A profile of the best marketer

The profile of the next generation of marketer looks radically different from those who perhaps graduated in the 70'. This new age marketer according to Deliotte has a number of key attributes:

• Middle brain thinker (one who understands not just the metrics and what drives them). In fact, when asked which skills are most important, 40% of the skills are traditional left hemisphere skills, 60% right hemisphere.
• Curious, asks questions and has a high level of empathy
• Embraces and drives technological change even if it threatens what they've done, You need to understand digital, data and the foundations of marketing
• Highly collaborative and has the ability to influence all parts of the business founded on a deep understanding of what different functions need and do.

We know tertiary education is not training our marketing talent well because we have a skills shortage. There is too many old school marketers and we need those that can join the dots for CEOs. Key messages that a marketer needs to communicate:

• Customers are at the centre of every business and we all own that experience
• We are all custodians of our brand - we all have a responsibility to promote it.
• Measure the right metrics and make better business decisions

"Marketing has been transformed potentially more than any other business function, by the digital age, by changing customer preferences and by the shift in power from the business to the consumer. Today, the modern marketer needs to connect and focus the business on the customer, but must also understand and drive the marketing technology stack and analytics. They need to be creative and narrative leaders through countless channels, all while organising the business behind their revenue growth and innovation agenda."2

It's no surprise that "31% of small business owners cite marketing as their number one challenge."3 This coupled with the rapid change in technology leaves the small business owner in a whole world of pain.

Social media, search (including local search and Google My Business), content, Facebook ads, digital ads (and the strategies that bring everything into focus) have all advanced to a level that many small business marketers struggle to keep up with. It is no longer an option for the business owner to just figure it out. Making mistakes on-line can impact your business and reputation. "Social media has grown up, graduated college, got married, had kids and is staring down the barrel at middle age."

Look for a marketer that has the following skills for your small business in 2020:

1. Website - are the able to edit and understand Word press and other CMS platforms. This is key to understanding how your website is performing.

2. Digital Marketing - They need to understand social media, email, SMS, blogs, Google Analytics and CRM to create effective digital marketing campaigns.

3. Data Analysis - Understanding data and being able to take insights into the business is key

4. Empathy - being able to put yourself in the customer shoes.

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