One of the things that attracted me to marketing is its use of both the right-brain and the left-brain. Ideally, marketers have creative and analytical minds. Having said that, the two most important skills a marketer must possess is common sense and the ability to put him or herself in the shoes of the customer. That is, a marketer must possess deep insight into the motivations and behaviors of their brand's target customers.
But marketing is actually a broad label for a wide variety of different marketing tasks and skill sets. For instance, a marketer could be an expert in qualitative marketing research, quantitative marketing research, data analytics, SEO, graphic design, photography, videography, copywriting, social media marketing, corporate communication, media & public relations, trade marketing, brand strategy formulation, brand identity development, brand management, brand licensing, account management and more.
Here are some of the specific skill sets required for each marketing specialty:
- Qualitative Marketing Research: a deep understanding of customer motivations (including their hopes, fears, anxieties, beliefs, values, attitudes, habits and behaviors), projective research techniques, guided imagery, stimulus creation, emotional IQ, being able to read people well, group facilitation, understanding order biasing
- Quantitative Marketing Research: formal education in marketing research including advanced statistical techniques, survey design, an understanding of scaling, biasing, and the right type of question and analysis to be performed for each insight, use of data analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics, Hotjar, SPSS, etc.), online survey platforms, data sampling company relationships
- Data Analytics: formal education in data analytics, programming languages (e.g. Python, R, SQL), data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI), statistical analysis, data wrangling and cleaning, machine learning, outstanding analytical skills, attention to detail
- SEO: an understanding of search engine algorithms and ranking factors, critical thinking, content writing, AI programming, web coding, ability to use popular SEO tools (e.g. Google Analytics), content marketing
- Graphic Design: design principles, typography, UX and UI design, creativity, understanding color psychology, Pantone swatch book, graphic design tools (e.g. Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Dreamweaver, Canva, CoralDRAW Graphics Suite, etc.)
- Photography: lighting, focus, composition, the rule of thirds, symmetry, background, cropping, shutter speeds
- Videography: storytelling, technical skills in video production, cinematic composition and lighting, post-production/editing skills, familiarity with editing software, audio sensitivity, color grading and correction
- Copywriting: customer insight, storytelling, creative writing, understanding the brand's voice and unique value proposition
- Social Media Marketing: social media strategy development, content planning and creation, graphic design, video editing, analytics and reporting, community management, paid social media advertising, influencer marketing, creativity, adaptability, deep understanding of Meta platforms and Google tools, understanding of blogs and RSS feeds
- Corporate Communication: storytelling, identifying story angles, strong writing skills, relationships with publications and other media, strong listening skills, emotional, intelligence, curiosity, the ability to explain why
- Media & Public Relations: communication and writing, social media, research, creativity, interpersonal skills, relationships with media sources, being aware of societal and industry trends, ideating and executing proactive publicity (i.e. publicity stunts)
- Trade Marketing: ROI (return on investment), POS (point-of-sale) and shelf management, brand marketing, digital marketing, Nielsen, business development, conference and trade show marketing, product development, marketing mix, relationship management, co-op advertising
- Brand Strategy: active listening, marketing research, customer insight, consumer psychology, creative and conceptual thinking, communication, storytelling, strategic use of data analytics, collaborative skills, influencing, group facilitation, global and cultural awareness, competitive and business model strategy, leadership
- Brand Identity Development: understanding brand essence, promise, archetype, personality and voice, graphic design, typography, color psychology, understanding various logo uses, written communication, knowing how to balance consistency and flexibility in design, being able to craft brand identity guidelines
- Brand Management: marketing research, consumer insights and analytics, strategic brand development, storytelling, financial/budget management, collaboration and influencing skills, strong interpersonal skills, verbal and written communication, emotional intelligence, assertiveness
- Brand Licensing: understanding the brand essence, promise, archetype, personality and voice, building a network of industry contacts, financial skills, negotiating skills, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, understanding IP (intellectual property)
- Account Management: understanding constituencies, client-service oriented, empathy, strong interpersonal and communication skills, time and project management, budgeting, calmness under pressure, influencing, "seeing the forest through the trees"
These skills are common to many of these different marketing roles: customer insight, understanding the brand's essence, promise, archetype, personality and voice, communication, storytelling, creativity and analytical skills. Marketing is one of the few professions that typically requires a combination of right-brain and left-brain skills. If you are considering a career in marketing, perhaps this list of required skills will help. And if you are trying to hire a marketer, this will help you to understand the type of marketer you might want and what skill set they should possess. I wish you great success in all of your marketing endeavors.
