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Hello my friends! We’re back with our weekly(ish) Marketing Snack newsletter 🥳

Almost every Thursday, we’ll send you an addictive, bite-sized (😉) insight from brilliant marketers we love. Something you can sink your teeth into that’s tactical and actionable – that you can read in 3 minutes or less.

Let’s get snackin’ 👇

📒 How to build a playbook (and make your life easier)

If you do something at least once a quarter, you should build a playbook for it.

As a marketer this will make your life 10x easier – we're constantly juggling a million things, and trying to remember every single little detail just sets you up to miss something.

When you’re ready to scale your team or outsource, the playbook becomes your MVP. Instead of spending hours training someone, you’ll already have everything documented.

It’s *almost* like cloning yourself :)

Here's what it is, why you need them, and how to build one:

What is a playbook?

A playbook is an internal how-to guide—a simple, repeatable framework that captures how a specific process is run. Think of it as the ultimate “brain saver” for you and your team.

Why do you need one?

Two main reasons:

Ease your cognitive load: Your brain can handle about 4-7 things at a time before you start dropping balls. If you’re keeping steps and details only in your head, you’re setting yourself up to miss something critical.

Set the stage for scalability: Whether it’s onboarding a new hire, outsourcing to a freelancer, or just covering for you when you’re out, having a detailed playbook eliminates guesswork. It’s plug-and-play for anyone stepping into the process.

How to build your playbook in 4 steps

1. Start with the objective. What’s the purpose of this process? Write a one-sentence statement that clearly defines what the playbook is meant to achieve.
   
   
2. Outline the process overview. Give a short narrative summary—just a paragraph or two—that explains the flow of the process. This high-level view is especially helpful if you’re passing it off to someone unfamiliar.
   
   
3. Define roles and responsibilities. List out who’s involved and their key responsibilities. This doesn’t need to be overly detailed—just enough to clarify who’s doing what and when.
   
   
4. Create a checklist. This is where the magic happens. Document every step in the process in sequential order. Include details like:
   
   1. Timing for each step
   2. Any tools, templates, or resources needed
   3. Notes or tips to avoid common pitfalls

Build the checklist as you execute the process—it’ll help you catch all the little details you might otherwise forget. 

Here's a simple example of our checklist for Exit Five Live sessions:

What tools do you need?

Don’t overcomplicate it. A Google Sheet, Notion template, or even a simple doc can work.

You want to make something you'll actually use – it doesn't have to be fancy or pretty.

P.S. I don't usually use my LinkedIn posts as the base for these newsletters, but this one on playbooks really struck a nerve (in a good way).

Do you use playbooks? What do you use them for? We're thinking of turning this into a longer form article on our website, and I'd love to get some examples/tips from you!

Just reply to this email to chat.

💪 The Skill That Separates Good Marketers from Great Ones

It’s not sexy. It’s not “AI” driven. It’s *definitely* not something you’re taught as a marketer.

But it has a huge impact on your success: project management.

If you:

• Often see your carefully planned campaigns derailed by “urgent” requests
• Constantly feel like you’re always working, but never making real progress
• Feel like you start out with a great strategy, but get lost in the chaos of execution

You’re not alone – I’ve been there, Dave’s been there, every marketer we know has been there.

But every great marketer figures it out, and we’ve got a resource to help you learn the basics.

Our friends at Tenon put together a Guide to Campaign Confetti that will teach you the foundations of marketing work management.

Grab a free copy here.

Join us in Exit Five

Because no one goes to school for B2B marketing. 

We have a private community + content site for marketing pros like you and me if you’re looking for a peer group and discussion forum to help you grow your career in B2B marketing.

Get feedback, campaign ideas, browse templates, videos, guides, get recommendations on agencies and vendors, find contractors and freelancers, vent about your boss, find new jobs and more.

We have a 7 day free trial so you can join 100% risk free. 

Thanks to our friends over at Knak for being our 2024 newsletter sponsor.

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