The one thing that makes Marketing Professionals unbelievably good
It doesn't take long to realise that some marketing professionals are more competent and successful than others because they inherently have skills that other's don't. You can get by as a marketer with sound writing skills, a firm understanding of marketing with continuous training and development. Most employers would be happy with this, and I have to say that I find employees that have this background to be more than ok. However, if you truly want to be successful, and out-shine the rest of the pack, you need this skill:
PSYCHOLOGY.
Yes, those with a good understanding of psychology can achieve more than their relatively strong counterparts, and climb the corporate ladder or become highly successful entrepreneurs. In fact, they can move anywhere in any position they desire because they not only know how to get there, and how to communicate their way so that their audience understands what they want and their values, but they also can cold read people and respond accordingly.
Those who excel in reading people can develop marketing strategies that resonate with their audience, and develop customer profiles that are more indepth and intuitive by design, than other marketers who have not nailed this skill.
One of the key parts of being an unbelievable marketer is understanding how and why people think and act the way they do. It is far harder to create a results-orientated marketing strategy or content for that matter, if you don't know whey an audience would want to read it.
Understanding key principals of psychology can take your marketing from good to amazing, or your career from ok to the top of the field. All you have to do is read your audience and identify how to communicate with them effectively.
As a marketer rising in the ranks, you will need to use psychology to:
Get the best job for your next career move
That's right. By understanding what type of job you want to get, and being incredibly intuitive to your interviewer, will give you the step-up on others that are being interviewed for the same role. If you mirror your interviewer, and cleverly listen to what they are saying looking for triggers where you can show that you resonate with your interviewer, they are going to choose you over a more qualified marketing candidate.
Read your market, and produce better marketing strategies that achieve the businesses goals
If you can do this, you can name your price. Everyone will want you. Who doesn't want a marketer who knows their market and is more than competent enough to produce marketing strategies that resonate with the customer?
Reverse interviews
When you are building a team, you may find yourself in the hot seat. That means when you interview candidates for roles, you will be able to read them better. Earlier in my career, I picked three (3) young women in a row that had bipolar. When they were in the interview phase, they were more enthusiastic than anyone else. They made me want to learn from them, so that I too could drink the 'enthusiastic juice' that they seem to live on... until they don't. I gave up interviewing after that, as I felt like a complete failure. After a few years break, I went back to interviewing, and once again, I made mistakes. I picked people that were good sales people, and capable of selling themselves... but when they sat down to do the job, their skills didn't match what they had to say in their job interviews.
Reading your colleagues ensures you always get the most out of them
If you can read your colleagues and know when they are having a good day or a bad day, performing at an optimum level or just doing enough to get by, you will find yourself in a situation where you are able to work with them collaboratively, finding the right triggers to get them back into shape, and on their game in no time.
Your career is in your hands. If you take the time to learn how to cold read and the basics in psychology, you may find that your career is fast-tracked right to the top.
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comments ( 12 )
Ashlee
20 Jul 2018It is so true that psychology can play such a beneficial role in Marketing but also in any role. The ability to read people and understand how their mind works are great skills to have up your sleeve.
ReplyMaud
17 Jul 2018It is true that psychology plays an important role in marketing as you need to understand the costumers and their minds to communicate with them efficiently!
Reply"The aim of selling is to satisfy a costumer need, the aim of marketing is to figure out its need!", Philip Kotler
Megan
09 Jul 2018It's interesting how you say those sales people weren't suited to the job because they obviously had the psycholgical ability to anticipate what you wanted to hear in the interview, that ability to sell yourself is a great skill for working in sales, but can't it also be developed in a way to enhance their marketing abilities?
ReplyTom D
09 Jul 2018I hugely agree with the message of this post, and find mirroring truths in my own marketing journey. My studies have unfortunately led me away from the field of psychology, however the similarities between marketing and psychology are still apparent. Selling an idea is the goal of marketing, and psychology is about understanding needs and wants of humans. Firm understanding of both ends of spectrum will ensure success in this field.
ReplyTom D
09 Jul 2018I enjoy the example given to preface the lessons learnt by the author. A particular lesson is the “Littered resumes” section. This I feel is a major trend in the millennial workforce, and the value of Loyalty to a firm has been disregarded and ‘sticking it out’ when faced with obstacles has fallen to the wayside. A hard-nosed attitude is needed for young professionals is needed if they wish to succeed in the current environment. This ‘Quitter’ attitude will prove to be detrimental to individuals.
ReplyTahlia
09 Jul 2018Agreed, psychology can defiantly help you and your career by understanding it. Being able to read your customers can help achieve what they after as well as helping yourself in your career you desire and how to take your path. I believe to be successful you need to be positive and hardworking and learn from the good and bad times.
ReplyThomas
06 Jul 2018Agree with your article, however does positive thinking and being an authentic leader influence the success of the psychology. Having a good emotional intelligence is really important in finding success in any field of work.
ReplyMinh Nguyen
06 Jul 2018I totally agree with you about psychology. My marketing mentor said reading people is an ability that not many marketers could definitely implement it in the right way. Consumer behaviour is always the first prominent element marketers want to grasp. Interestingly, the mood of colleagues also is important to help us to have an effective collaborative outcome. It's a simple thing but people usually ignore it.
ReplyRachel
05 Jul 2018Most marketer would face a problem, in what way that should do to please the clients? Learn to use psychology is really a way to create a results-orientated marketing strategy. I also agree with the point that psychology could help us get the best job for our next career move. Getting to know how your colleagues, clients feel from their tones and facial expression could allow you gain success in most of the tasks and move onto the next level of your career path.
ReplyPhi Le
05 Jul 2018I think that to get to the write those points above; you probably have learned those in a hard way as way. I believe in general, to be successful in not just marketing but anything, you should have a positive attitude and be hard working with dedication. It is good to learn from a real successful entrepreneur, Mellissah.
ReplyCherry
05 Jul 2018In the past, i think that being a marketing manager is a job that needs a lot of team work. A team needs to cooperate well and work with teammates. However, when i was doing intern and started my first marketing job, i found that it was different. I understand that why psychology is important. It's because you can understand what people and your colleges are thinking of, or even understand what your clients are thinking of too.
ReplyPankaj Wagh
02 Jul 2018Agree with your points.
ReplyBeing in Digital Marketing field for more than 7 years, I am happy that I know something better than other professionals. In the 7 years; I have worked with the different industries and helped them to gain good outcomes through marketing.
I got to know about many industries, how they work, processes and much more. The best thing I learned in this field is "Human tendency".
Thanks for appreciating the Marketing Professionals.