Want to Work in Marketing? Here are 7 Skills You'll Need

April 23 2020 - Marketing is an exciting career choice for those who want a career that's creative, varied, and lets you think outside the box. While marketing can be a competitive career path, if you have the right skills and determination, you can find the best role for you. Here are some of the skills that can be useful if you want to get into marketing.

1. Analytical skills

Marketing is an industry that's increasingly being driven by analytics, rather than instinct, which means it's important to develop analytical skills and be able to work with complex data. If you study marketing at Emerson, you'll learn several skills related to data analytics, from using programs such as Google Analytics and Adobe Suite to turning data into effective marketing campaigns.

2. Writing and storytelling skills

Modern marketing campaigns need to capture the public's imagination. So if you want to work in marketing, it's worth developing your writing skills and learning how to use storytelling to connect with the public. Whether it's a blog post or a social media update, you need to be able to put a unique angle on what you are writing and create engaging content.

You should also try to get experience writing different types of content for different audiences. If you work in marketing, you might need to write all sorts of content, including:

• Scripts for TV and radio
• Blog posts
• Posts for social media - which may include Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms
• Marketing e-mails
• Content for websites

Even if you aren't looking to work as a copywriter, those who are thinking of going into marketing should develop their writing skills as much as possible, so they can write persuasively and get involved with multiple aspects of each campaign.

3. IT skills

Because marketing is so heavily based on numbers nowadays, IT skills are highly valued. You'll often have to work on large spreadsheets or Google docs, as well as collaborating with clients and co-workers who are on different sites via the internet. If you are planning a marketing career, make sure your IT skills are up to date. You could consider taking an IT course aimed towards those in marketing, which would look great on your resume.

4. Communication

Communication skills are often seen as a 'soft skill', but they are essential to working in marketing. Firstly, collaborative skills are necessary, as you'll usually have to work as part of a team, trying to get all the elements of a campaign together. You'll also need to be able to 'translate' your marketing message for the general public, taking complex ideas and presenting them in a manner that the target audience will understand.

Working in marketing also means you'll need to get comfortable with public speaking. It's worth learning how to give a presentation, as most marketing roles will require you to present ideas to clients or to departments outside of your own. Even extroverted individuals often get nervous when giving a presentation, but with enough practice, you can become more comfortable with it.

5. Problem-solving

Marketing requires a lot of problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Good marketing is not just about showing people a product and coming up with a clever slogan, you need to consider branding, the client's business plans, and create campaigns during difficult times such as recessions. The best marketers are those who are creative, but also able to look at the big picture and solve complex problems.

6. Social media

It is crucial for you to be familiar with the major social media platforms and keep up to date with the newer ones. Simply having a Facebook page isn't enough, you should also know how the platforms work, for example, the potential for placing paid advertisements, how the site analytics work, and information about the core demographics of each platform. This will ensure you target the right groups and make the most of your marketing budget.

7. The ability to learn new skills

If you're someone who wants to graduate, go into a job, and never go through another lecture or course again, then marketing may not be for you. From social media to SEO, marketing is a fast-paced industry, so while you may know a lot about the industry now, in a few years, things could have changed entirely. Many marketing professionals spend a lot of time on their career development, so they can stay up to date with the latest in the industry.

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