WHAT IS THE HUB AND SPOKE METHOD?

The hub and spoke model refers to an organizational method where a centralized “hub” exists, resembling the spherical shape of a bicycle wheel. The model optimizes the flow of communications, data, and distribution of tasks and facilitates collecting and sharing measurable results.

WHY?

The hub and spoke method help to eliminate a state of confusion within a group.

We’ve all heard the saying, “The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.” The Farlex dictionary offers the following definition: In a situation or setting in which people are working together, certain people in the organization are ignorant of the actions of certain other people in the organization, leading to dysfunction (The Free Dictionary, 2015).

The hub and spoke method improves communication and simplifies the development and execution of campaign objectives across multiple departments. The central connectivity shortens the time frame for brainstorming campaigns, assigning tactics, and sharing results.

Older models experience costly time delays and miscommunications. In today’s fast-paced environment, digital marketing individuals need to be plugged into a central hub to succeed. With multiple departments connected to the same hub, campaigns can be managed holistically, adjusting to real-time data, engaging more deeply with followers. The result will be a unified, measurable, integrated marketing campaign.

The hub also provides direct channels when issues arise. When a problem is identified, the hub is immediately notified directly, and an action plan is quickly implemented across multiply channels. The resulting reports are similarly compiled and shared, keeping all departments abreast.

WHO?

Team Leader

THE HUB is the Marketing Director and Point of Contact

The Team

THE SPOKES draw together the Team of Experts that make up the Integrated Marketing Mix, including:

  • Organic Content Creators
  • Paid Advertising Media Buyers
  • Social Media Managers
  • Search Engine Optimization Experts
  • Email Marketers
  • Traditional Advertising Specialists
  • Public Relations Specialists
Marketing Hub

HOW & WHERE?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platforms

Once you have outlined your hub and spokes, you are ready to research and choose a customer relationship management platform that best serves your needs. A robust CRM platform is not essential for a new business, but as you grow, you will want to put automated systems into place that fit within your budget.

According to Salesforce, Fifty-six percent of business leaders admit that organizational silos negatively impact the quality of their customers’ and prospects’ experiences. Information silos are a huge problem, but a shared platform and process for managing customer relationships across functions can really help. A CRM solution helps you focus on your organization’s relationships with individual people — including customers, service users, colleagues, or suppliers (Salesforce, 2022).

Here are some popular CMS platforms that centralize and streamline the marketing process:

  • Hubspot.com
  • Monday.com
  • Semrush.com
  • Salesforce.com

For more details, Noah Landsberg at Influencer Marketing Hub shares a great article that breaks down his best marketing platform picks for 2022. https://influencermarketinghub.com/content-marketing-platforms/

With your hub and spoke in mind, choose the best option for your needs.

References:
The Free Dictionary by Farlex. (2015). https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/the+left+hand+doesn%27t+know+what+the+right+hand+is+doing. Farlex, Inc.
Salesforce. (2022). CRM 101: What is CRM? https://www.salesforce.com/crm/what-is-crm/
Landsberg, Noah. (Dec, 2021). Best Content Marketing Platforms For 2022. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/content-marketing-platforms/