Those with marketing careers come from all different backgrounds, and not everyone starts in the same place. Whether you are a seasoned professional or in the middle of a career change , the qualities of a good marketer can be both natural or intuitive, as well as learned.
The core of marketing is based on relationship building and maintaining skills. Marketers are trusted by their clients and customers to do a number of tasks, from brand management to customer engagement and even industry research.
So what skills and qualities make a good marketer ? Read on to find out.
Interpersonal SkillsAs a marketer, your ability to create and grow relationships is a top priority. Your relationship with your client extends to not only different members on their staff, but also to their customers and even competitors.
It’s necessary for you to have the communications skills and social awareness to be able to work well with others in a team and to fully understand the needs of your client’s business. Having an outgoing and friendly persona is a plus, as well as the ability to really listen to others and be receptive to advice or take initiative in problem solving.
Storytelling
In today’s age, it’s no longer feasible to simply put a product in the face of a prospective customer and expect them to buy it. Your ability to understand and illustrate the story
of a company and build a relationship between a brand and its target audience is key to customer engagement and growth.
Consider movie trailers before the release of an upcoming film. These previews only have a short amount of time to get the main points of the film’s plot across to viewers and draw in an audience when it’s time for theatrical release.
A well-designed movie trailer finds a way to make an emotional and relatable connection with a viewer so that they look forward to seeing the movie at the first chance they get. This sort of experience couldn’t be done by just a movie poster or seeing one interview with an actor. It’s the strength of experiencing the story that builds anticipation and attracts audiences.
As a marketer, consider the difference between speaking at a potential customer and speaking to a potential customer. When you’re trying to tell a good story, you’re trying to not only connect, but entertain by keeping your brand at the forefront. You need to utilize not only your personality, but all the different content building tools you have at your disposal.
Creativity If you’ve always had a creative streak in you, then marketing may be a path you’ve already started to carve out. The best marketers are able to think outside the box and tackle hurdles and problems thrown at them with exciting and unique ideas.
As a marketer, you need to set your client’s business apart from its competitors. This means grasping the different strategies used by the competition and figuring out a way to stay ahead of the game. A lot of times, this also has to do with staying abreast of current events, issues, and pop culture.
In 2017, we saw the possibility of national monuments losing their designation in return for potential commercial opportunities on public lands. When this happened, Patagonia, known not only its outdoor clothing and gear lines, but also for its environmental conservation and philosophy, aired its first-ever television commercial to illustrate the importance of protecting these lands.
Although a television commercial isn’t anything new, the way this company used this method is. They brought attention to not only their brand, but also the importance of corporate responsibility and caring for the environment. This resonated with a lot of Patagonia customers and others who fight for the same cause.
No matter what market you are in, it’s likely for there to be a lot of competition and noise that can hold you back from standing out. Keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s currently going on in the world and how you can relate the values of your company to your customers will keep your creative juices continually flowing.
Technical TrendsThe marketing world is equipped with not only all sorts of ways to streamline the way we do business, but also in how we communicate our business. With the rise of social media platforms and the ease of independent content creation, not staying on top of these concepts could mean you’re behind the curve of everyone else.
Keeping up to date on the type of content that’s being put out there on your market should already be one of your daily tasks. What you also need to fully grasp is where that content is occuring. It can be anywhere from new YouTube video features, to Twitter conversations, or even online reviews.
Being aware of evolving technology coupled with traditional marketing strategies is a powerful force. For example, understanding how search engine optimization works will easily make you a better marketer, and grasping the power of online reviews and managing your client’s online reputation will lead to stronger customer engagement.
At times, the idea of maximizing your marketing career may seem like you’re evolving into more of an account manager role. And that’s okay. Don’t forget that as the marketing industry evolves, as well as the tools that are available, marketers these days are encompassing the skills they need to make their clients stand out and be more successful.
ConclusionGrasping and building upon the above skills is a great way to grow your marketing career into 2018. Anything from technological advancements to social and cultural changes can impact the way we market today. Issues such as privacy, artificial intelligence capabilities, the use of live video, and even targeting the millennial demographic, can completely change the landscape of marketing.
Building your skills is a full-time everyday habit, but helping your company stay competitive will lead to loyal customers and a strong impactful brand.
Misty Jhones