Read time: 10 minutes
Marketing is challenging at the best of times, and this becomes even tougher when the modern always-on generation is increasingly facing marketing burnout.
And this is no surprise when the average day requires you to juggle social media, emails, adverts, content creation, engagement, data analytics, click-through rates, meetings, lead generation and more.
As a result, the marketing industry experiences the highest burnout rate of any industry, with a staggering 83.3% of marketers reporting burnout at some stage in their professional careers.
On top of this, over half (57%) of marketers aged 25 to 34 are already concerned that they may burnout in their current role.
It’s clear that is a real threat, not just to professionals themselves, but to their lead generation efforts and the overall success of their marketing strategy.
Does any of this sound familiar?
If you think you or a member of your team might be suffering from marketing burnout, don’t let your lead generation strategy suffer. We’re going to look at the key signs of burnout and some of the top causes, as well as how to tackle this issue in your organisation to ensure your lead generation strategy isn't neglected.
What is marketing burnout and how to recognise the signs
Marketing burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion as a result of ongoing exposure to digital devices and platforms. It can also be caused by juggling too many tasks and managing multiple disciplines across your marketing strategy.
This burnout can lead to a drop in creativity and productivity, as well as dissatisfaction at work and a decrease in your overall wellbeing. Some of the other symptoms include mental fatigue, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating and detachment from your job.
The key challenges causing marketing burnout
If you're experiencing any of the symptoms above, there could be some key reasons behind this. Marketing professionals are faced with a number of challenges on a daily basis, and these include:
Constant connectivity and screen fatigue
The expectation to always be available can be very stressful, leading to increased anxiety, whether that’s on email, social media, CRM or any other platform.
Two-thirds (66%) of marketers say they're burnt out from notification fatigue, with 53.2% saying fewer notifications would alleviate their stress.
This pressure for constant connectivity involves prolonged screen time, which can have both a mental and physical impact on your health and wellbeing.
On top of that, it’s likely that you still use many of these digital platforms when you go home in your ‘downtime’ which can make it even harder to disconnect from digital media in general, leading to a poor work-life balance.
As marketers, even in our downtime on digital platforms, we’re often thinking about how to integrate what we see into our work. That’s why putting the devices away can be crucial. Constant connectivity can slow down creativity - and the blue light isn’t great for your sleep!
- Holly Jones, Marketing Manager
Multitasking and multiple meetings
The constant switching between tasks on digital platforms and juggling ad-hoc projects can decrease your focus and efficiency.
Plus, the need to attend meetings, answer emails and stay connected is increasing stress and resulting in a lack of time for focused work.
This is why over three-quarters (76.6%) of marketing professionals agree that more time for focused work would alleviate their burnout.
Hitting a creative wall
In order to keep engaging your target audience and generating leads, you must keep creating fresh content. This can be tricky, with many marketers hitting a creative wall as a result of burnout.
Today’s consumers are also facing digital burnout after being bombarded with content and quite literally thousands of marketing materials every day. This makes it even harder for you to grab their attention, piling on the pressure.
And as if that wasn't enough, you have to generate fun, engaging content across a whole range of platforms, from Facebook and Instagram to emails, blog posts, news stories and more.
Unrealistic expectations and targets
Marketing professionals are only human and yet, because you work with so many digital platforms you're expected to achieve big engagement and generate plenty of qualified leads. The amount of data collection and analytical tools available means it's possible to keep tracking metrics and comparing campaigns.
This can lead to unrealistic expectations and in many cases, becoming addicted to getting these results at any cost, including sacrificing your work-life balance and wellbeing.
When there are unrealistic expectations and targets it will effect creativity so it’s important to manage expectations with stakeholders - communicate what’s realistically achievable within your resources and timeframe.
- Holly Jones, Marketing Manager
Marketers faced with budgetary constraints can also find themselves being expected to do more with less whilst still achieving big results. This can lead to increased pressure, stress and eventual burnout.
Specialisms aren't what they used to be
Even those in specialist roles, with a clear area of focus, find themselves diversifying their tasks more and more. Especially as the lines between different specialisms are increasingly blurred. A content marketer might find themselves delving into SEO strategies, while a social media manager could be tasked with data analytics. This constant need to wear multiple hats can lead to a dilution of expertise and, ultimately, contribute to marketing burnout in lead generation.
As the demands of the industry evolve, so too must our skill sets. However, this constant adaptation can be exhausting. The pressure to stay ahead of trends, master new tools, and juggle various responsibilities can take a toll on even the most dedicated professionals. It's no longer enough to be an expert in one area; we must be proficient in many.
And when specialists are spread too thin, the quality of work can suffer, leading to less effective campaigns and, ultimately, fewer leads. It's a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break, but recognising the signs of marketing burnout and addressing them head-on is crucial for maintaining a healthy, productive team.
How this burnout is impacting your lead generation strategy
Most obviously, marketers who are burnt out, tired, and facing poor work-life balance will be less focused when designing and implementing lead generation strategies. This lack of focus can lead to mistakes, missed opportunities, and a general decline in the quality of work produced. When creativity and strategic thinking are compromised, the effectiveness of campaigns diminishes, resulting in fewer leads and lower conversion rates.
Moreover, those who are constantly hampered by notifications, meetings, and the need to juggle multiple platforms can quickly become overwhelmed. This state of overwhelm can cause them to hit that metaphorical creative wall, where innovative ideas and fresh approaches become scarce. The inability to think outside the box or come up with new strategies can stagnate your lead generation efforts, making it harder to stand out in a crowded market.
A steady stream of relevant and engaging content is crucial for attracting and converting your target audience. However, when marketers are stretched too thin, the quality and consistency of content can suffer. This inconsistency can confuse or disengage potential leads, reducing the overall effectiveness of your campaigns.
Recommended reading: 5 lead generation campaign headaches (And how to fix them)
Additionally, the constant juggling of tasks, platforms, and ad-hoc projects leaves less time for marketers to focus on their core lead generation strategies. This distraction can lead to a reactive rather than proactive approach, where marketers are constantly putting out fires instead of strategically planning and executing campaigns.
On top of all that, managing large volumes of data is crucial for lead generation, particularly the need to utilise intent data. This data helps in understanding potential leads' behaviours and preferences, allowing for more targeted and effective campaigns. However, the sheer volume of data and the need to manage multiple digital tools and platforms can add to the workload, creating additional pressure and negatively impacting your team and lead generation strategy.
In essence, marketing burnout can lead to a vicious cycle where decreased productivity and creativity result in less effective lead generation efforts, which in turn increases stress and burnout. Recognising and addressing these issues is essential for maintaining a healthy, productive team and a successful lead generation strategy.
What can you do to tackle the growing threat of burnout and ensure successful lead generation?
In order to address marketing burnout - and protect the wellbeing of your team - don’t suffer any further, there are some key approaches you can take.
Audit your current marketing practices and adjust accordingly
You need to audit your current strategies to identify any areas that may be contributing to burnout.
For example, are you using one platform to gather intent data, another to analyse it, three separate tools for generating and scheduling social media content and a CRM to try and keep sales and marketing aligned?
Juggling all these tasks and different platforms cuts down on your focused work time and negatively impacts your lead generation campaigns. So, make sure to streamline your processes and platforms as much as possible.
Implementing small changes can feel less overwhelming. For example, with emails, instead of deleting irrelevant ones one by one, it's better to unsubscribe from those you know won’t be useful. This prevents future clutter and reduces the stress of managing unread emails.
- Holly Jones, Marketing Manager
It’s also a good idea to educate your marketing team about the perils and causes of burnout and the importance of mindful marketing practices whenever possible.
Regularly assessing your processes and monitoring the impact of your changes will allow you to adjust your strategies where necessary based on feedback and results.
Leverage automation wisely
By automating routine marketing tasks as much as possible, you can free up precious time and avoid having to flit from platform to platform. This also creates space for creativity and planning, which can make your lead generation strategy more robust and effective.
Just ensure that any automated tools you use, particularly for data collection, analysis and content creation, enhance the user experience and your marketing efforts, rather than making it feel impersonal or spammy.
It’s also important to choose tools that are user-friendly and easy to navigate, as a simple user experience can reduce frustration and screen fatigue within your team.
Encourage digital detoxes and time for focused work
Many marketing professionals say they don’t have enough focused time to work as they jump from platform to platform. So it’s a good idea to block out dedicated time to focus on your lead generation tactics and content.
This could be a few hours or a few days where you block out time on your calendar and stress that you're not to be disturbed by meetings, calls or any other ad-hoc projects (unless absolutely necessary).
And though it might feel like pretty much every task involves some sort of screen or digital platform, it’s important to encourage breaks from this. Incorporating offline tasks into your weekly routine allows you a break and the chance to get creative.
For example, setting up in-person team meetings away from the computer (if possible) to share ideas for creative content, lead generation campaigns or clever ways to use data to engage your target audience.
Prioritise quality over quantity with your content
Finally, in order to generate higher-quality leads, you need to focus on creating content that provides genuine value to your audience.
Although it seems like you need to be constantly sharing in this digital world, high-quality, well-researched content is far more likely to engage your audience than simply sharing a high volume of mediocre content.
As part of this, you should create and share content that educates and informs, rather than just promoting your products or services. This helps to build trust and long-term engagement with your brand.
Consider how you're utilising intent data to personalise your messages; tailored content is more likely to resonate with your audience and reduce the feeling of information overload.
By using these techniques to address marketing burnout and getting the right strategies in place to allow for more focused data analysis and content creation, you can create a healthier, more supportive environment conducive to better work and superior lead generation.
