Marketing is one of the most lucrative industries out there. Marketers and advertising companies spend years to create a name for themselves, build a steady clientele, and leave a mark in the business. Because competition is tough, you need all the help that you can get right from the beginning of your career.
As business trends come and go, marketing schemes also change regularly. The strategies which were a hit last year may already be obsolete today. The tools that marketers cannot live without a few years ago may already be defunct now. Because nothing is set in stone, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the number of actions you can take just to make sure you get started on the right path.
However, there are certain marketing guidelines that outweigh trends. These are the key points you need to know initially if you want to carve a name for yourself in the industry.
Marketing Fact #1: Refining Your Market Will Save You a Lot of Trouble
Newcomers in any industry have an idealistic viewpoint when they join the workforce. While this is an admirable quality to possess, it can oftentimes leave you prejudiced and inflexible.
You must believe that the products you are marketing or the company you are endorsing is the best of the crop. But you should also remember that not everybody has the same taste and needs as you.
From the get-go, you must pick a specific market and refine it so you have a crystal-clear view of who needs your product or service.
Here are the main factors to consider when narrowing your target market:
- Market Wealth – Do the consumers in this market have the means to spend on your product?
- Market Size – Is the product gender-specific? Does it target an age group? Is the service available to a specific location only?
- Market Competition – How tough is the competition in your line of business? Is this industry merely starting or already saturated?
- Value Proposition – How much value can your products add to the consumers and the entire industry? What qualities does your company have that makes it a cut above the rest?
Marketing Fact #2: Aim for Concrete Core Metrics Instead of Perfection
As a young marketer, you may hold ideas you formed in school that the real world will challenge. Don’t be afraid to let go of these ideals. Instead, let your actual work and experience reshape them. Unlearning is a significant part of the education you get outside of school.
However, it pays to have concrete core metrics to keep you grounded. If you are working with a team, make sure that everyone knows how to achieve them. The idea is to record these metrics to track and assess your growth.
Marketing Fact #3: Find Growth Opportunities in Delegation and Outsourcing
Delegating some of your workloads means saving yourself from unpleasant and boring tasks, right?
Wrong.
If you want to progress in marketing, finding growth potential in delegating tasks is key. If you need to hire a virtual assistant so you can meet up with clients, suppliers, or partners, then you are taking a step towards expansion. If you must delegate some responsibilities to your partners, trust that they will do an excellent job. Delegation and outsourcing is a two-way street to expansion. You gain more chances to grow while giving others the opportunity to hone their craft.
Marketing Fact #4: Be Unapologetically You in Selling Your Brand
There is an icon for every industry. World-known brands such as Coca-Cola or KFC keep their recipe secret because it’s the very thing that sets them apart. It’s the qualities peculiar to your brand that will make you memorable to the market. When selling your brand, don’t be afraid to show your genuine colors.
Marketing Fact #5: Strive for Work-Life Balance
Stress doesn’t equal lucrative work. A pile of workload does not mean you are on the right path. Always find time to step away from your desk and enjoy a personal time off. Marketing requires ingenuity and you cannot be creative if you are mentally and physically exhausted.
Marketing trends and tips are constantly changing but these facts stay solid as you work your way up the advertising ladder.
This young marketers’ ultimate guide to making a name in the industry is your leverage to get on top.
