Hmmmmmmm, so, what does the modern marketer look like these days. Are they creatively focused with an eye for design? Do they trawl through datasets so big it’d make your eyes water? Should they be able to capture the hearts and minds of the sales team? Can they afford not to have two eyes firmly fixed on the ROI prize and a seat at the top table?
Questions, questions, questions.
Ultimately, having blended my own experience of operating at the sharp end of marketing for 20 plus years with those of friends who hold senior-level marketing positions within some of the most recognisable consumer and business brands, they need to be all of the above and then some!
Rewind several years, and most marketers tended to be creatively led in their thought process, supported with a reasonable understanding of the commercials. More recently, there was perhaps equal importance placed on both creativity and commercial knowledge. But fast forward to the needs of today’s marketer, and they are almost certainly part analytical, part commercial and part creative. Most likely in that order too.
Marketers have never had access to the volume and quality of data like they have today. Each touchpoint both digital and offline provides an opportunity to data-mine. The challenge comes from sifting through all the data and making sense of it. But be in no doubt, data is informing the marketing decision making process and tracking ROI like never before.
The savvy marketer has always had an eye on the commercials. As no matter how good the creative is, it’s all about results. Have you acquired new customers? Have you increased LinkedIn or Facebook followers? Have you turned £10K of marketing spend into £100K of sales? Prove your worth in terms of creating marketing miracles and the CFO will cut you some slack.
And that leaves us with creativity. Not that marketers are expected to design, but they need to have an eye for what attracts the right attention and put themselves in the position of the customer when briefing those very clever creatives who bring it all to life graphically.
So, I guess with an eye for creative, a finger on the financial pulse and an interest in data, you have the very DNA of the modern marketer. Oh, and a jolly good dose of patience, resilience, confidence and empathy go a long way too.
Photo by Franco Antonio Giovanella on Unsplash