It’s really easy to tell marketers what they should be doing
It's a tale as old as time
It’s really easy to tell marketers what they should be doing, if you’re not the one actually doing the work (and carrying the targets).
There were three posts I saw last week across social media that made my blood boil.
Two of the posts were very similar.
Both alluding to how surprised they were that senior marketers weren’t across all the new tools available to them, and (gasp) hadn’t changed their marketing playbook overnight.
The third post (ironically from one of the posters above), was about how many marketers were burnt out because of the fast pace of change and challenges we’re all facing right now.
No Shit, Sherlock.
And the kicker, as far as I could see, neither of these people have in-house marketing responsibilities.
So, you know, they don’t have to worry about all the plates spinning.
The marketing playbook is changing overnight, with new tools to connect with customers, create efficiencies and drive growth.
There are huge opportunities out there.
BUT
Depending on your role, your budget, size of company (and loads of other factors), you might not be in a position to take advantage of everything - not right away, anyway.
AND THAT’S OK.
To draw upon a much used phrase from a few years ago…
“We’re all in the same storm, but we’re all in different boats.”
The explosion of AI is a “game-changer” (by the way, so was the internet in the 90’s and social media in the 2000’s - and we’ve navigated through that).
If you’re a thought-leader, influencer, consultant, advisor - you might have a lot of time to dive into these new tools and educate yourself.
If you work in-house in a large organization - you might have a team of direct reports, specialist teams within the business, suppliers wanting you to test new products (for free) in return for your logo, you may even have a whole team or department focused on digital/AI transformation.
If you are the sole marketer at a smaller company - you are probably wearing lots of different hats, have small budgets and limited resources to try new things.
There is a whole mix of different scenarios that are in play right now.
And we have to recognize that. Instead of telling our contemporaries that they are falling behind, perhaps a better way is to share the knowledge that we’re learning.
Help lift people up, instead of adding pressure.
And let’s not forget, the pressure of what’s happening in the world right now is huge. People don’t switch off from a cost of living crisis, war, economic uncertainty, politics - and everything else going on - as soon as they switch on their laptop. It comes to work with them.
I’ve been in roles where tough times hit, and the sole focus becomes protecting revenue - which as a marketer, that translates to “you need to do more, with less”.
That’s a really challenging time. And not always a great time to try and get buy-in on testing new products or taking a risk.
And I’ve been in roles where money and resources haven’t been an issue. Working as part of a big organization, that has specialist teams testing new tech, working on THE growth product for the business and being first in line for any new investments.
That’s a lot of fun. You have scope to try new things. You have people around you training you on new platforms. And everyone is onboard with taking a risk.
So where you can, drown out the noise and focus on what you need to do (and that’s different for every company). Do what you can, with the resources that you have.
Here are three ways I’m sharing my knowledge so you can learn from me.
Join my free Introduction to AI Search
A quick, 30 minute overview of AI Search. Perfect if you haven’t had a chance to dive into the topic yet but are interesting in finding out how to get your brand to appear in search results.
You can find out more and save your space here.
Book an Ask a Marketer Call
Perfect for both marketers and founders. It’s the opportunity to brainstorm, get some quick advice or bounce an idea with a marketing expert. You’ll can quickly tap into my 25 years of marketing experience.
Spend Time Focusing on your Career
Overwhelmed, Feeling Stuck, Excited about a New Opportunity, Ready to Make a Change? All areas where a career coach can help. Whether you need a few sessions or a little more, let’s have a chat about how I can help you achieve your career goals.