program for online, in-person, and hybrid events.

Splash allows you to:

  • Design and customize responsive web pages and emails for your event.
  • Share registration forms and RSVPs to support attendee signup.
  • Create smart guest lists, targeting, and email marketing features to streamline event registration and promotion.

What the G2 score says: Splash has a G2 score of 4.4. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews say it’s a “user-friendly platform” that makes it “easy to create landing pages and registration forms.” They mention you “don’t have to be a designer or developer at all” to use it.
  • Cons: Others say that the “website builder” and “some design aspects” are a bit limited, and the reporting features aren’t “exceptionally versatile.”

What I like most: To me, Splash appears to be the integration queen. You can use Splash with your marketing automation platform and CRM (hey there, HubSpot) to analyze event data and use it to inform your future campaigns and events.

Price: Try Splash for free, request a demo, or speak with a sales rep to learn about the right plan for your team.

6. Whova

event registration software, best online registration tools, Whova

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Whova is an event management tool that comes with some pretty robust event registration features. I’m talking branded ticketing experiences, retargeting campaigns, and exhibitor or sponsor tiering.

Whova allows you to:

  • Create tickets within minutes and customize your registration workflows.
  • Offer discount pricing for early-bird or group ticket purchases) and different types of tickets (e.g., single vs. multi-day pass).
  • Ask attendees questions about your event during registration (e.g., what made them want to attend or what they're most excited for).
  • Receive early registration payouts to help cover your event expenses.

What the G2 score says: Whova has a G2 score of … drum roll, please … 4.8. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews say the platform “simplifies event management” and “solves the backup that occurs during initial event registration.” They mention it’s a “one-stop-shop” for events and a huge “time saver.”
  • Cons: Others say they got “lost in the app” given the many features, and that Whova probably needs “a few more capture points for visitors” on registration.

What I like most: From what I’ve seen, this platform works hard for that high G2 score. From embeddable registration widgets to real-time attendee tracking, you can find just about anything you need to run your event from start to finish.

Price: Contact Whova directly for a quote.

7. Eventbrite

event registration software, best online registration tools, Eventbrite

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I’ve used Eventbrite to register for local meetups in Washington, DC, and niche fitness classes like puppy yoga. On the attendee side, it’s pretty easy to use for registration and to track my upcoming events.

On the event management side, Eventbrite allows you to set up your event registration in three easy steps:

  • Enter your event details — the who, what, where, when, and why.
  • Create your tickets and select the price or type (e.g., single vs. multi-day pass). You can also offer discounts for early-bird and group purchases.
  • Open your registration and share the event via web page or social media.

What the G2 score says: Eventbrite has a G2 score of 4.3. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews say Eventbrite offers "multiple types of registration setups" and "management dashboards with good analytics tools." Users also like that you can "customize the registration look and feel" using your own graphics and logos.
  • Cons: This one actually comes from an event guru (my mom, again). She said it "doesn’t work well for large events" that require "more detailed attendee data and tracking options."

What I like most: The simple three-step setup seems like it would work great for smaller-scale events and newer event marketers. Plus, Eventbrite is recognizable. As a consumer, I trust the platform as a reliable source to find events near me.

Price: Eventbrite offers both free and paid plans. The Essentials and Professional plans are free if you host a free event. Eventbrite will only charge you when you sell a paid ticket.

8. vFairs

event registration software, best online registration tools, vFairs

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vFairs is another end-to-end event platform that helps you manage the entire event lifecycle. I looked through the software suite, and it includes check-in and badge printing software, virtual events software, event ticketing and registration software, and more.

vFairs allows you to:

  • Create a branded event landing page to promote your event and capture registrations.
  • Customize your registration forms through a self-serve, drag-and-drop module.
  • Implement if/then conditions on the forms to personalize the data collected based on user selection.
  • Securely collect payments through popular payment platforms like Stripe and PayPal.

What the G2 score says: vFairs has a G2 score of 4.7. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews say the platform is “extremely easy to use” and “incredibly user friendly” with little to no technical issues upon implementation.
  • Cons: Others say the platform is robust, but “some features could benefit from more customization options.” And because it’s very comprehensive, it can be “confusing to navigate” at times.

What I like most: With vFairs, you can automatically trigger email workflows for different user segments both within the platform and through integrations with your CRM. I always love when tools remove the manual aspects of my work and play well with others.

Price: Contact vFairs for a customized quote.

9. RSVPify

event registration software, best online registration tools, RSVPify

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I poked around the RSVPify platform, and I can tell you it’s designed to handle events of all sizes — everything from casual events to enterprise and professional conferences.

RSVPify allows you to:

  • Leverage customizable and responsive event registration and setup tools.
  • Streamline ticket sales, collect donations, create custom event check-ins QR codes.
  • Build an event website with event-specific templates and a variety of integration options.

What the G2 score says: RSVPify has a G2 score of 4.6. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews say the process for keeping track of guest details was “seamless and organized.” They mention the “modern interface” and say the platform provides a “simplified experience” for both admin and attendees.
  • Cons: Others say there’s a “lack of customization for event emails and landing pages” and that added features like discount codes “weren’t easily accessible.”

What I like the most: It’s the versatility for me. Whether you need to host multiple marquee events simultaneously, an annual gala, or your wedding, RSVPify has a solution.

Price: There’s a free option available, and paid options range from $19/month (for personal events) to $39/month (for professional events).

10. Accelevents

event registration software, best online registration tools, Accelevents

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In my opinion, Accelevents is a great option for events that require advanced coordination. It’s a complete solution with ticketing and registration features like assigned seating, pre-registration, and the ability to sell add-ons like merch or subscriptions.

Accelevents allows you to:

  • Design a custom registration experience for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events.
  • Create custom flows with conditional logic, attendee segmentation, embeddable widgets, and unique link tracking.
  • Build custom API integrations or natively integrate with your CRM and marketing automation tools.

What the G2 score says: Accelevents has a G2 score of 4.7. Here’s what users think:

  • Pros: Positive reviews speak volumes about their chat support, citing that customer service is “SO FAST” and “10 seconds away and always ready to help.” They also mention it has the “best value for overall features and customization.”
  • Cons: Others say the mobile app was “a bit cumbersome” and they ran into a “few bugs“ and “minor issues” while using the platform.

What I like the most: I am a big, big fan of stellar customer service. As I looked through the reviews, I saw tons of compliments for the Accelevents support team, and I think that’s a huge win — especially for tech products.

Price: Contact Accelevents for a free trial and to schedule a demo.

RSVPs Made Easy (Well, At Least Easier)

My advice for picking event registration software is this: Think about the registration features you absolutely can’t live without, and find a tool that does them well.

Most of the tools out there (and on this list) are comprehensive, but some are better than others in certain areas. Do the research, and choose the right tool for your specific needs.

Meanwhile, I’ll be here rooting for the moment you can sit back and watch all of those hard-earned attendee sign-ups roll in.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

‘Not Your Mom’s Facebook’ — Is It Enough to Attract Gen Z?

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Welcome to The Perspective, a series where HubSpotters weigh in on the latest business and marketing trends.

“We are not your mom’s Facebook.”

This bold statement was passed around at Facebook’s event for younger creators in NYC earlier this summer.

As the social giant turns 20 this year, they know a big chunk of their future relies on Gen Z. Especially considering only 52% currently rank Facebook as their favorite platform, and only 33% of teens aged 13-17 use it at all.

(By comparison — 72% of Gen Z rank TikTok as their favorite platform, and 63% of teens are actively using it.)

Download Now: The 2024 State of Social Media Trends [Free Report]

Can Facebook actually show younger generations there’s more to it than “old” people and outdated memes?

To find the answer to that question, we have to start by unpacking why Gen Z decides to spend their social energy elsewhere.

And who better to ask than a member of HubSpot’s fantastic social team and one of my amazing Gen Z colleagues.

Featured Voices:

Here’s Why Gen Z Isn’t on Facebook

“I think it comes down to the type of content on Facebook,” says Reece Callaway, Brand and Social Content Manager at HubSpot.

“Since Facebook is one of the oldest social media platforms still around, we see a lot of Millennials and Gen X on Facebook who regularly post content that doesn’t resonate with Gen Z. Gen Z wants to see the latest culturally relevant content on their feeds, and Facebook just isn’t the place for that.”

Why Gen Z isn’t on Facebook, quote graphic, Gen Z wants to see the latest culturally relevant content on their feeds, and Facebook just isn’t the place for that, Reece Callaway, Brand and Social Content Manager at HubSpot

And Callaway brings up a great point. The other part of Facebook’s attempted rebrand is to position themselves as a “hub for all things culturally happening” in the platform's underground.

Creating a culturally relevant space for younger generations is an important first step — but it's not necessarily an easy one to accomplish.

The Gen Z Perspective

Justina Thompson, Associate Marketing Manager at HubSpot (and Gen Z baddie herself), feels like Gen Z isn't on Facebook like other generations because it has a reputation for being family-focused rather than a true social platform.

“When I was growing up, my Facebook was monitored by my mom and I primarily used it to stay connected with aunts, uncles, and middle school friends whose profiles were also monitored by their parents,” says Thompson.

“Over time, I began to crave more autonomy over my online presence, which I couldn't do through Facebook.”

Why Gen Z isn’t on Facebook, quote graphic, Over time, I began to crave more autonomy over my online presence, which I couldn't do through Facebook, Justina Thompson, Associate Marketing Manager at HubSpot

These are also reasons why I no longer have Facebook, and I'm a millennial.

My timeline was a mix of random posts from family members along with the occasional “hbd” from someone I haven’t interacted with since elementary school.

It became hard to curate my timeline and my following to align with my interests.

Thompson also says that Gen Z wants to excavate their own identities online — especially where no one they know is watching. That’s why TikTok is so popular for this age group.

“People from anywhere can interact with your content and not have to know you IRL. There's no pre-existing impression that they have of you.”

Thompson continues, “Facebook represents having an attachment to communities that already know you. Places like Instagram and TikTok have proven that you don't have to come bearing proximity to anyone you know in order to build connections. That's the hurdle I think Facebook has yet to overcome.”

Why Gen Z isn’t on Facebook, quote graphic, Instagram and TikTok have proven that you don't have to come bearing proximity to anyone you know to build connections, Justina Thompson, Associate Marketing Manager at HubSpot

I second that — Facebook has to make that leap in order to compete. Channels like Instagram and TikTok have high-quality algorithms that make it easy for users to curate their feeds and find new people.

So, now, this all begs the question ... 

Can a ‘rebrand’ work … or is it too late?

In theory, Thompson thinks a Facebook revamp could work. And I'm inclined to agree. But she says it’s going to take a lot more than shifting what we see on our feeds to get Gen Z back there.

“I do think investing in what's already on the platform, like Facebook Marketplace, is a good place to start — especially because I have personally had positive experiences with that part of Facebook,” says Thompson.

And she’s not alone. Our research shows that social media is Gen Z’s #1 channel for product discovery, and 43% have bought something via social media in the past three months.

Plus, Facebook Marketplace is in fact Gen Z's big draw to the platform right now.

“However, Facebook isn‘t just its Marketplace. It’s an amalgamation of many things, and all of those pieces have to speak to each other in a way that makes sense,” says Thompson.

She continues, “I think TikTok does a great job at this. Although I‘m not the biggest fan of TikTok’s monetization efforts, they‘re done well because they’re integrated into the content you see as you scroll.”

And because other channels like TikTok are already so popular among Gen Z, Callaway says it’s going to be difficult to reroute their attention.

“It’s going to be very hard to take Gen Z off of other platforms that they are already on,” he argues. “I think there is an opportunity for [Facebook] to rebrand themselves. However, they have 20 years of reputation to work against.”

Can Facebook attract Gen Z, quote graphic, I think there is an opportunity for [Facebook] to rebrand themselves. However, they have 20 years of reputation to work against, Reece Callaway, Brand and Social Content Manager at HubSpot

He's right — Gen Z still sees Facebook as the social channel for older generations, filled with inspirational quotes and boomer humor. It’s not impossible, but that rep is going to be pretty hard to shake.

So, what’s the key to bringing Gen Z back?

Facebook says they’re focusing on three key features to get Gen Z to buy in: the feed, reels, and creators.

They plan to highlight more relevant content including Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Dating, and groups and events to attract younger audiences.

From my perspective, this isn’t a bad strategy. Earlier, Thompson called out Facebook Marketplace as a positive, and serving tailored, audience-driven content always wins.

Callaway says, “I think they would need to get a lot of the biggest creators that Gen Z enjoys to consistently post content on Facebook and do it in a way that makes Gen Z choose Facebook to watch that content over a different platform.”

He continues, “Along with that, Facebook needs features that are unique to Facebook, not just a copy of a popular feature from a different platform.”

Thompson echoes the need for unique features to draw in younger users. Here are three ideas she thinks Gen Z would be interested in:

  • A customizable timeline: “Make the timeline more customizable so Gen Z can filter through random posts from family while also getting the information we actually want.”
  • Easier content monetization: “TikTok has the Creator Fund but it's incredibly hard to get into ... maybe Facebook could make some of those guidelines more accessible.”
  • App integrations: “I love that Tiktok has become more integrated with other apps — like CapCut — to make it easier for folks to produce quick, ready-to-post content. I think some sort of integration like that would be awesome.”

Someone at Facebook, probably:

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Facebook + Gen Z = 🫶🏽?

As Thompson shared, “Facebook has to understand that Gen Z‘s priorities are rapidly changing. We’re interested in getting uncensored access to the information we need to problem solve and live life enjoyably.”

It's an uphill battle, and not a guaranteed win, but I think Facebook can take steps to bring Gen Z back — as long as they take notes from the competition and refine the platform to meet their social needs.

Want to hear our thoughts about a specific topic? Drop your idea in this form, and we may just feature it in an upcoming post.

How to Choose a Marketing Team Structure That Doesn’t Just Look Good on Paper

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Most things in life are only as good as their foundation. Houses, ice cream sundaes, sand castles … marketing teams.

It’s true. A good marketing team structure is what helps you weather the storm when you’re facing the pressure to grow marketing revenue — all while keeping headcount to a minimum.

Not to toot our own horn, but HubSpot’s marketing team is pretty dang good.

Since we’ve cracked the code, I’m here to help you pick a team structure that’s built for growth and give you the tools to make the most out of your first (or next) marketing hire.

→ Download Now: The Illustrated Guide to Org Charts [Free Guide + Templates]

Table of Contents

But what do we do, exactly? Ah yes, the age-old question we as marketers try to answer any time someone asks what we do for a living.

At HubSpot, we’re essentially a bunch of marketers who market marketing software to other marketers. It’s a little bigger than that, but you get it.

What size should my marketing team be?

The size of your marketing team will depend on the size of your business.

When I worked for a small consulting firm of about 100 people, our marketing team consisted of about eight of us.

Now that I work at HubSpot with 7,000+ employees, you can probably imagine the proportion of marketers we have spread across functions.

As a general reference point:

  • Less than 25 employees = one kick-ass marketer
  • 25 to 49 employees = about three marketers
  • 50–249 employees = about eight marketers
  • 250+ employees = about 30 to 100+ marketers

But your marketing team size will also be informed by your goals and your budget.

If I had a cupcake business (big sweet treat fan over here) and I wanted to increase leads from TikTok, I’d focus on hiring more social media specialists.

And as a consumer packaged goods company, I’d aim to spend about 25% of my revenue on marketing based on the average marketing budgets by industry.

Then, I’d have to break that down further to determine where hiring fits into my overall marketing spend.

The bottom line: I’ll always argue quality over quantity. The quantity will come as you scale, but you’ll need to establish a high-quality structure from the start to support it.

How to Structure a Marketing Department

So, I can’t tell you exactly how to structure your marketing department. There are way too many factors to consider.

But what I can do is outline three of the most common types of structures: by function, by discipline, and by product.

1. Marketing Department Structure by Function

Best for: SMBs (5 to 100 employees) with a marketing “team” of one who wears many hats and small teams that have limited headcount, resources, budget, and bandwidth.

marketing team structure by functio, best for small to medium sized businesses, operations, creative, project management

The functional department structure is similar to that of a bare-bones agency and includes the pillars of taking a campaign from ideation to completion.

A team like this may be made up of a few full-time folks, part-time people, or it could be staffed completely by contractors.

Common teams within marketing departments that are structured by function include:

  • Operations
  • Creative
  • Project management

2. Marketing Department Structure by Discipline

Best for: Midsized companies (100 to 1,000 employees) where marketing owns a revenue number and is responsible for driving leads and contributing to the pipeline of the business.

marketing team structure by discipline, best for midsized businesses, social media, content, product, SEO, website

Marketing departments that are structured by discipline are the most common.

These teams will collaborate to execute campaigns frequently throughout the year in order to hit the company's revenue goals.

Common teams within marketing departments that are structured by discipline include:

  • Social media
  • Content marketing
  • Product
  • Search engine optimization (SEO)
  • Website

3. Marketing Department Structure by Product

Best for: Enterprise businesses (1,000+ employees) with predictable revenue patterns that don't need to run frequent, stand-alone marketing campaigns to generate business.

marketing team structure by product, best for enterprise businesses, brand, growth, acquisition, media

This marketing department structure organizes marketing teams by product.

If you have a proven marketing system in place to generate demand for the business, you can leverage a product-style marketing structure to grow in new, innovative ways.

Global teams may also appreciate this structure because it reduces role redundancy across regions and gives hiring managers an opportunity to recruit talent globally.

Common teams within marketing departments that are structured by product include:

  • Brand
  • Growth
  • Acquisition
  • Media

Types of Marketing Teams

I mentioned the marketing department structure by discipline is the most common structure, so I’ll break down some of the most common teams in that category.

Social Media

Your social media team will create and execute social media marketing efforts.

This team will need to have knowledge of how to make engaging content to drive brand awareness, generate leads, and connect with audiences.

Potential roles: Head Account Manager, Social Media Specialist, Content Creator, Social Media Analyst

Skills needed: Content creation, graphic design, social media management, project management, data analytics, and storytelling

General responsibilities:

  • Create, schedule, and measure the performance of social content
  • Develop social media images and videos using tools like Canva or Adobe
  • Using social media management tools to track success
  • Responding to customers who engage through social media tags or posts.

Making the most of your social media team structure:

  • SMBs: Your dedicated marketing team member should have a general comfortability with basic marketing practices and social media experience to build an online presence.
  • Midsized businesses: If you can afford multiple marketing roles, start specializing in marketing functions like social media manager, which can be its own role.
  • Enterprise businesses: Consider structuring your social media team by having specialists and managers to lead and oversee social media strategy, as well as roles for day-to-day social media activities.

Pro tip: To help small teams, social media management software provides marketers with the tools they need to execute an entire social media strategy, such as the tools within HubSpot's Marketing Hub.

Content Marketing

Your content creators (read: me) will be the ones making sure your brand has enough content to tell a cohesive, compelling story. The content they produce will be useful in every facet of your marketing functions, from video to blog posts.

Potential roles: Head of Content, Video Producer, Staff Writer, Content Creator, Jr. Content Creator

Skills needed: Writing, editing, organization, graphic design, project management, SEO, HTML, and storytelling

General responsibilities:

  • Create and edit content like blog posts, social media, and ebooks
  • Product high-quality multimedia assets like podcasts, videos, and webinars
  • Collaborate with creative teams and ensure messaging consistency across materials

Making the most of your content team structure:

  • SMBs: Your content creation team might also be your social media and product team, so make sure they have good organization and time-management skills in a fast-paced environment.
  • Midsized businesses: Take the time to hire a content creator who understands the story of your brand and brand voice.
  • Enterprise businesses: Larger companies hiring for a content creation team can hire by skill or by the needs of other teams. For example, social media agencies need content creators for every client or group of clients.

Product

The product team communicates the features and benefits of your product to the customer. They'll organize and drive the messages of a product and how it connects to your brand and your target audience.

Potential roles: Brand Specialist, Product Marketing Specialist

Skills needed: Research, analysis, strategic planning, cross-functionality, writing, customer service, a creative problem-solving mindset, technical knowledge, pricing strategy, and solving for the customer

General responsibilities:

  • Identify target audiences to communicate with through product pages and ad copy
  • Plan campaigns for new and existing products or services
  • Build product pages and strategize product promotion
  • Research, analyze metrics, use that knowledge to plan future campaigns
  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of overall marketing functions

Making the most of your product team structure:

  • SMBs: The product marketer you hire as a small business owner is likely your only marketer, so hire someone with a background or demonstrated knowledge in writing, presenting marketing, and business.
  • Midsized and enterprise businesses: Consider hiring product marketers by product stack (e.g., phones for a tech company) or by speciality (e.g., a role based solely on developing copy or producing strategy).

Search Engine Optimization

The SEO team will mainly be driving traffic to your webpages by optimizing content and ensuring your brand is ranking on the SERPs for topics related to your product or service.

To accomplish these goals, you need people with strong technical, programming, and writing skills.

Potential roles: SEO Strategist, Senior SEO Strategist, Historical Optimization Writer

Skills needed: Writing, editing, problem-solving, experience with programming and technical thinking, analytics, spreadsheets, drive, and the ability to adapt

General responsibilities:

  • Write, edit, and proofread content
  • Optimize content for search engines and key audiences
  • Conduct keyword research and identity ranking opportunities
  • Analyze content performance to inform future keyword strategies

Making the most of your SEO team structure:

  • SMBs: Make sure your SEO functions are being carried out by someone who has an understanding of analytics, optimizing content for search engines, and keyword research.
  • Midsized businesses: Consider hiring for different specialties within SEO like historical optimization, link-building management, and raising webpage traffic.
  • Enterprise businesses: Consider hiring managers who are SEO experts that can offer seasoned advice to other team members and manage multiple SEO projects at once.

Website

Of course, any business needs a website. And as your company grows, you may find the need to hire someone full-time to maintain your website.

This team will be responsible for all things dot com, so you should hire a creative proficient in web design, web strategy, and optimization.

Potential roles: Web Developer, Senior Web Developer, UX/UI Designer, Front-end Web Developer, Web Designer, Visual UX Developer, Graphic Design Specialist

Skills needed: Programming, Creative Suite programs, interpersonal communication, website and email design, UX orientation, content management software, understanding of web standards and best practices, and SEO

General responsibilities:

  • Demonstrate a mastery of programming and web design
  • Develop new web pages and refresh existing content
  • Build new web experiences and refine customer touchpoints
  • Improve user experience across the website
  • Serve as the point of contact for web-related issues

Making the most of your website team structure:

  • Businesses of all sizes: I’d recommend structuring your web design by need. If you can afford to build out an entire team, you can start hiring Senior Web Developers to bring your site up to current standards and maintain it.

Other Types of Marketing Teams

Here’s a quick and dirty rundown of the other types of teams I called out in the function and product structure categories.

Operations

Your operations team is responsible for managing the technical aspects of your marketing efforts. They'll maintain the tech stack, handle marketing automation, manage email marketing workflows, and schedule and produce webinars.

Skills needed: Workflows, automation, written and verbal communication skills, problem-solving, team-building

Creative

The creative team is in charge of what your clients or customers see when they come across your brand. This team will take on graphic design, copywriting, video production, and some web design.

Skills needed: Graphic design, written communication, video production, photography, copywriting, front-end web design

Project Management

To keep everything on schedule, within budget, and within scope, the project management team will step in. The individuals in this role will typically coordinate with both operations and creative in order to keep things moving.

Skills needed: Organization, project management, agile framework, budgeting, time management, written and verbal communication

Brand

Your brand team knows everything about your business and distills it in such a way that potential, new, and existing customers can relate to it and external entities can appreciate it.

Skills needed: Strategic thinking, written and verbal communication, creativity, copywriting, social media management, customer journey mapping, and buyer journey mapping

Growth

Your growth marketing team is responsible for generating demand and leads for the business either in existing or new markets.

Skills needed: Content marketing, content strategy, SEO, copywriting, web design, UI/UX design, and HTML

Acquisition

Your acquisition team will be made up of people who live and breathe methods for delighting the customer through every step of their buyer‘s journey. You’ll look to your acquisition-ers to secure leads and fill the pipeline for sales.

Skills needed: Conversion rate optimization, UI / UX design, HTML, content development, content design, and data analysis

Media

Your media team should encompass many of the functions listed above, but it does so with an emphasis on the audience experience. Your media team understands that media products are best built when your brand has a strong foothold in the market.

Skills needed: Video production, video editing, public speaking, creative writing, research, data analysis, and journalism

Common Marketing Team Roles

Any successful marketing department structure needs a leadership and individual contributor hierarchy.

How deep or wide you choose to organize your team is up to you, but here are the primary roles you can expect to see in any marketing team.

Marketing People Leader Roles

marketing team structure, common marketing team roles, marketing people leader roles, CMO, VP of Marketing, Director of Marketing, Marketing Manager

  • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): Decision maker, owns the vision and champions the team culture. Reports to the CEO.
  • Vice President (VP) of Marketing: Sets the strategy for the marketing department at a high level. Reports to the CMO.
  • Director of Marketing: Sometimes referred to as the “Head” of Marketing. Puts the strategy from the VP into an actionable plan that managers can rally their teams around.
  • Marketing Manager: People leaders on the front lines who manage individual contributors and are responsible for guiding their team toward meeting the goals of the larger strategy.

Marketing Individual Contributor Roles

marketing team structure, common marketing team roles, marketing individual contributor roles, Marketing Consultant, Principal Marketer, Senior Marketer, Marketing Specialist, Marketing Coordinator or Associate, Marketing Intern

  • Marketing Consultant: Typically an expert in a specific discipline like SEO or content creation. They are hired as a freelancer, contractor, or even on a part-time basis to help marketing teams reach their goals.
  • Principal Marketer: Highest-level full-time roles an individual contributor can attain in their career. Masters of their discipline rather than a jack of all trades.
  • Senior Marketer: Actively honing their skills in a specific discipline, but may take on projects with a wider scope to build other soft and hard skills.
  • Marketing Specialist: Plays more of a generalist role on the team. Encouraged to explore marketing disciplines to gain an understanding of how tactics work together to achieve the strategy.
  • Marketing Coordinator or Associate: Entry level position for recent graduates or new marketing professionals who want to change careers. They'll take on ad-hoc assignments in various marketing departments and begin to build relationships with more senior team members.
  • Marketing Intern: Temporary employee that is completing a degree of some kind, usually in an area of marketing or communications. May be offered a full-time position as a marketing associate or coordinator upon graduation.

How to Build a Marketing Team

Now that we’ve covered marketing team sizes, department structures, and common roles, it’s time to dive into what you’ve all been waiting for … the how.

1. Create a hiring strategy.

Start here: Before you can hire anyone, you need to put a strategy in place for building your marketing team. To do this, you‘ll need a clear understanding of your organization’s hierarchy.

You’ll also need to consider the needs of the business.

Are there specific areas where you need additional support? Maybe you have a social media specialist that’s great at the day-to-day, but you need someone at the manager level to really drive your strategy.

Are there any gaps in your marketing department? If you’re focused on bringing in leads but don’t have a dedicated acquisition expert, this is your opportunity to bring one on.

More often than not, hiring without a strategy leads to redundancy and role confusion.

2. Write the job descriptions.

Once you nail down your strategy, it’s time to write the job descriptions and begin recruiting.

Luckily, we have an entire post dedicated to job description best practices.

However, I believe the most important way to write a good job description is to make sure you have a clear understanding of your target candidate.

I’ve written several marketing job descriptions in the past, and this understanding always mapped back to the needs our team identified in step one.

Once you know who you’re looking to hire, this will make it easier to create a job description that’s concise, realistic, and free of any bias.

3. Source candidates.

Before you begin recruiting candidates from external sources, try looking for interest internally first.

Internal candidates give you an opportunity to help an employee progress their career. Plus, it saves you time and resources that you'd otherwise spend looking for external talent.

If you've exhausted your internal talent pool or you need a more specialized skill set, there are several resources available to make this happen.

You can look to recruiters, headhunters, and candidate sources to help with the search. You can also browse candidate collectives or private membership groups like Black Marketers Association of America to list your job posting.

LinkedIn is also a great place for sourcing and vetting candidates. Why not work with your mutual connections to find your next great hire?

I’m sure you’ve seen the #OpenToWork and #Hiring photo frames by now. Read here to see if they actually work.

4. Extend an offer.

There's a lot of discourse about how to interview for top marketing talent. How many interviews are too many? How do you know which candidate is the right fit? How long should the process take?

We know that can be a challenge for small and large companies alike, so use this free resource to understand what you need to ask to evaluate your candidates objectively.

Once you're ready to extend an offer, consider all the variables: their experience, their interview performance, their formal marketing training (courses, degrees, certifications), and any special skills that will help round out your team.

Use this information to craft a fair offer that aligns what they bring to the table with what the market demands.

Be prepared for negotiations and questions about commonly overlooked benefits like insurance, on-call responsibilities, and professional development allowances.

5. Onboard your new hires.

After you‘ve done the hiring, you aren’t done building a great team. The work continues long after the offer letter is signed.

Create or refine your onboarding process so it helps your new employees understand the business, the team culture, and their role. Both parties (you and the new hire) should feel like they made the right decision by joining the company.

Plus, research shows that organizations with strong onboarding processes increase new hire retention by 82% and improve productivity by 70%. Win.

One Step Closer to Your Marketing Dream Team

Hiring the best talent will require knowing the best skills for each role. Even if you only have the capacity to hire for one or two marketing roles right now, it's a good idea to invest in people with the potential to grow into new roles in the future.

When you start with the right structure for your business type, put the right steps in place for hiring, and get the team aligned on a common vision, you'll have a marketing team that will make even the Fortune 100 companies jealous.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2014 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

RFP: How to Write a Strong Request for Proposal [Example & Template]

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If I was reading a post about request for proposals (RFP), I’d want to get to the point … and fast.

Download Now: Free RFP Templates

And that’s coming from me, a former marketing consultant of about five years with three different agencies. I used to create RFPs and submit bids, so I speak from experience when I say this isn’t always the most exciting process.

That’s OK because I have a few tips up my sleeve to make your RFP development process a little less daunting (and a little more fun, hopefully).

Table of Contents

Since I struggle living in a world with a million acronyms, let’s clear up the difference between an RFP and RFI before we continue.

Here’s the TL;DR — If your business has a project and you need external support, and you already know what type of vendor you’re looking for, you can use an RFP to shop around.

When I worked for a small health communication firm, one of our government clients wanted us to create an educational video series for them.

I developed an RFP on their behalf to solicit proposals from video production companies since we didn’t have the capabilities to complete this work in house.

Hold on to this example — I’ll use it to walk you through the RFP writing process.

As a reminder, here’s the example we’re using for this walkthrough: AJC Health is developing an RFP on behalf of a government client, DoGoodGov, for educational video production services.

(The company names are made up, but the experience is real … I promise.)

1. Provide background information.

Your RFP should always start with an introduction and overview of your business. This helps set the stage for potential vendors and allows them to better understand who they’ll be working with.

Pro tip: I like to keep this section brief. Just introduce your business, highlight your mission, and discuss the products and services you provide.

Example:

AJC Health is a health communication firm based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to empower teens and young adults to lead healthier lives.

For over 10 years, we’ve helped clients achieve their goals by providing marketing and communications services including campaign development, copywriting, and multimedia project support.

2. Define your project purpose and goals.

After you introduce yourself, provide an overview of the project. This is your first opportunity to describe what you’re hoping to accomplish and the areas of expertise you’re looking for.

I like to think of this section as a way to help vendors better understand your priorities so they can tailor their proposals accordingly.

Pro tip: I’d recommend keeping this section clear and concise. Focus on the purpose of the RFP, the type(s) of vendors you’re looking for, and your goals. You’ll have an opportunity later to provide specific details about the scope of work later.

Example:

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to invite businesses who specialize in video production, live action, animation, and multimedia for educational purposes to submit proposals to our company.

We’re currently seeking qualified vendors to support the development of a public health video series on behalf of DoGoodGov. Our goal is to build brand awareness, drive web traffic, and increase our YouTube marketing ROI.

3. Outline the budget and scope of work.

In the last step, we described the project at a high level. This section is where you can get into the weeds a little bit. State your budget and describe the specific services you need.

For me, it’s helpful to compare this section to the “Job Responsibilities” section in a job description. Give a complete snapshot of what the role entails.

Pro tip: You can take various approaches when describing the services you’re seeking in an RFP, but I recommend incorporating bullet points or breaking up your information so that it’s easy for vendors to scan.

Example:

The budget for this project is $12,750.

The selected firm will be responsible for the ideation, production, and delivery of a three-part video series to educate teens and young adults about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

Tasks include but may not be limited to the following criteria:

  • Ideating video concepts
  • Writing and editing video scripts
  • Multimedia (audio/video) content development
  • Capturing, importing, and organizing raw media
  • Editing video footage and audio files
  • Creating static and motion graphics
  • Adding music, voice-over, and sound effects
  • Delivering multi-format video files (e.g., YouTube, social media, web)
  • Meeting the requirements of Section 508 Compliance for video
  • General account management
  • Other assistance as required

4. Call out any barriers or roadblocks.

Here, you’ll want to mention any challenges specific to your project. This may include elements like limited resources or specialized requirements that the average vendor may not have or easily obtain.

This may seem counterintuitive, but I’ve found that this helps you eliminate unsatisfactory bidders and figure out which vendors have the skills to tackle those challenges.

Pro tip: It’s crucial to be transparent here. Otherwise, vendors may not fully understand the potential difficulties that may arise. This lack of knowledge could lead to delayed timelines, increased costs, or worse — an unsuccessful project.

Example:

As a federal entity, DoGoodGov requires all materials, including multimedia content, to meet the requirements of Section 508 Compliance. Vendors must have specialized knowledge in 508-Compliance for video production.

5. Highlight your selection criteria.

Now it’s time to specify which skills, services, and market expertise are required for consideration. This is the time to get specific, just like we did in the scope of work section.

Some examples of selection criteria that you can specify in an RFP are experience, qualifications, cost, availability, and technical compatibility.

Pro tip: When I’m building out this section, I focus on the objective criteria that my business will use to, well, pick a winning bid. I’ve found that clear selection criteria helps increase your chances of receiving proposals that actually meet your needs.

Example:

The ideal vendor:

  • Has experience in producing high-quality videos across various formats such as live-action, animation, screencast, whiteboard, and educational video
  • Has a clear process from ideation, production, revision, and final delivery
  • Has experience creating videos for educational purposes (public health knowledge and experience is a plus)
  • Has demonstrated knowledge in the requirements of Section 508 Compliance
  • Can provide a highly responsive, collaborative, and transparent communication process

6. Specify your submission process.

The selection criteria and the submission process outline go hand-in-hand to ensure you end up with a strong collection of proposals.

Tell vendors where to submit their bids and to whom, and give them a timeline that includes the submission deadline, date for final selection, and project completion date. Then, tell them exactly what you want them to submit.

Pro tip: I’d treat the submission process as a test for who’s capable of meeting your requirements. If a vendor can’t complete all elements of your proposal, you probably can’t trust them to finish your project, either.

Example:

Submission Information

Submissions may be sent via mail or electronically by the submission deadline.

  • Project Name or Description: Video Production Services
  • Company Name: AJC Health
  • Address: 123 Howie Ave.
  • City, State, Zip Code: Silver Spring, MD 20906
  • Procurement Contact Person: Alana Chinn
  • Telephone Number of PCP: 123-456-7890
  • Email Address of PCP: achinn@consulting.com
  • Fax Number: N/A

Submission Timeline

Proposals must be submitted by February 10th. The award will be granted no later than March 1st. Final video delivery must occur by June 30th.

Submission Criteria

A submission must, at a minimum, include the following elements:

  • Description of the firm that includes a general overview, names and credentials of creative team, number of full-time employees.
  • A one-page narrative outlining the firm’s strengths and distinguishing skills or capabilities as they might relate to AJC Health.
  • A representative selection of multi-channel video content, audio samples, and project management plans created for current and past clients.

RFP Template

Below, I’ve included one of my favorite RFP templates. (It’s ours at HubSpot, so I may be a little biased.)

HubSpot's Request for Proposal (RFP) template

Download a free, editable RFP template.

You can use this template to build your initial structure, but I’d recommend tailoring your RFP to best articulate your company’s needs.

RFP Sample

1. Introduction

Background

AJC Health is a health communication firm based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to empower teens and young adults to lead healthier lives.

For over 10 years, we’ve helped clients achieve their goals by providing marketing and communications services including campaign development, copywriting, and multimedia project support.

Project Overview

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to invite businesses who specialize in video production, live action, animation, and multimedia for educational purposes to submit proposals to our company.

We’re currently seeking qualified vendors to support the development of a public health video series on behalf of DoGoodGov. Our goal is to build brand awareness, drive web traffic, and increase our YouTube marketing ROI.

2. Budget and Services Requested

Budget

The budget for this project is $12,750.

Scope of Work

The selected firm will be responsible for the ideation, production, and delivery of a three-part video series to educate teens and young adults about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

Tasks include but may not be limited to the following criteria:

  • Ideating video concepts
  • Writing and editing video scripts
  • Multimedia (audio/video) content development
  • Capturing, importing, and organizing raw media
  • Editing video footage and audio files
  • Creating static and motion graphics
  • Adding music, voice-over, and sound effects
  • Delivering multi-format video files (e.g., YouTube, social media, web)
  • Meeting the requirements of Section 508 Compliance for video
  • General account management
  • Other assistance as required

3. Barriers to Completion

As a federal entity, DoGoodGov requires all materials, including multimedia content, to meet the requirements of Section 508 Compliance. Vendors must have specialized knowledge in 508-Compliance for video production.

4. Selection Criteria

The ideal vendor:

  • Has experience in producing high-quality videos across various formats such as live-action, animation, screencast, whiteboard, and educational video
  • Has a clear process from ideation, production, revision, and final delivery
  • Has experience creating videos for educational purposes (public health knowledge and experience is a plus)
  • Has demonstrated knowledge in the requirements of Section 508 Compliance
  • Can provide a highly responsive, collaborative, and transparent communication process

5. Submission Process

Contact Information

Submissions may be sent via mail or electronically by the submission deadline.

  • Project Name or Description: Video Production Services
  • Company Name: AJC Health
  • Address: 123 Howie Ave.
  • City, State, Zip Code: Silver Spring, MD 20906
  • Procurement Contact Person: Alana Chinn
  • Telephone Number of PCP: 123-456-7890
  • Email Address of PCP: achinn@consulting.com
  • Fax Number: N/A

Timeline

Proposals must be submitted by February 10th. The award will be granted no later than March 1st. Final video delivery must occur by June 30th.

Submission Criteria

A submission must, at a minimum, include the following elements:

  • Description of the firm that includes a general overview, names and credentials of creative team, number of full-time employees.
  • A one-page narrative outlining the firm’s strengths and distinguishing skills or capabilities as they might relate to AJC Health.
  • A representative selection of multi-channel video content, audio samples, and project management plans created for current and past clients.

Tips for Writing an RFP

Here are three tips from my arsenal to help you optimize your RFPs to achieve a high response rate from vendors.

1. Keep the lines of communication open.

Providing access to a point of contact shows that your company is invested in the vendor response process and helps you proactively establish a rapport.

And if you have flexibility in your timeline, I’d also recommend that you encourage prospective vendors to ask questions and seek clarification before submitting a proposal.

The more they understand your needs, the better their proposals will be.

2. Make sure your RFP is detailed but scannable.

If I was a vendor, I’d be a lot less likely to respond to your RFP if the project details are insufficient or unclear. However, you’ll want to strike the balance between providing enough but not too much detail.

I like to make sure each of my sections are well-defined, and the document is easily scannable. To do this, I take full advantage of formatting options, like bullet points and headings.

This allows me to provide the necessary information in a digestible way.

3. Proofread your RFP before you go live.

Last but never least? Proofread your RFP — then proofread it again. Why? Because even small mistakes could derail project timelines.

Can you imagine if you missed a zero in your budget details, or included the wrong date for your proposal deadline? Both could force a restart of the entire RFP process and waste precious time.

Just the thought of that alone is enough to make sure I never skip this step.

Go Forth and RFP

See, that was kind of exciting … right? Well, at the very least, I hope this helped simplify the RFP process for you.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

How to Set (Crushable) Marketing Goals, According to HubSpot Pros

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Hey, marketers. Raise your hand if you’ve been personally victimized by big, lofty marketing goals with little to no resources to execute them.

Download Now: Free State of Marketing Report [Updated for 2024]

✋🏽*raises both hands* ✋🏽

In an ideal world, we’d have endless budgets and perfect conditions to work with.

Like stable SERPs and simple social media algorithms. Or consumers who laugh at all of our marketing jokes.

While that’s not (always) the case, it’s still possible to set goals that are both ambitious and attainable.

For inspiration, I’ve compiled a list of the highest-priority goals for marketers this year. And as an added bonus, I asked a few marketing pros here at HubSpot to share some of their top tips for goal setting.

Table of Contents

The Goals Marketers (Actually) Want to Reach This Year

Earlier this year, we surveyed over 1,400 marketers to better understand the current state of marketing. These five goals bubbled to the surface for marketers who implemented winning strategies in 2023.

P.S. You’ll see some familiar faces like increased revenue and reaching new audiences, but the way marketers are thinking about these goals is changing with the times.

top five goals for marketers in 2024

1. Increase revenue and sales.

24% of marketers listed increasing revenue and sales as their top goal for 2024.

Everything we do as marketers ultimately rolls up into the bottom line of the business, so it’s no surprise that this continues to be a top priority.

As Amanda Sellers, manager of EN blog strategy at HubSpot, puts it, “Everything I do as a marketer should ultimately help the organization I work for to grow revenue.”

Here’s how you can make progress toward this goal: 75% of marketers believe personalized experiences drive sales and repeat business. So, building connections and developing relationships across the buyer’s journey is a must.

2. Increase brand awareness and reach new audiences.

19% of marketers listed increasing brand awareness and reaching new audiences as their top goal for 2024.

Sounds pretty standard, but the way we generate awareness and reach today is a lot different than in years past.

It’s wild out here, truly. People are discovering brands from their favorite influencers instead of more traditional methods like paid media. And brands are capitalizing on popular TikTok sounds and trends to appeal to younger audiences.

For example, why is Canva, an online design brand, talking about cucumber salad? Because TikTok user Logan (@logagm) recently went viral for his “sometimes, you need to eat an entire cucumber” recipes.

Here’s how you can make progress toward this goal: Keep a pulse on brand sentiment and visibility in search and on social media. Marketing is becoming more intelligent by the day, so it’s important to understand how people perceive you and learn about your products.

3. Increase engagement.

19% of marketers listed increasing engagement as their top goal for 2024.

What’s that? Oh, nothing.

Just us marketers asking consumers to like/comment/subscribe … again.

In my opinion, the brands that tap into the latest trends in meaningful ways win the engagement olympics every time.

And sometimes that means not participating in every trend — especially if it’s not a good fit for your brand or your audience.

Either way, I know this is all easier said than done. That’s why keeping up with trends is one of the biggest challenges that marketers are facing this year.

Here’s how you can make progress toward this goal: The majority of marketers agree that website/blog/SEO, social media shopping, and short-form video are the channels with highest ROI right now. Consider focusing your efforts there.

4. Improve sales-marketing alignment.

16% of marketers listed improving sales-marketing alignment as their top goal for 2024.

Customers want their buying experiences to be seamless. That’s next to impossible if your marketing and sales teams aren’t on the same page.

Our survey shows that 70% of marketers report having “high quality leads,” but alignment with sales is still one of the biggest challenges they face.

From wasted marketing budgets to lost sales, the consequences of misalignment are huge. I can see why this is a priority for marketing teams this year.

Here’s how you can make progress toward this goal: The key to alignment is centralized data. Establish a single source of truth (read: CRM) that will allow your organization to share data and collaborate more effectively.

5. Drive traffic to their brand’s website.

15% of marketers listed driving traffic to their brand’s website as their top goal for 2024.

This one’s a big yes from me as a blogger. How can we get more views on our content while battling algorithm update (after algorithm update, after … ) in the SERP?

Well, on the HubSpot Blog Team, we knew we had no choice but to evolve.

  • Google wants to prioritize experience-based content? Cool, we’ll give you first-person perspectives and emphasize our opinions as marketers in our writing.
  • AI-powered search is taking over the Internet? Great, let’s optimize our content and continue building authority for that, too.

You have to shift your strategy in order to continue gaining traffic in 2024 (and beyond). That’s a fact.

Here’s how you can make progress toward this goal: Do a regular analysis of how your brand is performing online. For example, you can use tools like AI Search Grader to understand how search AI models view your brand and to identify new traffic-driving plays to lock in on.

Goal-Setting Tips from HubSpot Marketing Pros

As a senior marketer and HubSpot’s Marketing Blog editor, I’d have to say the biggest tip I follow is making sure my goals allow me to meet my audience where they are.

In other words, it’s not all about me. Harsh reality, tbh.

If I’m setting a goal to build my presence on TikTok (because I love TikTok and all of my favorite brands are on TikTok), but most of my audience is on Instagram … What's the point?

Here are some more gems from my fellow marketers.

1. Understand how your work ties back to the broader business goals.

According to Karla Hesterberg, director of content marketing at HubSpot, you never have to fully start from scratch when setting your marketing goals. That’s because your goals should always reflect the overarching business strategy.

“Your organization has broader goals, and it‘s your job to figure out how to meaningfully connect your work to them,” Hesterberg says. “Use your organization’s broader goals as a starting place.”

goal-setting tip from Karla Hesterberg, director of content marketing at HubSpot, Your organization has broader goals, and it's your job to figure out how to meaningfully connect your work to them.

She continues, “I start by looking at the biggest things the overall business is trying to solve for. Then, I see where my team‘s work fits into that picture and can have the most impact.

That makes it easier to look at the scope of what we’re working on and determine which things connect back to the business and which things are in the ‘nice to have’ category.”

2. Use your biggest opportunities (or headwinds) as a starting point.

“For setting team objectives, I like to use our biggest opportunities or headwinds as a starting point and go from there,” says Hesterberg.

“Ideally, everything we‘re working on — from big initiatives to smaller projects — should be connected back to those central things we’re solving for.”

We take those big opportunities and challenges and contextualize them into what we want to accomplish. At HubSpot, that materializes as our OGPs (objectives, goals, and plays).

Here’s an example from Sellers on how she uses OGPs to help guide the EN blog strategy at HubSpot:

  • An objective describes what we’re setting out to achieve. For example, I work on the EN blog, and one of my objectives might be to improve our content quality according to Google’s new Helpful Content guidelines.
  • The goal itself defines what success looks like using concrete metrics. For example, we might forecast the outcome to yield an estimated X organic visits and/or Y monetizable leads from those visits.
  • A play is what we’ll do to achieve our objective. For example, one play that ladders up to the objective might be to implement a peer feedback program for quality assurance.”

“The ideal outcome is that every action or task clearly ladders up. This helps with prioritization, alignment, and so much more.”

Having a framework like this ensures that our priorities are aligned at every level of the organization.

3. Use data to inform the “why” behind your approach.

“If you don’t know the ‘why’ behind a project you’re working on, you should pump the brakes and find out,” says Sellers.

Honestly, yeah. The biggest waste of marketing resources is doing things for no reason or with little value add. Stepping back to determine the ‘why’ helps you prioritize the actions and projects that will actually move the needle.

goal-setting tip from Amanda Sellers, manager of EN blog strategy at HubSpot, If you don’t know the ‘why’ behind a project you’re working on, you should pump the brakes and find out.

Sellers also notes the importance of data during the goal-setting process.

“Historical data is so important when estimating impact to set goals. If you don’t have historical data, seek out a case study. Either of these options are better than an uninformed guess.”

*mic drop*

4. Try not to limit yourself to what feels possible today.

This is one of my favorite tips because it tells me it’s okay to think big even when resources seem limited.

Basha Coleman, principal marketing manager at HubSpot, says, “Don‘t assume that something can’t be done. Challenge yourself to work through the obstacles to achieve as close to the ideal solution as possible.”

She continues, “Think about the problem and the ideal solution. Don‘t limit the solution to what’s possible today — think big, idealistic, and as if nothing is impossible. Then, once the solution is identified, figure out what you'd need to start, stop, or continue doing to get to that solution.

Those start, stop, and continue items are the detailed tactics you need to complete to achieve your goals.”

Go(al) for Gold

You’ve seen what other marketers’ goals look like this year, and you’ve heard from the pros on how to set your own. Let’s go — it’s time to tackle this thing we call marketing the right way.