Marketing Department Field Guide
The Marketing team operates as one department and is organized by the following teams: Growth Marketing, Marketing Communications, Creative Direction, and our Marketing Services. This page documents our shared team philosophy and processes, while the individual department handbooks contain more detailed information.
Purpose-Driven Marketing Department
The purpose of our department is to support company goals:
- 12,000 seat count
- Position ourselves as a tech-enabled company
- Be visible in relevant target markets
We do this by growing our customer base, attracting the best talent, and increasing brand awareness in all our target markets. Our purpose is to connect great talent with great professional opportunities across the entire organization and empower our people to grow professionally, maximize performance, and bring unique value in support of company goals.
Marketing Alignment
As the Marketing Department is focused on supporting the company goals, our strategies are built around the customer journey. The journey’s purpose is to help us create cohesive experiences across channels and in different stages of Awareness, Interest, Intent, Consideration, Decision, and Loyalty.
Each stage has a purpose which is the guiding indicator for the marketing team to measure our success. Everything the team plans and executes in the short and long term will revolve around the customer journey, and we will also measure our success along each step to hold ourselves accountable.
Because we are a purpose-driven department we must evaluate requests that may not align with our core activities in order to maintain focus on top priority initiatives. While we wish we could fulfill every request, we are of limited resources and must make decisions that best support the marketing and company goals. Certain requests will be escalated to the Marketing Management Team and will be taken under advisement. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Campaigns
- Events
- Any public media appearances
- New website requests and existing website changes
- Product launches and development
- Channel creation
- Videos
Marketing Department Structure
Our Marketing Management Team:
- VP of Marketing, Gena Mann
- Head of Growth Marketing, Ryan Mann
- Head of Marketing Communications, Sandra Leon
- Head of Creative Direction, Donovan Bennett
- Head of Marketing Services, Juan Gomez
Marketing Goals and Objectives
Our goals and objectives begin with the company’s goals and objectives. Our department goals cascade down from the company goals and inform our marketing plans on an annual basis. Each team in the department has their own SMART goals that cascade down from the department goals that are evaluated on a quarterly basis.
Marketing Plans
To view Marketing Plans for 2023 see the links below:
How We Work
We operate as one team - not as individuals or departments. We work together in all things to support company goals and objectives, approaching each person with mutual RESPECT and open collaboration.
Values
- Respect
- Collaboration
- Accountability
- Communication
Marketing Teams
- Growth Marketing
- Marketing Communications
- Creative Direction
- Marketing Services
Team Meeting Cadence
Monthly Marketing All Hands (All Marketing Team Members)
Goal: Align all Marketing team members on activities in progress to achieve our goals and update the team on cross-functional items.
The meeting is 50 minutes and runs as follows:
- Always begin by welcoming our newest GitLab Marketing Team Members
- VP of Marketing Top of Mind (5 items per month)
- ~20 minutes of Marketing Leadership sharing updates
- ~20 of either marketing team member updates (to be added during the call for items announcement prior) or special guest from another Lean Solutions Group department
- Celebrate well-deserved shout outs, promotions, and employee of the month winner
- The remaining time for Q&A and most importantly…recognition!
All team members are encouraged to bring forward discussion topics that they want to share with the team or to have covered during the call.
Quarterly VP of Marketing Q&A (One Session for Each Department)
Goal: Provide the team with a smaller forum to ask any questions they may have, offer feedback, and brainstorm ideas directly with the VP of Marketing.
Monthly Business Review (Each Team with Their Leader)
Goal: Review the results of the team’s activities as they relate to the team KPIs, SMART goals, and company goals. Identify opportunities to pivot and problem solve to get on track quickly if performance is low.
Weekly VP of Marketing Direct Reports Team Meetings (Each Manager with Their Direct Team)
Goal: Foster an environment to empower managers overseeing different functions to collaborate and share ideas and feedback. Visibility and Roadblocks.
Weekly Direct Reports Meetings (Each Manager with Their Direct Reports)
Goal: For managers to work with direct reports on removing roadblocks, brainstorming, coaching, and providing/receiving feedback.
Weekly Direct Reports Meetings (Each Manager with Their Direct Reports)
Goal: Meeting to develop the strategic plans for the entire marketing organization in early September with team leaders and their direct reports.
Contact Marketing
Getting Help by Topic
General Questions
VP of Marketing Requests
Social Requests
Blog Post Requests
Media Requests
Sales Collateral Requests