MILESTONE ALERT: This content piece on digital marketing skills is my 30th post for Rocks Digital! Thanks to the entire RD team and the readers for giving me this forum to share my “wisdom” with my fellow marketers.
I just took a good look at the wide range of digital marketing topics I’ve written about here. It got me thinking about just how many things today’s professionals need to know and do in order to make their online marketing efforts work.
Firm Up Your Base – 7 Digital Marketing Skills to Build On
So for you folks thinking about going into this here profession or already performing some digital marketing related tasks, I’ve put together the seven skills every digital marketing pro should have!
7 Digital Marketing Skills Imperatives
1. Strategic thinking
Every one of us needs to know this. Data-driven, results-driven strategy is the foundation of most (if not all) digital marketing activities. Without sound strategy, none of the items listed below will be as successful as they should be.
2. Writing
Anyone can type, but not everyone can put words together that communicate effectively and persuade people to act. When it’s your company and your brand on the line, make sure you know how to write your story creatively and effectively.
3. Designing
You don’t need to know every single design program; it’s OK to not be great at Photoshop and Illustrator and all the others. But knowing the basics of good design and how to make minor fixes can be super-valuable.
4. Web Development
These kids today are learning coding and programming and all the fun stuff that comes a lot harder for those of us in the 35–44 and 45–54 demographic. But since the website is the first place people find a company/product/service, it’s best to know as much as you can about how websites work and their “best practices.”
5. Research
This is more than just Googling stuff. Not that search isn’t enormously valuable, but you need to be able to learn about things – whether it’s a company, product, service, industry, demographic, etc. – at a fast pace. Sometimes research can be watching a TV show that’s hugely popular with a client’s target audience. (This is the kind of research at which I excel.)
6. Account Management
It’s fun to take clients out to lunch. But really good account service means a firm grasp of strategy, planning, budgeting, data and more. And yes, it does help to be friendly, outgoing, and customer service-oriented.
7. Presentation Skills
These days, pretty much every person in marketing needs to have public speaking skills. Creatives and account service pros need to “sell” their internal audiences and clients on their ideas. If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re constantly “pitching” your business. Just look ’em in the eye, be honest, and tell them why whatever you’re offering is what they need.
PRO TIP: If you’re using presentation software like PowerPoint or Google Slides, I recommend the 10-20-30 philosophy (often attributed to social media/marketing expert Guy Kawasaki): 10 slides, 20-minute maximum, 30-point type minimum. Here’s some more creating great PowerPoints from Hubspot.
How Many of these Digital Marketing Skills Do YOU Have?
Through my education and experience, I feel like I have a solid foundation in most of the skills listed above. But I’m also smart enough to know that I can always be better in all of them.
Because just as the world of digital marketing is always evolving and changing, we marketers need to evolve and change too. So pick one or two of these skills that you feel like you could improve upon, and get to workin’!
What other advice or mentor has helped you to grasp digital marketing? Let’s discuss in the comments.
