Full stack marketers are extremely valuable.
You want to know something? Technology, specifically computation and data, is taking over the entire world. Most developed countries are already connected to the Internet, while 3rd world countries are catching up quickly, leapfrogging the industrial revolution and dropping themselves into the 4th revolution – information technology.
As of this writing, over half of the world is connected to the internet.
This trend will continue to grow and grow as the cost of technology keeps decreasing over time while it’s processing power keeps increasing (Moore’s Law). What great news for any professional working in technology!
I’ve worked with hundreds of different SMB’s clients, growing their business models through digital marketing and management consulting. I’m not a professional academic – I actually use the strategies, tactics, and advice I share on this blog everyday.
If you’re going to be an elite full stack marketer, you’re going to need to understand your client and your client’s target audience at their core.
There is no faking this understanding and if you truly get it everything in your business life will be easier. Client’s will view you more with an ‘he’s an expert listen to him” perspective rather than ‘this bloody idiot has no idea what he’s talking about’ perspective. The ladder is no fun, so stay away!
It’s all about influencing perspectives.
I’m not going to cover every element in becoming an elite digital marketer in this one blog. That’s like asking me to write in one blog how-to manually fixing every mechanical part on a semi-trailer. There are simply too many topics to cover.
BUT, what I can do, is share what I’ve come to believe are the foundational qualities in an elite digital marketer. These include:
> empathy > assertiveness > curiosity > empathy
empathy
“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.”
Understanding other people at their core is a superpower. Understand exactly what your client’s business stands now with their short, medium, and long term goals in mind is key.
assertiveness:
“Staying silent is like a slow growing cancer to the soul and a trait of a true coward. There is nothing intelligent about not standing up for yourself. You may not win every battle. However, everyone will at least know what you stood for—YOU.” ― Shannon L. Alder
= this industry is fun, competitive, dynamic, with lots of shiny objects that steal your focus. An assertive person will get ahead in the marketing field since they know what they want and are not going to let fear hold them back.
curiosity:
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” Walt Disney
Good marketing requires an effective application of creative ideas and concepts. It’s both an art and science so if you lack curiosity you will fail to continuously learn and thus fail in this career.
adaptability:
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” – Bruce Lee
No two day’s are alike in business. There’s plenty of opportunity around the office everyday. If you don’t see opportunity the rigidity of your mindset is holding you back from becoming more adaptable.