7 tips to remain relevant in marketing

Marketing is fast. Really fast.

Speed and execution is critical.

Marketing is a highly versatile business function that operates in an environment that is highly scrutinized and continually changing. Marketers nowadays are being challenged with big data, fast-changing software and technology and often need to wear various hats to fill growing gaps in the department as marketing evolves.

If you are slow, you need to pick up the pace! Here are some ideas on what marketers can do to stay current and be successful.

1. Remember what you learned in school!

A lot of us have forgotten about the basics of marketing: choosing a target market and setting up the P’s, conducting marketing research, preparing a SWOT analysis, etc. Sometimes going back to the basics can really be useful in creating and implementing successful marketing and IMC plans. Don’t be scared to go back to the basics!

2. Stay in the loop of industry breakthroughs and keep learning!

If you are currently working in marketing, you will likely be nodding as you read this one. Having the basic knowledge of marketing today is simply not good enough. For today’s market, you need to be continuously learning, reading and attending conferences to stay on top of the latest trends and truly help your organization be competitive and successful. Let’s face it. Marketing is dynamic. And it changes more quickly now than ever before. Truly modern marketers must stay up to date with these changes through by paying close attention to news that occurs in their particular industry, in the markets they serve, and among their potential customers.

3. Know your business!

Being a good marketer isn’t good enough. You need to understand and know business to really do your job efficiently. You need to have basic business skills like problem analysis and decision-making, oral and written communications, etc. You can learn a lot by reading business management books and thought leadership pieces online or simply by following the news and business leaders like Bill Gates, for instance.

4. Know the impact you have on a company!

You might think that this is your employer’s responsibility; but it’s not. You need to know that everything you do could help generate a sale and as such you are contributing to the overall success of a company. Marketers need to know how their decisions will impact other areas of the company and must realize that marketing decisions are not made in isolation. Don’t ever silo yourself or your department from the rest of the company. That is a recipe for failure!

5. Embrace technology!

Modern marketers must have a strong understanding of technology both because they will be using it to conduct marketing activities and to communicate with customers but also because they need to understand it as a tool that customer use Today’s marketers use technology as part of their everyday activities. They need to know how basic computer software is used, they need to be able to build spreadsheets or create slide more-than-awesome presentations, etc. In a market where our prospects and customers are overloaded with information, marketers must examine additional technologies that can improve the effectiveness of their strategies and also help them stand out from the crowd.

6. Get social!

I get it. You don’t like social media. It’s your right. But you’ll never truly get it if you don’t use it. And if you don’t get it, you’ll never be able to be truly strategic in your social media marketing plan. Period.

7. Go global!

Even local companies today need to envisage having a global marketing strategy in place. With the internet, a lot of organizations now and think on a global scale and can consider expending their reach. But having a website that is accessible to hundreds of millions of people worldwide does not guarantee success. Modern global marketers must understand the nuances of international trade and cultural differences that exist between markets.

If you have a passion for marketing, a lot of these actions and activities will come naturally anyways. Still hope this post was useful ;-).