This is part one of a 12-part blog series on making the most of your marketing resource management (MRM) system. Take a second and subscribe to our blog for email updates as we unveil the rest of our series over the next few weeks!

Whether you call it a MRM, a marketing resource center, or something else entirely, all of these systems help companies accomplish a crucial goal: Better control over marketing efforts across multiple locations.

But as helpful as these tools are, they’re only as good as the managers and administrators that keep them running smoothly. Whether it’s keeping users engaged, updating products, or making improvements to the features users rely on most, managing a marketing platform effectively can be a big task.

That’s why we’ve put together a handy list of 12 best practices based on our own experiences with customized brand portals to help you better manage your own platform.

1: Make ongoing training a priority

Training is crucial when it comes to keeping end users engaged. Chances are, if they don’t know how to use it, they won’t.

If you haven’t launched yet, make sure you put a training program together to coincide with the rollout of your system. While it’s important to clearly show how the system works, don’t forget to demonstrate why it’s important from your end users’ perspective.

What do they stand to gain from using your system versus what they have already?

In addition to thorough training at kickoff, it’s equally important to offer follow-up sessions every so often along with additional instruction each time a new feature becomes available.

Video tutorials and webinars make great training resources since users can go back and review specific lessons whenever they want.

2: Get the word out about new products

Most end users have a lot on their plate as it is, so it’s important to get in their face when there’s important news about a new product offering or other development within the system.

Work with your provider to create a standard email template.

3: Review user roles and permissions quarterly

As the marketing hub of your organization, it’s important everyone has access to the materials they need, especially when changes are made or new users are brought on board.

Schedule quarterly review sessions to thoroughly audit and review user roles and permissions for everyone entered into the system. That way, you’ll be confident no one is being restricted from products they need, and similarly, no one is accessing anything they shouldn’t.

4: Review your active users list

Making sure your user base is current and up-to-date ensures everyone that needs access to the system has what they need. Review user lists quarterly and remove users who for whatever reason, no longer need access.

If you’ve made updates to the system, make sure your user groups are granted access to everything they need.

Additionally, new hires or users who have switched roles within your organization should be reviewed to make sure they have access and have been trained on the S4 Marketing Resource Center and its benefits.

5: Review your product catalog

Products are the most important part of any MRM system. Review your entire product catalog every quarter to make sure products are both up-to-date and still relevant to your end users.

If new products have recently made their way into the system, make sure they’ve been placed in the correct categories so users can find them without too much digging around.

To avoid headaches down the road, compare product usage levels to your current inventory and make stocking adjustments accordingly.

6: Add new items regularly

Keeping your system fresh encourages users to check back often.

If users know your marketing resource center is updated regularly, they’ll trust the site has what they need when they need it. The more actively you manage it, the more actively they’ll use it.

7: Gather user feedback

If you’re struggling to get people using your platform, it’s important to understand how their experience could be improved and make adjustments accordingly.

Ask for feedback regularly and create an open line of communication for those who wish to voice their opinions even if they’re not prompted to do so.

Create a communication process solely for support and administer surveys regularly to understand what’s working and what’s not.

8: Listen to feedback

Give your end users a genuine sense of ownership over the system by asking them what new features and products they’d like to see.

Create an environment where your end users feel comfortable and empowered to make suggestions that might ultimately turn into real development projects throughout the system.

9: Update your landing page regularly

Your landing page is the first part of your system end users see and as such, should be used to promote new products, features, and news.

10. Encourage users to share good experiences with one another

End users typically place a lot of trust in each other’s opinions, so the more internal conversations you can facilitate, the better.

If your system allows reviews on product pages, make sure this feature is enabled to let users tell others about their good experiences with certain products as well as give first-hand tips on how to use them effectively.

11. Shadow end users

Take the time to sit down with users to understand how they use the site firsthand.

This is by far the best way to see what features are used most and which tend to be ignored or underappreciated.

12: Give feedback to your service provider so improvements can be made

Here at Suttle-Straus, we rely on our clients to tell us what’s working and what kinks need to be worked out.

We’re always looking for new ways to engage users, streamline features and add new abilities to our customized brand portals. Be sure to sit down with your service provider to review user feedback, suggestions and ideas for improvement.

Want to see a customized brand portal in action? We’d love to show you the ropes. Click here to schedule a free demo today.