A good marketing campaign enables a brand to perform well and meet all of its expectations. If you are already a marketer or aspiring to be one, here are the top 10 essential skills that you should have.
1. Storytelling
Marketing is both an art and science. You need to incorporate both aspects to be successful. Ultimately, the goal of marketing is to win customers and promote the name of the organization – by whatever means gets results.
Are your stories worth listening to? Regardless of the brand that you are trying to promote, you should be able to convince other people. Good story telling is about conveying the message to your audience in a special way such that they will be eager to get more information about the product.
Compelling stories will ignite some emotions in potential customers, and they will be swayed by your message. The target audience often has a specific issue you’re addressing. Problems range from unpaid bills to sickness, among many others. It is your responsibility as a marketer to get their attention, and nothing can achieve this better than having a moving story to tell.
2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
As a marketer, you will spend most of your time interacting with other people. Will they be happy with your behavior or will they be put off? Having good interpersonal skills is all about interacting with your audience in the right way.
The audience will be able to get your message faster if you communicate to them effectively. Poor communication skills will lead to a poor marketing campaign. You may spend several minutes or even hours with customers, but they may still not get the message if you don’t possess this skill. Communication is one of the transferable skills that can help in almost any role.
3. Networking
Marketing aims at utilizing the existing clients to get new ones. One of the most efficient ways of winning new faces is by networking. As a marketer, you should be good at networking and collaborating.
Look for opportunities that will make you meet other like-minded people. Form collaborations with other marketers. You will be able to get new ideas from them as well as new customers. Digital marketing is also increasingly connected to recruitment and other human resource functions.
4. Data-Driven Work
This is where you a have to incorporate the science aspect of marketing. You should be keen on data even if it looks less important. You should be able to collect data from customers, analyze it and produce a definitive report. This data will also help you to measure the performance of the campaigns and lay down future goals.
5. Revenue-Driven Approach
The best marketers are able to boost the revenue of a business effortlessly and achieve market expansion. Your marketing goals should not only focus on promoting the brand but also aim at helping the business to earn more income. Being keen about the revenue will help you to have a perfect connection with the executives of the company, and this will, in turn, boost your career performance.
6. Tech-Savvy Campaigning
Most aspects of businesses have been affected by the advancement of technology and marketing is not an exception. You should be able to use the latest technological applications that can make your job easier and accurate.
Some of the tools that you should be well acquainted with include Microsoft Excel, marketing automation tools, analytics applications, CRM and digital marketing tools. Tech training in marketing is generally missed at university or college, meaning you may have to do independent learning or short courses.
7. Organized
Successful marketers have an efficient schedule. You should be well-organized regardless of the number of projects you’re dealing with.
Excellent organization skills will help you to complete your projects in good time. You’ll also be able to focus on the tasks at hand fully.
Every business has limited resources, so a good marketing consultant knows how to maximize any marketing and advertising budgets for the best results for a client.
8. Writing Skills
Although it can be underrated, solid writing skills can take your marketing campaign to the greatest heights. A versatile marketer should be able to write well, especially in a concise and persuasive style.
You will have numerous opportunities to put your skills to good use. Some of the areas where writing skills are required include creating ads, social media posts, landing pages and even emails.
9. Persistent
As a marketer, it’s important to be persistent with whatever that you are trying to market. Sometimes you may be forced to deal with an unexpected turn of events which can make you give up. You should have the heart to try out something for several times till you see the results.
10. Willing to Learn
Marketing is a very dynamic field that is experiencing constant changes and requires a diverse skill set. The only way to stay afloat and remain relevant is by feeding your brain with new ideas. After formal study, which could include an online marketing degree, you should also read books, watch videos and subscribe to websites that have marketing-related content.