A career in marketing means that there are endless opportunities to learn and grow. You can always learn a new skill or method of marketing that can give your current strategies a new edge.
media update has put together a list of 10 things that can help set you on the path of enlightenment ... sort of. Well, really it’s just a list of things that you should do if you want to take your status from ‘good marketer’ to ‘exceptional marketer’. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to do that?
Exceptional marketers are:
1. Keen observers
A great marketer needs to have a deep understanding of people – particularly the people they are trying to reach with their marketing efforts. And the best way to understand people’s behaviours is to watch and engage with them.
Marketers need to know what makes consumers tick, what makes them feel special, what they need to know before making a purchase, and so on.
Successful marketers are
obsessed with market behaviours.
2. Curious
Not only are marketers avid observers, but they have an intense desire to know more.
Why do personalised messages make them feel special? Why do they demand such a high level of transparency before committing to a brand?
Skillful marketers always have more questions to ask, and they keep wondering if consumer reactions would be different if the variable changed.
3. Good sales people
Marketers are responsible for selling your brand, so it would make sense that they would need to be a good salesperson. Regardless of whatever conversion needs to happen – be it a product sale, donation to a cause or subscription to a service – a marketer is ultimately responsible for it.
To see conversions, marketers need to be able to convey their message in an effective manner. If you’re able to sell ice to Eskimos, then you’d make an exceptional marketer.
4. Unafraid to take (calculated) risks
The greatest marketing campaigns are never the safe, simple ones.
As mentioned above, great marketers are about as curious as they come – and are unafraid of trying new things. Expert marketers actively seek out challenges and are always looking for the next big thing.
There’s nothing more exciting for an exceptional marketer than testing out new ways to convey a message – and seeing a successful outcome!
5. Always learning
To make the jump from good to great takes a significant amount of personal time that has been dedicated to professional development. That means not only working from 9 to 5, but also spending
many personal hours (and money) reading, researching, networking and advancing their skills.
Exceptional marketers know that there is
always someone out there with more knowledge and that there is
always room to improve.
6. Brutally honest
Marketers are strategists at heart, playing proverbial chess and constantly calculating their next move. They’re trained to spot red flags from afar, and the best marketers will tell you
exactly what to expect.
Any marketer worth your dime will never promise something they cannot deliver on.
7. Organised
Marketers are constantly shuffling their schedules trying to get a million jobs done at once, so organisation is a vital skill to have.
Exceptional marketers don’t simple regurgitate buzzwords they’ve read – they have
actually been there, done that and are busy trying out something new. The best marketers
never stop; they’re always working on trying fresh and exciting things (that they have magically worked into their crazy-busy schedule).
8. Aware of their surroundings
What sets an exceptional marketer apart from their counterparts is an awareness of their surroundings and an ability to read the room. They should understand the needs of the market – and any relevant challenges that consumers face – and work to meet those needs.
How do they become so aware of the surroundings? By engaging with their audience and being involved in their community.
9. Humble
While everyone loves a pat on the back, the most exceptional marketers are not in it for the glory, they’re in it to solve problems.
Great marketers never start conversations by listing their achievements, but rather, are more interested in their clients’ challenges and want to work to solve those issues.
10. Accountable
A great marketer is one who is always accountable for their actions; it’s one of the qualities that makes them better than the rest. Great marketers believe in accountability and are not afraid of data or reporting. And certainly not afraid to admit when they are wrong.
Are there any other traits that you think are the mark of an exceptional marketer? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy