What does a marketer do?
That’s a popular question when I share that I’ve been in marketing for over twenty years. Another favorite is “So… what do you market?” It makes me smile each time. Our client list is varied: retail to industrial, small entrepreneurs to large employers. It’s not WHAT we market, but HOW we market that keeps the pep in my step each day. Each day is different than the last, but there main goal each day is to make a difference in our clients’ lives.
Marketing is…
I was recently asked what marketing is by a high school senior in Nebraska. She knew it interested her, but she had zero desire to pursue the creative aspects of being a marketer (graphic design, videography, photography, animation, illustration etc.) Part of marketing, is being able to have a conversation with someone and learn what their needs are. While this 18-year old wasn’t going to hire me for a large project, I could still use my ability to listen, learn and identify.
I asked her some questions and quickly learned that this girl “could” really get into the statistics and analytics side of things. She loves data. She doesn’t want to be in front of a client or manage the details. She wants to be behind the scenes. We briefly discussed social media and website statistics with her and shared how each platforms collects information which indicates how posts and content is performing. She lit up! We didn’t get to spend a lot of time talking, but the time that we shared hopefully gave her food for thought on what direction to head for college. This is also why I’m a huge proponent for incorporating interns into your business and working with area schools share opportunities. You can read more about that on the blog “Should I Have An Intern?”
My typical day looks like this:
First, before my feet even hit the floor, I get my head right. I open up my bible app on my phone and read a devotional I’ve chosen for myself. Often I’m diving into the Word with a friend, which gives me the opportunity to grow in my faith as I share how it reaches me that day. Sometimes I close out the day reading the same devotional to make sure the message REALLY gets driven home. Don’t misread that, I read it a second time because I need that message in there DEEP. It’s easy to get distracted by daily activities and lose the focus. A favorite: Distraction: The Purpose Killer.
Second, it’s coffee time. Working from home has created a new sense of appreciation for flexibility. Most days, I’m home in the office all day. Coffee is a marketers go-go juice. It’s necessary first thing in the morning to get my sharp ideas flowing. Sure, it’s more creamer than coffee. It makes me happy and ready for the day. I grab my planner and my notebook and evaluate what is on the agenda. I have projects and details written on a white board as well, that help me determine workflow. I fire up my computer, read through email and respond accordingly. Because I’m a self proclaimed nerd, I check all my social media accounts for the business and respond to communication after email. Being a marketer means you also have to market yourself. It’s that piece of humble pie you enjoy with your coffee each morning. Embrace it.
Multi-tasking is a must.
As a marketer, it’s not unusual to have several projects going on at one time. In fact, it’s a constant and it’s how I thrive. I support several marketing agencies, so it’s important for me to go through their requests and have the open communication on status and progress. After proper communication has been had, I move on to producing the work I’ve been hired to do. I review projects and status with my husband. I show him what I’ve been designing/working on for his opinion. (Hint: it’s way different than mine, but that’s what makes us a great team.)
I try to schedule multiple consecutive meetings to make the most of being away from the office. Typically, I learn about the desired project beforehand, do research and prepare for the discussion. After each meeting, I come back and type up notes to share with my prospective client on the project details and how we will move forward. Because of this grand collaboration, I create estimates and the project is approved. It’s then, that the project graduates to my white board – which is where I determine the workflow of projects. Scheduling: Do it. Honor it. Love it.
Be Passionate About Problem Solving.
Let’s be honest, I’m not saving lives over here. If that’s where my passion was, I would have gone into the medical industry or law enforcement. The truth of the matter is, I love to help. I’m a passionate marketer who gets jazzed just listening and developing solutions that can help make the lives of business owners easier. I get excited to create materials to best position the business in the marketplace. I get giddy when I create strategies that involve print and digital marketing. I love concepting and brainstorming. Most importantly, I love building relationships and making marketing a little bit easier to understand.
What are you passionate about? I’d love to hear. Shoot me a message to let me know what you love about your job.
