Students learn about the basics of marketing at colleges and universities. They’re also taught how to apply this knowledge in real life. Today, institutions of higher learning strive to keep up with the times by offering trendy majors, such as social networks or CRM. In this industry, things change even more quickly than Lady Gaga changes her weird dresses during one show.
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Of course, students can find out how to write an academic essay on conversion optimization, marketing automation, tag management, and much more. Nevertheless, training courses in these areas are practically non-existent. As a result, young people getting diplomas of marketing professionals do not have any real-world knowledge.
So, what are the main things young marketers should take into account to stay on top of things?
1. Seize a Moment
Cases that students look into in the classroom have little to do with a marketer’s daily duties. Fortunately, some experts with real-world experience visit marketing institutions to impart their knowledge and skills to the students. If you happen to attend their course, you can consider yourself lucky.
Young marketers seldom have a chance to take part in the launch of a new product, such as a low-cost airline or soft drink. If you do get such an opportunity, you should make the most of it because it can be a turning point in your career. You should also be prepared to do all kinds of routine tasks. Doing so will allow you to hone your skills, learn from your mistakes, and create an impressive marketing portfolio.
2. Focus on Math and Analytics
Today’s marketing is completely different from what it used to be ten or fifteen years ago. At present, math matters more than ever, while statistics and key performance indicators (KPI) are marketers’ main tools of trade. Being part and parcel of our professional life, business analytics has come to play a very important role in client/company interaction.
In fact, any marketer’s action today should be based on data. Information rules the world, which is why marketers with an in-depth knowledge of analytics can be trusted with profitable projects. The difference between a project’s budget and its outcome will always be counted in dollars and cents, which, as you no doubt know, requires precise handling.
3. Branding
Being a connecting link between the product and buyer, this strategy is one of the most significant components of marketing. Marketing is not just a collection of tools for promoting goods or services. It’s about the basic principles and their current applications. That is, when we hear the Just Do It slogan, we immediately associate it with high-quality sports equipment and the company that produces it. Also, branding helps build trust in relationships with customers, emphasize a product’s quality, and ensure a steady income.
4. Selling Benefits Instead of a Product
Marketing is not related to sales only. It is a set of actions meant to create a link between the product and the consumer. In reality, companies do not purchase products or services. They sell benefits. Restaurants do not sell food – they sell a pleasant atmosphere that comes with a delicious meal. Banks’ main product is the security of their clients’ savings. Automobile companies do not simply sell cars — they provide customers with comfort, speed, and freedom of movement.
Therefore, understanding the difference between selling a product and the benefit it provides a consumer with is absolutely crucial. Communicating this information to the client is the main task for any marketer.
5. Content Marketing
Any marketer heard the expression Content Is King. To create inspiring content, a young marketer needs to have certain skills and knowledge. However, contemporary marketing institutions seldom teach them the basics of search engine optimization. That is why journalists fresh out of college are often more competent in it than marketing graduates.
Any marketer should have a good knowledge of SEO because keywords mean a lot. When people communicate, write, and search, they use keywords that define topics. Keeping track of the constant changes in Google ranking algorithm is a very challenging task and one that requires having excellent SEO skills.
6. Social Media Marketing
Social networks have long been a powerful means of communication between consumers and brands. The main purpose of SMM promotion is to make a brand recognizable, incite interest in a product, and constantly communicate with potential and existing customers. To use it effectively, a marketer should know customer preferences and understand what people want to get. Today, social media become an increasingly valuable channel for promoting goods and services.
7. Mobile Versions of Projects
Everybody has a cell phone these days. Therefore, mobile marketing does exist. Given the fact that people use their phones a hundred times a day, marketing experts should know how to use mobile-ready apps and multi-channel marketing. A company’s total sales can increase up to 20% thanks to purchases made via a smartphone. Of course, it all depends on a niche market a business operates in.
Therefore, it is essential to create a mobile version of the company’s website and make it as user-friendly as possible. One should pay special attention to the ease of navigation and content quality, too.
In this way, a marketing professional will always be up on the latest trends. It is also important to remember that achieving positive outcomes in one’s job is only possible through continuous self-development.
