How to keep your marketing job and thrive in the downturn

Hello 2009! This is my first post for the year and i think it's apt that i start off on an issue most marketers are thinking about. Yesterday, ch 5 news reported that the National Wage council will be reviewing salaries and one prediction is that skilled workers will continue to have a rosy outlook while supporting roles such as marketing might be in some danger. Salaries might also be pegged more to a flexible variable structure that rewards performance. ( Sales people take note)

The first question that popped in my head was " So, marketing isn't considered a skill?" . I don't know about you but it was slightly insulting at first to be categorized in a profession deemed less important than someone who can read a manual and operate heavy machinery. Then i spent a good 45 mins thinking about it further, and i realized that for many marketers, marketing really isn't a skill. It's hiding behind words like "creativity" and "Branding consciousness" whilst for the large part, ignoring effectiveness and the bottom line.

So here are some tips i want to share that i reckon will help marketers get treated as skilled workers in this time of resource crunching and insecurity.

1) Measure Everything.
Don't get caught up in the trap of psychological influence marketing or the "If i show this ad to someone enough, the message will magically stick in his head and linger there as branding" school of thought. Nothing magically sticks, branding is as useless as telling a fat kid your latest candy bar will make him cooler in class. If you are in an agency, look at your methodologies and question them. Trust me, your biggest assets in the long term are your clients, not your loyalty to a particular company's self promoting measurement system. If you are working directly on channel marketing, pressure media owners to provide more than eyeballs. You need share of voice, not just eyeballs. (give this 5 seconds, it's not the same)

2) Don't preach to a searcher, search for the preachers
Social media is in essence about a new way of communication. Advertising the way we used to know it is radically being transformed as a result of open channels of communication. "Don't preach to a searcher, search for the preachers" This is something i think is vital to understanding how influence can bring about a better return than simply going about advertising based on banners ads and pop up spam. if you are able to communicate honestly and clearly to your target audience, chances are they will be the best advertising channel you didn't pay for. Investment doesn't always mean payment.

3) Be customer centric
This is not new but it certainly isn't practiced. Customer centric thinking means more than customer service. It's a way of business. When you market a product, brand or service. Be mindful of who is using them and how they consume it. Constantly endearing yourself to your target audience will make them feel closer to your intent which is the key to permission marketing. (if you don't know what this means,you NEED to read this article by Seth Godin)

4) Spend less doing more
The less you spend whilst generating effective results will make you look like an indispensable rock star. The trick is not to compare media rate cards and squeeze your servicing account manager. It's about doing the above tips in a practical fashion. Social media marketing offers us the many cheaper (often free) alternatives to getting your message heard. Here are some case studies for you to look at. Again, remember that investment is not the same as payment.

The Ford Story
Peter Kim's yummy list of best practices

I will be the first to admit change is often the hardest thing to adopt. Most times, change is painful especially in the area of marketing. We've been trained to reason away logic and pretend to be psychologists, artists and magicians all rolled into one. Our pillars of how marketing performs seem to be falling all around us and old marketing wisdom suddenly seems like quotes from a Disney fairy tale. What is important and exciting however, is that we now have a REAL shot at developing marketing as a skill and not some art we cannot even define in 45 seconds.
(Hands up all you marketers who've broken a sweat when asked "so what exactly do you do?")

No one really knew because we didn't always know. The shift from traditional to digital offers us an opportunity to make marketing about a new way of communication from brand to consumers that offer treats and not tricks. (nod to Mitch Joel). Thanks for reading and i hope this has helped encourage you in some way or another.


Here is Rachael Yamagata performing "Reason Why" live