The marketing landscape is highly dynamic and fast-paced, and ensuring that projects are delivered on time, within scope, and with high-quality outcomes is no small feat. Project managers are at the heart of those marketing organizations that handle these complexities most seamlessly, and those with a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification bring a unique edge. The PMP certification, offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), is a globally recognized credential that signifies expertise in managing projects using industry-standard methodologies and tools.
We sat down with four of our PMP-certified leaders at Coegi—Patricia Branson, SVP of Business Operations; Ali Zadel, Senior Director of Business Operations; Michelle Lugria, Project Manager Supervisor; and Gabrielle Bretz, Project Management Supervisor—to discuss the tangible value their certification brings to our client work. In this Q&A, they share their insights into how structured project management elevates client satisfaction, team collaboration, and campaign outcomes.
Q: How has PMP certification helped you manage marketing projects more effectively?
Patricia Branson: The PMP framework encourages a proactive mindset. It ensures we’re asking the right questions at every stage of a project—from defining what “completion” means for both the internal team and the client to addressing risks before they escalate. While we already had strong processes, PMP certification gave us a refined structure for planning, monitoring, and closing projects. Beyond campaigns, it has even improved how we handle internal initiatives, like rolling out new technologies or working with large-scale vendors.
Q: What project management methodologies do you find most effective for marketing, and how does PMP training influence your approach?
Gabrielle Bretz: The methodology we use depends entirely on the project. For example, traditional approaches work well for campaigns with clear timelines and deliverables, while agile or hybrid methods are better for projects with a lot of unknowns. The PMP certification has given us the ability to customize these methodologies, tailoring them to the specific needs of each client and campaign.
Q: How does structured project management improve client relationships and campaign success?
Michelle Lugria: Structure allows us to focus on the details that might otherwise be overlooked, freeing up the rest of the team to concentrate on other areas of expertise like strategy and client relationships. PMP principles help us outline all tasks, ensuring every stakeholder knows their role and expectations. This structure minimizes miscommunication and keeps everything running smoothly, resulting in higher client satisfaction.
Q: Can you share a specific example where PMP certification helped you overcome a major challenge?
Ali Zadel: We were vetting a new tech vendor for a project in a new discipline for our agency. Instead of diving into endless calls, my PMP training prompted me to create a scope statement first. This clarified our goals and saved countless hours by eliminating vendors that didn’t align with our needs. It streamlined the entire process and ensured we stayed focused on what mattered most.
Michelle Lugria: For a large client project with many moving parts, I relied heavily on the PMP framework to keep details organized. The project management plan served as a “guiding light,” allowing the team to stay aligned and address any new developments efficiently.
Q: How do you balance the creative aspects of marketing with the structure PMP emphasizes?
Ali Zadel: One misconception about PMP is that it prioritizes rigidity over flexibility. In reality, the certification emphasizes tools like agile project management, which focuses on delivering what’s most valuable to the client first. Additionally, it encourages teams to document lessons learned, creating a repository of insights we can draw on to improve future campaigns.
Q: How has PMP certification improved collaboration and communication?
Gabrielle Bretz: PMP training has introduced us to tools like the stakeholder register, which centralizes information about everyone involved in a project—their influence, communication preferences, and expectations. This ensures that communication is tailored and efficient. It also empowers teams to align internally and externally, reducing confusion and improving outcomes.
Q: How do PMP principles help with risk management?
Patricia Branson: Risk management is an integral part of our approach. PMP training sharpened our ability to identify potential risks early and create contingency plans. For example, our extensive QA process ensures human error and technical glitches are minimized. The certification has taken our risk mitigation strategies to a new level of precision and detail.
Q: What’s the biggest professional benefit you’ve gained from PMP certification?
Ali Zadel: For me, it was learning to embrace servant leadership. As a project manager, my job is to clear obstacles so my team can focus on doing their best work. PMP reinforced the importance of relying on the expertise of those actually executing the tasks.
Gabrielle Bretz: It gave us a shared language and framework across the organization. Now, we’re more aligned in how we approach projects, and I feel more confident in my ability to manage complex initiatives.
Final Thoughts
Having PMP-certified project managers on your marketing team isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a strategic advantage. From improving communication and collaboration to enhancing risk management and client satisfaction, PMP training equips our team to deliver exceptional results consistently. If you’re looking for a partner who takes marketing campaign management to the next level, you’ve found it.
