Ten Lessons from 20 Years in Marketing

I’ve been in marketing for over twenty years years. What I have learned has made me a better marketer, and the learning never stops. Marketing is not just about marketing. It’s about interpersonal relationships within the organization, being able to sell your ideas, and getting others excited about opening new doors to customers. Here are some things I’ve learned.

1ne: Too many people within your organization still consider marketing an “expense.” We have ourselves to blame for this. Some too many marketers are out to get as much publicity as possible. They develop campaigns that garner headlines but do little to move the needle on getting new customers. Marketers must quantify their campaigns with results that excite others beyond vanity metrics like impressions.

2wo: Data doesn’t always tell you what you want to hear. Sometimes, you know what works and strongly feel what will work, but the data may not support your intuition. I’ve learned that following the data doesn’t always lead to good marketing decisions. Marketing is part science and part instinct. Learn when to trust data and when to trust your instincts.

3hree: You’re spending too much on paid search. Organic search rules online. Yes, paid search has its uses, but it often is a waste of money when you look deeper at analytics.

4our: Marketers need to be organizational influencers. You need to reach out to every key group within the company and sell them on marketing’s ability to meet the business objectives.

5ive: You’ll get frustrated developing a lot of PowerPoint decks. I would be much better off having a dollar for every deck I’ve created. PowerPoint and marketing go hand in hand.

6ix: An MBA is helpful but doesn’t replace years of working in a marketing department.

7even: Marketing is changing as consumers change with the new economy. Consumers mistrust advertising claims, and customer service has become more critical.

8ight: You need to challenge your agencies to deliver better results. Impressions, reach, and frequency don’t mean much if sales are still flat.

9ine: The learning never stops. You’ll learn a lot about consumers and what makes them brand customers.

10en: Marketing is excellent if you love learning about people and their motivations.

Be wary of marketers who think they “know it all”. Marketing is about learning and understanding customers. Enjoy the ride.