Coach Cubas' Commentary   December 2005                                       

Building In-House Entrepreneurial Creative Functions                 

With all the chatter about out-sourcing, here are several insights about building in-house

creative functions. This can be helpful for the entrepreneur/intrapreneur (within a company),

one or many, in your sphere of influence.

Here are a few questions to consider for building in-house creative:

•What is the scope of projects the creative marketing services division will produce?

•Being that marketing is a non-revenue producing area (try generating sales without it!),

what is a realistic division budget encompassing vendors, outsourcing, etc.?

(A guideline would be 5-8% of their sales for marketing.)

•What are the clear expectations and objectives of the "originator"

(the person who thought this was a great idea), your client, a colleague?

Decide what's at stake from all positions. That will support your budget decisions, too.

•Consider how important web marketing experience will be and if you have to hire talent

rather than do it yourself.

•What communication and organizational talents do you possess?

Is there a need to supplement this base?

•Do the principals (communication style issues) want a hands-on type, a delegator, consultant?

This relates to the energy of the company culture.

•What are the company values? Independence? Integrity? Ingenuity? Open communications?

These will drive the selection to select team members.

•What leadership style is valued? Who is held in high esteem?

This person must build a team ground up and will have to set the "vision" for everyone else to achieve.