The era of madmen-style marketing is long gone. Modern marketers face an uphill battle in today’s rapidly evolving digital world. So, what does it take for someone or a team to excel as a modern marketer?
It’s not just about possessing the latest tech gadgets or churning out content consistently. Instead, it demands a mix of traits, principles, and abilities that enable them to steer through the ever-shifting digital terrain successfully.
In this article, we’ll guide you through all the necessary qualities of a modern marketer – from being a sharp analytical thinker to demonstrating resilience when tackling challenging tasks.
If you’re eager to learn the secrets of thriving as a marketer in today’s digital era—keep reading.
A Modern Marketer Should Excel in 3 Things
Today’s marketing landscape constantly evolves, demanding modern marketers to be top-notch multitaskers.
As increasing customers seek high-quality, contemporary services and products, the modern marketer must exhibit creativity, analytical skills, and tech-savviness without neglecting any single aspect – all are equally important!
Creativity sparks groundbreaking ideas and strategies, while analytics empower marketers to assess past performance and apply that insight to shape current and future decisions.
Furthermore, today’s marketers need a solid understanding of technology to stay ahead of trends, platforms, and campaigns that use digital tools and software to maintain their brand’s relevance.
That’s why marketers must never sacrifice any crucial skill – creative thinking, analytical prowess, and technical expertise are all vital for success in the current market.
The Characteristics of a Modern Marketer
As marketing in the 21st century continues to evolve, so do the requirements of a successful contemporary marketer.
Running a few ads and calling it a day doesn’t cut it anymore – now, this dynamic industry requires an array of characteristics that a marketer needs to possess.
To excel in the modern era of marketing, you must have the marketing skills that are essential for every marketer to possess.
1. Tech-savvy
In today’s digital era, marketers can no longer rely solely on intuition to manage their campaigns – technological expertise is now a crucial skill for any marketer seeking to boost their business impact significantly.
By utilizing online tools, marketers can access a wealth of insights to craft strategies specifically designed for their target audience – from honing in on audience targeting techniques on social platforms to monitoring website metrics using Google Analytics.
2. Adaptable and versatile
With the constant evolution of marketing, marketers must have the adaptability and flexibility to adjust their marketing strategies to outpace competitors.
The capacity to consistently think forward and explore alternative marketing channels can offer a distinct advantage and foster innovative tactics.
For instance, while traditional marketing primarily started with newspaper advertisements, contemporary marketers recognize the need to leverage platforms like social media marketing, email marketing, and web development to engage their target audience effectively.
Aside from the characteristics we’ve covered, modern marketers also benefit by being natural networkers in their field. Even in the digital age, being a natural networker is a timeless trait to possess in marketing as it helps build links with industry experts.
3. Observant
For today’s marketers, success hinges on prioritizing customers. To genuinely comprehend customer needs and preferences, attentiveness to customer focus is crucial in adopting a customer-centric marketing mindset.
Closely monitoring customer reviews and feedback, staying informed about prevalent trends and industries, and actively observing competitor actions are all vital elements of a marketing strategy centered around the customer.
4. Natural leaders and collaborators
As a contemporary marketer, it’s essential to be a mix of strategist, manager, and leader—particularly when overseeing a marketing team.
This is due to the fact that favorable business results are attained when marketing leaders assume responsibility, and cooperation plays a crucial role in achieving success.
Leaders concentrate on the business objectives established by their marketing team for informed decision-making. At the same time, collaboration aids in synchronizing strategy and execution by dismantling project barriers and zeroing in on the ultimate goal.
5. Great planners
In the current competitive business landscape, it’s no surprise that marketers must fuel growth and excel in strategic planning to thrive. To stay ahead of competitors, contemporary marketers need exceptional planning skills.
An effective plan keeps marketers concentrated and structured, ensuring their ideas are magnified and yield results through a feasible strategy.
Devoting time to develop a carefully considered roadmap, complete with goals and objectives, is crucial for any contemporary marketer seeking to leave a lasting impression.
What Skills Does a Modern Marketer Need to Possess?
Today’s marketers must possess the proper qualities, which we have already explored.
To be both efficient and formidable in their roles, marketers require an essential set of marketing skills that will enable them to succeed in this digital marketing era.
In addition to possessing the appropriate qualities, there are essential skills that marketers need to acquire.
Research
In current marketing practices, the customer experience reigns supreme. Consequently, exceptional marketers leverage all possible data, leading to the most prosperous marketing campaigns underpinned by thorough research and deep insights into target audiences and customer preferences.
It’s not solely about pouring money into a marketing campaign; rather, it’s about harnessing that financial investment to its fullest extent via marketing approaches rooted in research.
Copywriting
Creating exceptional copy is crucial for content marketing success as it captures the audience’s interest and persuades them to act across various digital platforms.
Modern marketers must comprehend how to craft content that distinguishes itself from competitors in order to maintain a leading edge.
74% of internet users pay attention to a website’s grammar and spelling, and 59% avoid working with company sites that have grammatical errors. (RealBusiness)
Design
For marketers, creativity is indispensable, and in the digital era, design holds particular importance. Crafting websites and developing visually appealing graphics are key to capturing people’s attention in the content-driven world we live in today.
Compelling visuals and user-friendly interfaces are also vital; after all, if potential customers aren’t enticed to explore your webpage or interact with your product, the effort to create it becomes futile.
Digital advertising
As numerous facets of customer experience take place online, marketers must be proficient in digital advertising to achieve success in the digital era, irrespective of the industry or product type.
Undoubtedly, advertising plays an essential role in the marketing process. Grasping how various platforms communicate with customers and effectively utilizing their potential is vital for marketers aiming to connect with their target audience efficiently – be it through social media or email campaigns.
Social media management
Navigating social media management is an essential skill for today’s marketers, as it enables them to create and uphold a presence on various media platforms.
Furthermore, it allows marketers to formulate their messaging in a way that is focused on the customer, engaging, and genuine, which in turn helps them connect with followers and build relationships with their audience.
For 73% of marketers, social media marketing has been “somewhat” and “very effective” for their business. (Buffer, 2019)
Analytics
To maintain a competitive edge, marketers must be proficient in utilizing various analytics software.
As a highly desired marketing skill, analytics entails gathering and examining a vast array of data points through digital tools, which aids in making informed decisions while devising potent marketing strategies.
Employing analytics allows marketers to determine the most effective actions concerning user growth, revenue generation, and overall brand recognition.
Lacking analytics, it becomes exceedingly difficult for marketers to genuinely comprehend their target audience and identify the optimal ways to engage with them.
SEO
Steering through the modern digital world and adapting to the continuous shifts in search engine trends can be quite demanding for marketers.
Nonetheless, it’s essential to invest the effort, as marketers need to be well-versed in technology and proficient in SEO to generate content that rises above the competition in an ever-expanding, content marketing landscape.
By grasping the inner workings of search engines, marketers can develop content that not only connects with their desired audience but also becomes effortlessly accessible when potential clients use relevant keywords in their searches.
Did you know that SEO can drive 1000% more web traffic compared to organic social media? (BrightEdge)
Project management
To ensure maximum efficiency in marketing activities, contemporary marketing specialists must possess strong technical skills. Businesses and organizations are progressively adopting tech-based solutions to expand their marketing operations.
By employing marketing software and services, combined with knowledge and experience, marketing professionals can impact customer choices and achieve unprecedented results.
Budgeting
Finances are the driving force behind our world and undeniably power today’s marketing approaches.
A savvy marketer recognizes the importance of budgeting for effective money management, guaranteeing that resources are utilized wisely and that each marketing expenditure is justified.
Without budgeting, those invested funds vanish; smart marketers will be aware of how to allocate their resources to achieve maximum impact for their investment.
The Core Values of a Modern Marketer
Today’s marketers should embrace key principles that align with contemporary media and social standards.
Succeeding in the dynamic world of modern marketing demands a comprehension of the perpetually shifting digital media sphere, coupled with a respect for social responsibility.
Here are the fundamental values that a modern marketer must prioritize above all else.
Empathy
Today’s marketing arena calls for more than a memorable catchphrase and clever design. When it comes to customer acquisition, empathy serves as the crucial cornerstone that sets brands apart.
Empathy empowers brands to see past the immediate context and genuinely grasp their audience’s motivations.
This quality transcends simply integrating client feedback from surveys or comprehending market tendencies and preferences; it involves a sincere concern for each customer’s requirements in order to embody true customer-centricity.
By acknowledging this critical aspect of contemporary marketing, brands can forge enduring connections with their clientele and distinguish themselves from competitors in a significant manner.
Honesty and transparency
In the current business landscape, these two principles profoundly influence business outcomes. With consumers being more knowledgeable than ever before, they anticipate businesses to be transparent – they want to know precisely what they’re receiving and why they should even consider purchasing the product.
Any effort to deceive or mislead will be rapidly detected, resulting in a decline of trust and tarnishing your reputation as a reliable business.
As a result, marketers must place integrity at the forefront of marketing operations to maintain customer engagement.
“If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.” – Howard Shultz
Commitment
To succeed as a modern marketer, one must demonstrate unwavering dedication, open-mindedness, and resolve to uncover the most effective methods for establishing connections with consumers.
Venturing through the ceaselessly shifting terrain of digital marketing can be intimidating – yet, with steadfast commitment, marketers can assuredly traverse these challenges.
By continually acquiring inventive perspectives on modern marketing, we can adapt our strategies to aid our businesses in attaining their objectives through imaginative means previously unimagined.
Ultimately, marketers should take pride in their dedication, which undoubtedly yields significant returns!
Altruism
Businesses are now adopting values-driven marketing to influence their sales results.
This marketing approach centers on contributing to the community, as demonstrated by campaigns to eradicate single-use plastics or promote diversity and equality.
Such marketing highlights a company’s fundamental motivations and defines its purpose beyond financial gain.
By adopting a selfless mindset, marketers can create heartfelt campaigns that convey to consumers that they are not merely a store but part of a more significant cause.
FAQs
Modern marketing is a topic that’s still unfolding today. As we discover more about it and what it takes for a marketer to succeed in the modern world of marketing, we touch on the most common questions that people have about the modern kind of marketer.
In Summary
Think of these as marketing metrics—today’s successful marketers must have a diverse set of traits, abilities, and principles to succeed in the current market.
More than anything, it’s vital for marketers to wholeheartedly adopt empathy, openness, determination, and selflessness in their campaigns to engage with modern consumers effectively.
By holding onto these foundational values, marketers can craft campaigns that genuinely form connections with customers and leave an enduring impact.
The modern marketing landscape is constantly changing, but any modern marketer can confidently tackle it armed with the correct values.
Brian Shelton is an entrepreneur, marketer, and life-long learner committed to helping businesses achieve impactful results. He founded Grow Predictably to provide tailored marketing strategies to generate predictable, profitable growth. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Brian has helped businesses, large and small. reach their goals and drive positive change in the world.