Advice to Digital Marketers Starting a New Role

As featured on http://lifexpe.com/advice-digital-marketers-starting-role

Originally posted on LinkedIn

Whether you’re a seasoned digital marketer on your 3rd, 4th or 5th tour-of-duty, or just entering a new role after nailing a job interview, you should have the same question for your first day:

“What’s going to make this a success?”

And they should be asking that, not just of their boss – but of others around them as well, that are directly and indirectly linked to the company’s digital marketing efforts. This discipline of setting a goal and objective – based on other’s inputs forms the early pages of the successful digital marketer’s playbook. It gives them an understanding of what’s been done before, and what people will expect you are to bring to the table – it’s how they will measure your value.

The next question to answer is,

“How are you going to make this a success?”

DIGITAL MARKETERS NEED TO LISTEN

The next generation of digital marketers will need to listen carefully to their customers, their competitors and key stakeholders in the business. No matter how talented you are, or are perceived to be – no one likes a know-it-all, particularly someone who has sized up the opportunity the first week on the job – you’ll come off as arrogant. So do a little research, and show people you know how to assess, and assimilate.

EVALUATE

Digital marketers need to connect with their key stakeholders on their assessment of the business – with both quantitative, and qualitative data. Check in with them, and show them that you are actively listening, and getting a feel for the business – and where you will direct your efforts. Don’t blast things that already have been done or dismiss them as ineffective. Learn from them, as there may be value in running with what is working well, or gathering keen insight from things that have not. Failure is one of the many steps you will take on the path to success.

ACT

You’ve evaluated the situation, you’ve gotten appropriate amounts of input from the right people. Now you can create your action plan. Develop timelines, key actions, stakeholders, and metrics that you will measure to evaluate success. And make “TO-DAY” lists, vs “to-do” lists. Make sure you are getting the right things done every day that will move you closer to your goals. It’s too easy to get sidetracked, or tackle the easiest items first. That may give you a sense of accomplishment, but it may not be what’s best for the business – or your career.

MEASURE AND OPTIMIZE

Show that you have the right KPIs in place, show their progress, and the actions you are taking to improve them. Ask for help when you need it. And work towards optimization using A/B or multivariate tests and try different channels, partners, or affiliates. Show how your results compare to your competitors or the previous period.

After all, you’ve done your homework, you’ve created a great plan, you’ve executed – now it’s time to let your talent shine.

Ray is a father, a volunteer firefighter, Head of Marketing at Pollfish, is an Adjunct Faculty Member at New York University and an advisor to startups at NYUs Startup Incubator at the Tandon School of Engineering.