When I tell people that I work in marketing, I usually expand on that with a generic explanation like I write blogs, website content, and manage social media for several brands. Immediately I get a response along the lines of, “so, you get paid to play around on the internet all day?”
Yes. Sort of. But not really.
Marketing isn’t as simple as it sounds, and it’s probably one of the most undervalued but cultivating tech careers out there. Believe it or not, websites don’t just magically show up on the first page of a Google search, and the information you’re reading online isn’t all written by robots. So, with that said, here are the skills marketers need to kill it this year!
Top Six Skills Marketers Need to be Successful
1. You should be good at reading people
When you’re trying to lead people to your brand, you have to be good at knowing their triggers. In other words, you have to understand who your audience is and what they want. Marketing is often the process of leading someone on a personal journey to where they finally decide on your brand. That’s why reading people and building relationships is one of the most important skills marketers need to kill it this year.
2. You should be even better at communicating with them
Once you understand who your audience is, the next step is knowing exactly how to communicate with them to get them to do what you want them to. Keep in mind that there are many forms of communication – emails, blogs, newsletters – are all written forms. But there are also other ways to communicate with your audiences such as videos, podcasts, and infographics.
3. Technology is your best friend
Technology is your best friend if you want to kill it in marketing going forward. Technology is constantly evolving and so should your technical skills! If you don’t know how to make a video or take a stellar photograph, take a class. If you’ve never recorded and edited audio (like in a podcast) try it out! Also keep in mind how the technology works, and how your audience might be using it. For example, it’s not enough to think of keywords in the context of a Google search. You now have to consider that your audience is asking Alexa or Siri questions about where to find travel nursing jobs or the highest paying trucking positions.
4. Content creation is key… so you better be creative
Just because technology is taking over doesn’t mean that some good, old-fashioned writing skills can be tossed to the side. Writing and content creation is still one of the key skills marketers need. In fact, blog writing is getting more and more technical and competitive. It’s not enough to write a fluff piece of 500 words and slap it online. Now, research, interviews, and in-depth content are killing it. This means that you better be creative if you want to succeed as a marketer. Like I said above, it’s also very important to think of content creation outside of the written medium.
5. It’s your job to make boring data interesting
Data… statistics… zzz.
Let’s face it. Numbers can be extremely boring, especially for creative writers and those artsy types that are typically drawn to marketing careers. However, data is powerful, especially if it’s specific to your brand. It’s your job as a marketer to pay attention to granular details and find a way to use it to your advantage. Yes, this might mean working with numbers. I know, you’re rolling your eyes. However, with the right presentation, even the dullest of data can be interesting.
6. If you’re lazy… bye!
If you don’t want to work hard and fast, don’t pursue a career in marketing. This is an industry that is technology-driven, constantly changing, and requires monitoring, adapting, and commitment. So, basically, if you’re lazy… bye! Laziness, or the ability to half-ass projects, is not one of the skills marketers need to kill it this year.
What do you think are some of the top skills marketers need to be successful? Share with us in the comments below!
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