I say this often … I’m a total process nerd. Show me your operations and process scopes. Walk me through your A-to-Z project management approach. Give me a peek into the tools and shortcuts you use to keep everything running smoothly. I want to know it all. That’s my favorite part of working on project management in marketing campaigns with big brands. They give me an insider look at their SOPs, marketing tools, and project management musts.
Here’s what I’ve learned about how top brands run campaigns on time and on budget.
Key Takeaways
- Process is everything. Without it, even great ideas stall
- The best tools are the ones your team uses well
- Budget control works best when it’s baked into your systems
- App security is a brand reputation issue
- Top team members protect their time and put it where it matters most
They have a strategic project management workflow
“Operations keeps the lights on, strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward.” ‒Joy Gumz, Director of Project Auditors, LLC.
It’s true.
The best content agencies and SaaS brands I’ve worked on marketing projects for always had:
- A heavily tested marketing project management plan
- Relevant project management marketing tools
- Marketing project management software
- Smart resource allocation
- A clear project schedule
- A clear project scope
Imagine trying to supply a hot unicorn tech company with 700+ blog articles without a project management workflow in place. 🙃
That was actually one of the biggest marketing projects I’ve ever worked on.
There’s no way we would’ve made it happen without cross-functional teams, a content plan, and agile project management.
The content agency I partnered with for this project showed us how to work in sprints. Their scopes of process outlined how to batch market research, content production, and submit deliverables. It was an exhaustive process, but the momentum and focus were worth it. Every person had a specific role and tasks assigned in their project management workspace:
- Account managers processed and divvied up content creation orders then assigned them to writers.
- Subject-matter expert writers researched, optimized, and formatted the content.
- Editors reviewed pieces against client guidelines and agency best marketing practices.
- And stagers uploaded the pieces to the client’s blog.
This continued in cycles until we delivered over 700 pieces. I believe it took us six months?
They try out a lot of marketing tools
Building a marketing tech stack isn’t a fast process.
Every project I’ve worked on has had a main project management tool and supportive marketing apps. But clients took their time landing on them.
One content agency I supported initially used MarketMuse for SEO, then switched to Clearscope, and ultimately chose Frase. For every tool in their stack, the team experimented with at least three apps before choosing a final option.
It’s not a budget thing. (Though that can be a factor.) CMOs actually dedicate 25% of their marketing expense budget to marketing technologies, says Benjamin Bloom, VP Analyst for Gartner Marketing.
“Tech investments are a priority for CMOs and proving their ROI is more crucial than ever,” Benjamin says.
For tools to add value, there needs to be team synergy and process flow. If a tool has glitches, extensive downtimes, or poor automation capabilities, it’s a goner.
Marketers MUST be able to seamlessly use:
- Social media marketing tools
- Project management software
- Marketing analytics tools
- Ad campaign managers
- Campaign launch tools
- Communications tools
- Content creation apps
- SEO marketing tools
- Blog planning tools
This is important because glitchy tools create annoying domino effects that affect the entire marketing department and the brand’s reputation. Project files disappear, project timelines get pushed, and then it’s a race to preserve customer trust.
The good news is that trusted marketing project management software apps can help team members build an impressive reputation.
If they’re using apps for their own digital marketing, they’ll publish more high-quality campaigns in a shorter time frame. If they’re using them to support other brands, they’ll impress clients with their well-oiled-machine-like approach.
They manage budgets like pros
Marketing teams have to juggle a lot that requires money. Campaigns across channels, teams in different time zones, vendor contracts, and constant shifting goals.
A spreadsheet and liquid cash aren’t enough to stay on budget and make sure deliverables get sent. Trust me.
In Paymo, you can track the profitability of each project and client.
The top-performing marketing teams and brands I work with lean on corporate credit cards with spend controls instead. They connect them directly to marketing project management software or spend platforms, so teams can:
- Get alerts or require approvals for high-ticket vendors or sensitive categories
- Track expenses in real-time (no more messy month-end surprises)
- Auto-categorize spend so it lines up with their budget
- Set clear spending limits by team or campaign
One B2B brand I supported used this to run multi-region campaigns without bottlenecks. Everyone had autonomy, but finance still had visibility. It was smooth, scalable, and fully integrated into their project management software and ERP.
Note that if you’re in a regulated industry, these setups come with built-in audit trails and permission settings, so you get compliance and speed.
They treat app security like a brand reputation issue (because it is)
Marketing teams handle a vast amount of sensitive information — including customer data, campaign assets, ad performance metrics, and internal strategy documents. It’s proprietary, valuable, and often confidential.
The top marketing teams I’ve worked with treat application security as a safeguard for their brand reputation.
If a marketing tool has shady permissions, weak data protection, or sketchy integrations, it’s out.
Your campaigns are only as secure as the apps you’re running them on. And when a breach happens, it’s not just IT’s problem, it’s everyone’s problem. Suddenly, the brand you’ve worked so hard to build looks careless.
Top teams vet the tools they use.
They work closely with IT or security to:
- Check for SOC 2 or ISO certifications (this means a third-party auditor has verified that the app has strict controls in place to protect data)
- Understand how customer and campaign data is stored and encrypted
- Review access controls
They audit everything.
When they’re using professional domain emails, they double-check that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are set up correctly to prevent spoofing. When they onboard a new app, they map out who has access and what data flows through it.
They know that one overlooked setting can open the door to a brand crisis. So they build secure systems that protect both their campaigns and their reputation.
They’re strategic with time (not just busy)
Every marketing team member is busy. That’s not what sets top performers apart.
What does? They’re intentional about how they spend time, and just as importantly, how they protect it.
The best teams I’ve worked with have a clear system for prioritizing projects and planning milestones.
Many use the Eisenhower Matrix.
They zoom out, look at the bigger picture, and ask:
- What’s urgent and important? (That’s a top priority, so they get it done now)
- What’s important but not urgent? (They plan it out and schedule it right)
- What’s urgent but not important? (They delegate it or automate it)
- What’s neither? (They cut it)
And the most important question: Where can we have the biggest impact with the time and people we have?
Then they map out realistic timelines — usually inside of a content calendar or Gantt charts. They know delays happen, feedback loops stretch, and creative work needs space to breathe so they build in buffer time.
And when a project does move fast, they use sprints to keep momentum high. (Remember, sprints let them focus on one thing at a time, assign roles clearly, and push work forward in structured, time-bound bursts.)
Wrap up
Top marketing teams and brands follow clear project management processes, vet tools before using them, manage budgets with visibility, secure every platform, and protect their team’s time.
If you want to run marketing campaigns that hit deadlines and stay on budget, don’t rely on hustle. Develop a repeatable project management system that fosters quality, speed, and clarity at every stage.
Feeling the itch to simplify your team’s workflow?
Try Paymo, an online platform built to help you manage tasks, track time, and schedule projects. Perfect for teams of up to 20. Here’s the app at a glance:
89
of 100
Pros
task management
native time tracking features, both automatic and manual
comprehensive set of project management features, e.g., Gantt charts, resource scheduling
project profitability
invoicing and expense management
Cons
some PM features may lack some personalization
the dashboard looks outdated
some users want the ability to import data from other systems
Start tracking your work time now!
FAQs
What is project management in marketing?
It’s how marketing teams plan, execute, and deliver campaigns without blowing budgets or burning out. It includes task tracking, timelines, approvals, resource allocation, and tool integration.
Why does project management matter in marketing?
Because great campaigns fall apart without structure. Marketing project management keeps everything moving, helps teams work together, and makes sure the strategy actually gets shipped.
Is Paymo a good project management software?
Yes! Paymo’s great for scheduling, task assignments, communication, and time tracking. It’s a good fit for small agencies, freelancers, and small businesses managing client work or internal projects.
What’s the difference between a marketing manager and a project manager?
A marketing manager focuses on strategy, messaging, and performance. A project manager keeps the timelines, digital tools, and teams on track. In small teams, one person might do both.
How do top teams avoid delays?
They plan in sprints, build in buffer time, and define clear roles. They also audit their tools and workflows often so nothing breaks mid-project.
Can marketing project management help with client work too?
Yes. Agencies and consultants rely on project management systems to handle client deliverables, track feedback, and scale without chaos.
Ryan Robinson
Author
Ryan Robinson. I'm a blogger, podcaster, and (recovering) side project addict who teaches 500,000 monthly readers how to start a blog and grow a profitable side business at ryrob.com.
Alexandra Martin
Editor
Drawing from a background in cognitive linguistics and armed with 10+ years of content writing experience, Alexandra Martin combines her expertise with a newfound interest in productivity and project management. In her spare time, she dabbles in all things creative.
