Why the modern marketer....
The modern marketer is young, dynamic, nimble, clever and always on call. They never drop the ball, and always have something in their hand - namely, a cell phone with an Apple logo that is their all in one, complete communications platform that talks, listens, looks up and engages on levels no-one thought imaginable 20 years ago.
There are many great things about a modern marketer, but who is counting. Instead of doing the maths, the modern marketer is doing the sums, talking the talk and jumping hurdles in a way we never thought imaginable.
I cannot believe the difference the past 10 years has made to marketing and I am wondering if my "old school" counterparts are able to keep up - literally. We are not getting any younger and as much as we want to believe we are youthful and can tweet with the best of them, it is becoming more and more evident that the fresh out of University marketers know a thing or two about marketing that we just haven't quite captured.
Of course, there is nothing like experience. Having a few hard knocks and learning a few lessons the hard way. Every good marketer has had a failure that hopefully they have learnt from that many of our younger, more energetic counterparts have yet to fall prey to.
We also are more in touch with the fact that while the new is all and good, sometimes its the old school marketing campaigns integrated with the new that really catapults a brand to new heights and delivers on the sales goals of an organisation.
The topic "Why the modern marketer has nits" reminds me of when I was at school and someone had nits. You could see them a mile off and knew to not stand next to them. They would scratch profusely, sometimes none the wiser, only to find out that they had caught from some other child the dreaded, never to be talked about nits. Then in one fatal swoop, they would be gone, using a special shampoo that miraculously killed them and gave the poor child some reprieve.
The modern market can be seen at times as someone who has nits. They are often not sure what is wrong and when they work it out, they can fix it in minutes with all the tools at their disposal.
If they don't get onto it fast enough, they will jump from one person to another, spreading like wildfire and then their will be a plague. In the modern marketers case - of failures in the business and marketing dollars going straight in the bin with no real value attached.
Marketers have their work laid out in front of them. There is so much expectation placed on the modern marketer particularly with the Internet, Analytics and Social Media playing such a pivotal role.
They are clearly expected to know it all and be flexible by design, capitalising on opportunities and newer ways to market at the speed of lightning - at the same time sticking to the brand and strategy like glue.
How do you think the "modern marketer" needs to be viewed?
Leave a comment
Make sure you enter all the required information, indicated by an asterisk (*). HTML code is not allowed.
comments ( 4 )
christie
14 Jan 2014I think this article is good and sums up the general savvy modern marketer. However it is important that a marketer remains on top of the market, not falling into it. I agree that a modern marketer has to be innovative and adaptive. The world of marketing and social media is ever changing, and the key to being successful is coming into the market fresh with a fountain of ideas and passion, and being able to adapt and evolve on those, much like the landscape of the modern market.
ReplyLillian Clew
12 Jan 2014Today’s modern marketer has more tools available to them than ever before. The latest version of the Adobe suite, the ability to upload videos and reach a global audience within seconds, but these tools are now available to the general public as well. Anyone with a cell phone camera and a YouTube account can become a viral sensation, getting their message out with ease that professional marketers of the past could only dream of. This could be seen as competition for today’s marketer, as their company’s message can easily drown in a sea of trendy memes and videos, or this new found insight into the public’s mind can be seen as yet another tool. A successful marketer today should stay current with internet trends created by the public to not just blend into the cultural landscape, but stand out.
ReplyWesley Ung
02 Jan 2014I agree with your viewpoints about the modern marketer. I also believe that he/she should be innovative, risk taker, up to date with the latest trends and technology and also possess leadership qualities. Lastly, in regards to campaigns, they have to hit the heart of consumers, be creative and launch it into different media channels, namely social media.
ReplyArt Williams
26 Dec 2013Nice Article. Our technology is rapidly evolving and it has given marketers new ways to advertise their stuff. And a modern marketer is someone who is not afraid to try new opportunities that technology has given them. Modern marketers has the edge because they know how to adapt to our current environment.
Reply