This is a collaborative post: The marketing industry is having its moment right now. A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that employment in the marketing industry will grow by 10 percent from 2020 to 2030. In tandem with the aforesaid prediction, organizations are also increasing their marketing budgets, which peaked at 11.4 percent in 2020.
The pertinent quality of marketing-related jobs has been dynamism, adaptability, and constant growth. However, the recent monumental changes ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic vis-à-vis newer technology and shift in consumer behavior have caused the marketing industry to turn upside-down, thereby compelling both new and seasoned marketers to polish their skills.
Whether you have just started your career as a marketing professional, or are an industry veteran, the question if you are a good marketer continues to loom over you. Being an ace marketer takes multidisciplinary skills, stamina, and zeal, along with some skills mentioned below!
FOUR QUALITIES THAT HELP A MARKETER STAND OUT IN 2022
- An Ongoing Understanding of the Target Audience
As the name suggests, marketing jobs entail sailing a product, service, or brand image to a particular cohort of people, and achieving this feat requires rigorous customer knowledge. As buyers are in the driving seat, one cannot afford not to know who their customer is! The key to successfully understanding the target audience is to examine data and identify common demographics like age, gender, interests, and hobbies. In addition, researching people’s needs, pains, apprehensions, fear, and aspirations can also help to carve out a meticulous understanding of the target audience. Three questions that can help a marketer know their audience better are –
- What is the background of the customer cohort
- What are their values
- What product is the product or service being marketed trying to solve
- Storytelling
A recent Linkedin survey found that around 8 percent of all marketers on the platform have storytelling as an essential skill on their profile. Of course, storytelling is a pivotal sign of a good marketer, as their job entails using data, numbers, and stats and transforming them into genuine stories that speak to and for the brand. But on the other hand, a sloppy story means that people feel disconnected from the brand and stop caring about what they offer.
A compelling, emotional, and yet nuanced tale driven by data, facts, and an honest agenda can win the target audience’s hearts, piquing their interest in the brand. Mediums such as content creation, social media marketing, ads, and so forth assist the storytelling process. Thus, if you have storytelling as a skill in your resume, then the chances are that the recruiter will not be able to ignore your profile.
- Copywriting
Stalwart storytelling skills can all go to waste if they are not backed up by top-tier copywriting. It does not matter how shiny and sleek the design of a copy is; it has nothing worthwhile to say. Copywriting is about telling your target audience what they will get when they buy from you, convincing them that it is the right thing to do. Needless to say, strong and tactful writing skills are crucial in every aspect of a marketing job, from content creation to data analysis.
The best writing strategy is to adopt the KISS – approach – Keep It Simple, Silly! You have to ensure that the message you want to deliver to your audience is graspable, and there is no rocket science involved in deciphering the intention and purpose of the copy. If you have experience or certifications in copywriting, your resume automatically elevates two notches higher.
- Being Abreast of Digital Marketing Strategies
The 2020-2030 decade is all about digital marketing. It is predicted that advertisers will spend USD 99.22 billion on search marketing by 2024. In addition, the global digital ad spend is expected to touch the USD 500 billion thresholds by 2023. Such jarring figures mean that pioneering the marketing game is now about understanding the A to Z of digital marketing. The first element of an excellent digital marketing strategy is understanding which platforms are working best for a particular brand. Thereafter, mastering the skills mentioned below becomes important –
- Creating targeted social media ads
- Using visual marketing strategies
- Making data-driven decisions
- Creating quality content
- In-depth understanding of social media, Google Analytics, and Marketing Management Tools such as Hubspot, Oracle Marketing Cloud, and so forth.
So, there we have it, the top four skills that can help you ace a marketing job. If you are eyeing a marketing-related vacancy in your dream, then make sure that you are perfecting your resume by including the skills mentioned above, using a suitable resume template, and optimally formatting everything.