6 Traits of Highly Successful Marketers
This article was written for University Marketing Students preparing to enter the workforce.
Being a marketer in today’s digital world is no easy feat. Marketers have to think strategically, be creative with their content marketing, and also pay attention to the numbers so they can understand what their target audience is responding to. This job requires you to have a great deal of knowledge about your company’s products, industry trends, and marketing strategy while being able to pivot quickly when needed.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 6 traits that successful marketers have in common.
Expert knowledge of marketing strategy
Marketers are responsible for leading the sales funnel and driving revenue for the company. To do that, they need to first understand their customer, their marketing strategy, and the sales process. For example, if a company’s marketing strategy involves producing videos to grow their audience, then marketers will create a video strategy to achieve those goals. Regardless of what company you work for, it’s essential that you understand and can explain the strategy behind the marketing tactics.
Excellent communication skills
Successful marketers know how to communicate with the people they’re marketing to. This means knowing their target audience and their pain points so that they can speak to them in an authentic and relatable way. Successful marketers know how to communicate in a way that speaks to the customers’ emotions and desires. They know how to appeal to customer senses and use words that will resonate with their audience. If you’re not speaking to your customers, you’re not marketing to them. You have to learn to speak the language of your target audience in order to make an impact. To do that, you must know what matters to them, what drives their decision-making, and what their triggers are.
Creative problem solvers
Being a marketer often means being faced with problems that need to be solved. Every day, you’ll be faced with issues that you’ll have to solve quickly. The best marketers are creative problem solvers who can find solutions that work for the company while maintaining customer satisfaction. A great marketer will be curious and eager to find solutions to any problems that arise. They’ll ask questions, explore data, and look at problems from different angles to try and come up with solutions. When problems do arise, marketers will find quick and efficient ways to solve them. After all, there is no such thing as a problem without a solution.
Proactive and continual learning
Successful marketers are proactive learners. They’re always learning from their mistakes, from the data they collect, and from what others in the industry are doing. They’re curious, they aren’t afraid to try new things, and they’re always eager to try something new. A great marketer will always be reading, attending conferences, and participating in webinars so that they can continue to educate themselves. Learning is a continuous process and marketers must keep growing and evolving their skills as the industry changes. In order to be successful in marketing, you must be continuously learning, evolving, and growing your skills.
Marketing technologists
Marketers who have been in the industry for a while will tell you that marketing has changed over the last few years. Thanks to the rise of social media and the influx of new marketing channels, the role of the marketer has evolved into the role of a “marketing technologist”. The best marketers are able to understand their customer’s journey, the data behind their marketing efforts, and the tools at their disposal to drive results. They are data-driven and constantly test new ideas to find what resonates best with their audience.
Coaching and mentoring talent
Successful marketers are people-focused. They know that building a team of talent around them that is passionate and excited about their work is essential to growing their business. A great marketer will want to invest in coaching and mentoring current employees and new hires. They’ll want to provide them with the tools they need to be successful in their role and help them grow into their full potential. Mentorship is one of the best ways to grow your team because it’s a two-way street. You’ll be empowering your employees to reach their full potential, which will help your company grow as a result.
Bottom line: It’s all about the people
For all its bells and whistles, marketing is still about connecting with people — whether it be customers or potential employees. If you want to be a successful marketer, you have to be able to relate to the people you’re marketing to. You have to understand their pain points, what drives their decision-making, and what they’re looking for in your product or service. You have to be able to solve problems and help others achieve their goals while moving your company’s mission forward. If you can do all of these things, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful marketer.
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