Post on 19-Aug-2015
Graduating Marketing Student Needs To Know
2 1 Things Every
So ... it’s time to enter the
MARKETING EDITION
So ... it’s time to enter the
To all you current and future marketing graduates, here are 21 things you actually need to know before
entering the world of marketing.
ACADEMICS
EXPERIENCE
MARKETING
PERSONAL
MISCELLANEOUS
Don’t be afraid of numbers. 1
News flash: marketers need statistics. You need to be prepared to analyze everything you do. Otherwise, you're wasting a whole lot of time making decisions without proof that they work and/or benefit your business in some way. So pay attention in your stats class.
1) Don’t be afraid of numbers.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
Being in a communications role is no excuse. As a social media marketer, I would spend time every day looking at and interpreting data. That's how I knew if my channels were effective and my tests were contributing to growth.
BRITTANY LEANING Social Media Expert,
HubSpot Twitter ID: @bleaning
1) Don’t be afraid of numbers.
Don’t obsess over the 4 p’s of marketing.
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2) Don’t obsess over the 4 P’s or C’s of marketing.
The 4 P’s (or C’s) introduce core concepts of marketing. But the chances of you sitting in a room brainstorming price, product, place, and promotion are unrealistic.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
What Your Traditional Marketing Education Didn’t Teach You About Marketing Today Take
Home Reading
Click here to read.
2) Don’t obsess over the 4 P’s or C’s of marketing.
Don’t think your classroom
experience mimics an actual job.
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3) Don’t think your classroom experience mimics an actual job.
Simulate "real-life" scenarios as much as you want, but you won't actually learn to make important decisions in tight time frames until you're managing real dollars, working to uphold a real company's reputation, and investing your energy in real projects.
ACADEMICS
EXPERIENCE
MARKETING
PERSONAL
MISCELLANEOUS
Having an internship
on your resume isn’t “impressive.”
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4) Having an internship on your resume isn’t “impressive.”
You had a summer internship at a marketing agency last summer? Great! So did everybody else. The fact that you had an internship isn't impressive, it's what you did while you were there that is (or isn't).
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
How To Be The Best Intern EVER
Take Home
Reading
Click here to read.
4) Having an internship on your resume isn’t “impressive.”
Having multiple marketing internships isn’t “impressive.”
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5) Having multiple marketing internships isn’t “impressive.”
Don’t just apply to internships at marketing agencies every summer. Test your skills in different marketing environments, such as a company that hosts marketing in-house. That way, you're staying true to your ultimate goal while growing your talents.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
Land your dream internship but only interacting with your direct manager? Not helpful in the long run. Meet people! Talk to people in different departments, grab lunch with someone new each week, ask lots of questions, and absorb as much as you possibly can.
TAYLOR HANEY Community
Specialist, MITX Twitter ID: @Taylor1221
5) Having multiple marketing internships isn’t “impressive.”
Having endless extracurriculars doesn’t make you
an “expert.”
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6) Having end less extracurriculars doesn’t make you an “expert.”
Employers value unique experiences and skills, not that you have tried everything -- that's what marketing teams are for. If you've participated in a lot of different activities in college, narrow down the few you can actually say you've learned from and excelled at.
ACADEMICS
EXPERIENCE
MARKETING
PERSONAL
MISCELLANEOUS
Having a standard resume doesn’t exemplify modern
marketing.
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7) Having a standard resume doesn’t exemplify modern marketing.
Is your career advisor handing you a template for your resume to adhere to? Ignore it. Create your own resume template. One that highlights your uniqueness and is set up to show, not tell, what your value is.
7) Having a standard resume doesn’t exemplify modern marketing.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
How to Write a Standout Resume and Land Your Next Marketing Job
Take Home
Reading
Click here to read.
Marketing moves fast.
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8) Marketing moves fast.
Need an answer to a pressing marketing problem? You won't find it in that years-old textbook. Effective marketing isn’t about looking up the answers – it’s about creating the answer. That’s your future: figuring out marketing every day.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
Education doesn't stop after commencement. Read books. Lots of them. Subscribe to as many relevant blogs as you can. Consume as much information as you can on a daily basis. Be the first at the office to try new platforms and technologies. This is how you'll get ahead.
JOHN BONINI Marketing Director, IMPACT Branding
Twitter ID: @Bonini84
8) Marketing moves fast.
Marketing isn’t just
about pretty pictures &
viral videos.
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9) Marketing isn’t just about pretty pictures & viral videos.
Effective marketing campaigns focus on creating content that benefits your audience. You can't spend your marketing career creating humorous videos for the sake of bringing attention to your brand. You need to be prepared to think critically and analyze the needs of your target audience.
9) Marketing isn’t just about pretty pictures & viral videos.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
A Free, Customizable Template to Help You Prove Marketing ROI [+ SlideShare]
Take Home
Reading
Click here to read.
Marketing isn’t just about branding
or awareness.
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10) Marketing isn’t just about branding or awareness.
Marketing used to be solely about communication, and sales about revenue. Now the two teams must work together. What’s the return on investment (ROI) of your email send? Twitter profile? Media campaign?
Marketing doesn’t
have to be evil.
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11) Marketing doesn’t have to be evil.
The negative connotation surrounding "marketer," "public relations professional," etc., is pretty pervasive. But that doesn't mean it's okay actually become those stereotypes. Don't lose your morals and ethics when you graduate -- they need to be omnipresent in your career. It is possible to create marketing that people actually like.
11) Marketing doesn’t have to be evil.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
Creating Marketing People Love: 29 Tips From Industry Experts [Slideshow]
Take Home
Reading
Click here to read.
Marketing is more than big brands & agencies.
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12) Marketing is more than big brands & agencies.
Yes, you can work at an agency. Yes, you can work for a big brand. But you can also work for a small business, tech company, medical practice, etc. Just because your professors only shared campaigns big brands executed, doesn't mean those are the only marketing jobs out there.
Marketing is a balance of art, science,
and tech.
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13) Marketing is a balance of art, science, and tech.
Art is critical in visualizing calls-to-actions, writing landing page copy, and launching products. But you also need to be data-driven. You need to embrace the infusion of technology in marketing. As an emerging marketer, this balance can differentiate you among the crowd.
ACADEMICS
EXPERIENCE
MARKETING
PERSONAL
MISCELLANEOUS
Don’t be afraid to be wrong.
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14) Don’t be afraid to be wrong.
If you have an idea or opinion on something being discussed at an internship or on at your first job, speak up! Experience helps create proper judgment, not ideas. Anyone is capable of thinking of the next big thing; it's just a matter of not being afraid to share it.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
Speaking up shows that you're actively engaged and establishes your presence. If you have trouble with speaking up, ask a manager or other colleague to ask for your opinion directly so you can practice getting a word in.
FARAH HUSSAIN Senior Marketing Manager, PayPal
Twitter ID: @farahhussain
14) Don’t be afraid to be wrong.
Grow thick skin.
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15) Grow thick skin.
You'll have to deal with complaining customers, social media bashers, frustrating clients, etc. If you get too emotional over how people treat you, you won't last in the business. Take all negative feedback as constructive criticism, and spin it into something positive.
Be your own best case study.
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16) Be your own best case study.
Prove your skills by marketing yourself. Don't wait for someone else to give you the opportunity. Demonstrate your passion for marketing by properly marketing yourself. If you can't market yourself, how will you market for others?
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
Marketers often fall victim to the cobbler’s children syndrome when marketing themselves. Produce and curate quality content and proactively engage on digital channels. In essence, be the community manager of your personal brand.
DAVE CUTLER Director of Content & Marketing, MITX
Twitter ID: @CutlerDave
15) Be your own best case study.
Never Burn Bridges.
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17) Never burn bridges.
You know that annoying teacher's pet who never stops talking in class next to you? She may end up being your manager one day. Or your co-worker. Or the woman who gets to decide if a company hires you. You never know where people may end up.
Network with
everyone.
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18) Network with everyone.
Want to work at X company? Don't just talk to people there. Maybe a random stranger from Y company will one day be an employee at X company, and then you'll be bummed you missed the opportunity to tell that person why you rock. You never know who will end up helping you.
18) Network with everyone.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
How to Master Non-Awkward, Effective In-Person Networking
Take Home
Reading
Click here to read.
ACADEMICS
EXPERIENCE
MARKETING
PERSONAL
MISCELLANEOUS
Get familiar
with html/
css.
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19) Get comfortable with H TML/CSS.
You don't need to be a full-on engineer, but you do need to understand the basics. What happens when you need to make a quick change in some code? Understand how coding works and be prepared to make little tweaks. If you end up in a product marketing role, this will be even more critical.
19) Get comfortable with H TML/CSS.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
HTML Decoded for the Plain Text Marketer
Take Home
Reading
Click here to read.
Understand the
difference between b2b
and b2c.
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20) Understand the difference between B2B and B2C.
B2B = business-to-business. B2C = business-to-consumer. Look up the difference; it'll teach you a lot about different methods of marketing, and possibly where you want to work one day.
Don’t oversell your skills in the interview.
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21) Don’t oversel l your skil ls in the interview.
Don’t set yourself up for failure. Show your worth – but balance it with actual expectations. That way, you don’t lose trust from your boss (or worse, get fired) for being less than what you sold yourself as in the interview.
ü Marketers need statistics
ü Marketers set metrics-driven goals ü Marketers use spreadsheets
I've interviewed a lot of students, and the ones who blow their skills out of proportion get canned immediately. Employers know you don't know everything. Show a genuine curiosity to learn & to further hone your skills to actually become an expert at something.
SASHA HOFFMAN Head of Strategy &
Partnerships, Plastiq
Twitter ID: @sashaphoffman
15) Be your own best case study.
Congratulations, and good luck.