5 Ways to Boost Your Marketing Career
A career in marketing can be exciting, challenging and fulfilling, no matter what area you choose to specialize in. With an average salary of over $140,000 a year and predicted growth of 6% for marketing managers, it’s also a career that offers lucrative rewards.
However, you’ll face stiff competition if you want to reach the top of the profession, so it’s important to have a strategy in place. For inspiration, take a look at these five ways to boost your marketing career now:
1. Make Industry Contacts
Sometimes, it’s not what you know but who you know that helps you to be successful and this is certainly true when it comes to career progression. Networking is an important element of climbing the career ladder, so make as many connections as possible. As well as meeting with people face-to-face, make the most of online networking opportunities to promote your personal brand.
2. Use the Best Tools
Today’s marketers rely on a range of platforms and software to undertake their roles. Although there are plenty of options to choose from, knowing which tools are best for a particular product or task will enable you to outperform your competitors. From identifying Tatango as one of the best SMS marketing vendors to finding the most accurate analytics software, you can enhance your performance as a marketer when you use the best tools.
3. Gain Specialist Skills
Marketing is a broad industry, so specializing in a particular area can help you to find your niche and reach the top of your profession. You may be committed to developing successful SEO strategies, for example, or designing hybrid campaigns that seamlessly combine offline and online marketing activities. Alternatively, you might be a talented graphic designer or a skilled strategist. Whatever your professional interests are, use them to guide you when choosing a specialty.
4. Become a Thought Leader
Thought leaders bring new ideas to the table and shed a different light on industry topics. Being forward-thinking, innovative and original will stand you in good stead if you want to establish yourself as a thought leader, so don’t hesitate to think outside the box. By publishing content online, taking part in Q and As and speaking at industry events, you can garner the publicity you need to build your profile as a thought leader and make a name for yourself in the industry.
5. Be Ready to Inspire Others
If you want to move up the career ladder, you’ll need to be prepared to take on more responsibility. You might move from being a supervisor to a manager before becoming a member of the C-suite, for example. To secure these opportunities, however, you’ll need to hone your leadership skills and show that you’re ready to inspire and motivate others.
Building a Career in the Marketing Industry
The marketing industry is a fast-paced sector that’s changing all the time. Due to this, you’ll need to use your knowledge and talent to shape the future and embrace evolving concepts, tools and technology. By doing so, you can gain a great professional reputation and enjoy a successful and rewarding career.