1. Built, not planned: systems not working together
Over time, marketing teams collect tools, and it’s amazing how often they don’t talk to each other. Data lives in different places. Tasks fall between the gaps. Work gets repeated.
This isn’t just inefficient – it’s frustrating. Reporting takes longer. Collaboration gets messy. And the team spends more time managing tools than doing meaningful work.
Sustainable marketing means reducing waste – including wasted time and effort. When systems are connected and purposeful, the team can focus on what matters.
2. Work processes haven’t been defined or documented
Without clear processes, the team fills the gaps however they can – usually with spreadsheets, emails, and memory. People develop their own way of doing things and little is standardised.
This makes delivery slower and harder to manage. Tasks fall through the cracks, tracking progress is difficult, and new team members struggle to get up to speed.
Sustainable marketing depends on consistency and clarity. Defined processes save time and normally deliver better quality results.
3. Roles and responsibilities haven’t been clearly defined
When it’s not clear who owns what, it can be much harder to collaborate effectively. Tasks get duplicated or delayed. Decisions take longer and meetings turn into status updates.
It’s frustrating for everyone – and it slows the work down. People spend more time coordinating than delivering.
Sustainable marketing relies on focus and accountability. Clear roles help the team work with more purpose and less friction.
4. The team is reactive and firefighting
Requests come in from all directions. Priorities change daily. The team is busy – but always on the back foot. There’s no time to plan or think ahead, only to keep up. This kind of pace isn’t just exhausting – it’s unsustainable. Important work gets delayed or rushed. Strategic thinking falls off the agenda.
Sustainable marketing requires space – to focus, reflect, and make deliberate choices. Without it, the team is always moving, but rarely moving forward.
5. No shared definition of success
Everyone’s working hard – but towards what? Without a clear and shared view of what success looks like, people can end up pulling in different directions.
It creates confusion, duplication, and missed opportunities. Progress is hard to measure.
Sustainable marketing aligns effort with purpose. When goals are clear and shared, the team can make better decisions and deliver work that actually moves the business forward.