What Are the Qualities of a Good Marketer?
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Do you know what the qualities of a good marketer are? If not, you should. Understanding what makes a marketing professional successful can help inform hiring and/or training decisions for your company. Once you know what characteristics to look for, you can choose the right person (or team) to take your business to the next level…
11 Qualities of a Good Marketer
As a business owner, you probably keep your focus on your business (as you should). However, that also means that you may not be as well versed in marketing or know what it takes to achieve marketing success. The good news is you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Below we’ve listed 11 qualities of a good marketer so that you can feel confident whoever you put in charge of your business’s marketing efforts will be up to the task.
Let’s jump in…
1) Not Afraid to Break Rules
It’s no coincidence that we put this as the number one quality on this list. There are so many so-called “rules” in the world of marketing that a lot of marketers get stuck in a box. But when it comes to marketing, brands are constantly seeking ways to stand out and be unique, and the ability to break rules is one of the top qualities of a good marketer.
The best marketers are not afraid to stray from the norm. In fact, they like to live by their own rules. It’s not a matter of being brave; rather, it’s about breaking the ceiling and choosing the best route for marketing success.
2) Curiosity
In relation to the previous quality, curiosity is another valuable skill that a good marketer must possess. After all, the only way they can break the norm is if they have a curious mind.
One of the best qualities of a good marketer is having an insatiable urge to learn and understand things. In fact, many are obsessed with developing new tactics that haven’t been explored before.
But it’s important to point out that they are curious with a purpose. They don’t just implement tactics without prior analysis of strategy. They want to discover new ways to market products and services, and they are interested in learning what makes a marketing strategy work or not work.
Curiosity also fuels creativity. It is the spark that ignites exploration of new ideas and paves the way for better, more efficient, and more effective tactics.
3) Adaptability
A good marketer never stops learning, and that’s crucial in the marketing industry, which is constantly evolving at a rapid rate.
In a 2020 survey by Statista on the most in-demand skills in marketing in the US, it was revealed that strategy and social media are two of the leading skills required. But these two areas are always shifting. What is true of marketing now may not be the case a year later or the year after that.
The ability to adapt when new trends are introduced in the field of marketing is one of the best and most valued qualities of a good marketer.
4) Strong Planning Skills
According to author Dale Carnegie, “An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.”
Time is the biggest barrier to the successful implementation of key marketing tactics. Hence, the ability to manage time wisely by planning is what sets good marketers apart from bad ones.
Instead of constantly chasing deadlines and a never-ending to-do list, a good marketer has full control of their time and gets every task accomplished before it’s due. This quality proves critical when it comes to building and managing a digital marketing team.
5) Ability to Prioritize
A marketer has multiple things on their plate at any given time. That’s why the ability to prioritize tasks according to their urgency and rating those tasks based on their value to the overall goal is essential.
Even Steve Jobs himself advocated for focus in the workplace. In this case, focus refers to the ability to say “no.” According to Jobs, you must learn how to let go of 1,000 other ideas to focus on one.
Hence, the ability to prioritize—knowing what matters and what doesn’t—is one of the most important qualities of a good marketer.
6) Anti-Perfectionist
This might be a surprising entry on this list, but a good marketer understands that there is no such thing as “perfect” in this industry.
Many marketers obsess over the details to create the perfect marketing strategy. But marketing isn’t constant. It changes at a rapid rate. And as you obtain new data from your marketing efforts, you must update your strategy as well.
7) Empathy
Marketing is about building a relationship with the target audience. That’s why you need to know…
- Who your ideal customer is
- What they value most
- What their biggest problem is
…and so on.
The goal for marketers is to introduce a brand message that resonates with the audience. You want to appeal to the heart of your customers. You need to evoke emotion by knowing how to address their pain points.
Being empathic to customer needs is one of the most powerful qualities of a good marketer. Without it, there is no alignment between what customers need and what a business can offer them. Make no mistake—empathy plays a significant role in the customer experience.
8) Straightforwardness
Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to developing a marketing plan. A lot of work goes into developing one, but once created, it makes it so much easier for everyone on your team to follow.
The more straightforward your marketing plan is, the more sustainable it becomes in the long run. A good marketer will do the legwork to ensure that all aspects of the marketing strategy are considered to make it as simple as it can be.
9) Solid Communication Skills
The ability to communicate effectively is one of the qualities of a good marketer. Without it, it’s difficult to establish trust with your audience and a relationship within your team.
Proper communication is more vital than ever before with the prevalence of digital marketing. Without communication, you won’t be able to accomplish your goals.
Good communication is all about conveying your message to your audience in a clear and concise manner. The choice of communication platform is also crucial to ensure that your target audience receives that message.
10) Creativity
A good marketer likes to think outside the box. But they are not just curious. Their curiosity allows them to think of new ideas that other marketers might not even consider.
The goal of a marketer is to make a product or service more appealing to the target audience. Creative marketers look at things from a different angle. They are not afraid to change things up and invite others to see it the way they do.
Some ideas might be labeled crazy or weird, but they don’t let that stop them from taking risks.
11) Ability to Recruit
A good marketer is also a visionary. They like to plan for the long-term success of their marketing efforts. But to achieve a long-term goal, it needs to be complemented by short-term goals.
One of the most underrated qualities of a good marketer is the ability to recruit the right people to assist with their marketing objectives. They are willing to acknowledge that small and concrete steps can help realize their long-term vision, and that help from others is essential if they are going to make it happen.
Final Thoughts
Good marketers don’t happen by chance. It takes a combination of skill and experience to become a successful marketer, which is something to consider when you are hiring someone to fill that role.
There are three options available for you here:
- You can hire someone who possesses the qualities of a good marketer. They are a rare gem, but you can find one if you develop the right recruitment strategy.
- You can also develop your internal marketing team. But some of the qualities above can be difficult to train.
- You can outsource your marketing. Instead of using your time and resources to train your internal staff, you can leverage the expertise of proven marketing experts.
The third option is sure to unleash your marketing potential and take it to the next level. Want to learn what the marketers at Viral Solutions can do for you? Start with a FREE, 50-Point Marketing Audit!
At Viral Solutions we are committed to seeing YOU succeed. It is our goal to grow your business with proven digital marketing strategies that will help your business for the long haul.
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