I hope 2021 brings you a promotion. A better paid and more rewarding job.
The first step to achieving this is to impress your marketing boss. To convince him/her that you’re going far.
I’ve worked with many marketing teams over the years. Here are some suggestions on how to do this, based on the people who have impressed me the most.
1 Know your numbers
Marketers are often accused of lacking commercial nous. That they’re only interested in creating ads or making things look pretty. The fluffy stuff. Make sure you’re not one of them. Keep up to date with the performance of your brand and business. I once had a boss who used to randomly ask me what my sales were this week, how my brand was doing, how the promotion in Tesco was going, etc. You’ll need to answer straight away. It’s a test. To check if you’re engaged with the business dynamics of your brand.
Don’t get caught out on your commercial facts. Memorise the key measures of success. Your brand share (obvs) but also other indicators of your brand’s health.
Get to grips with the brand’s P & L account. It’s not just about impressing your boss. Knowing the numbers will help make you a better marketer. The more you dig, the more you’ll learn. Understand where and how your brand makes money. Which product lines are most profitable. which activities yield better returns. Where to invest your marketing budget. You’ll be able to have proper, grown-up conversations with your boss. And make better decisions.
2 Speak up
Don’t join a meeting, sit silently and leave. If you’ve been invited to a meeting, contribute. Otherwise, you’ll be perceived as adding no real value to the business. Voice an opinion. Acknowledge you understand. Ask a question. Demonstrate that you’re keen to learn. Take part. Don’t be a passive presence.
In an idea generation workshop, come up with some ideas. Even if you think they’re a bit rubbish, offer them up. They’re probably better than you think. They may lead to additional thoughts and further perspectives.
If you don’t speak up, you’ll be ignored or asked not to come to future meetings. Don’t just speak for the sake of it, but aim to make a telling contribution.
3 Stand up for your consumers
It seems ridiculous to include this, but many marketers never talk to their consumers. If they do, they talk down to them or view them with a touch of disdain. Don’t be that person. If you’re not representing the voice of the consumer, then no one is.
Find opportunities to observe, listen to them or speak to them. Here are some tips on how to do it for free. Build it into your work regime. Capture and share what you learn about them. Read the market research data and reflect on some of the key insights.
Having empathy is fundamental to being a great marketer. Make sure you look at your brand and business through the eyes of your consumer. This is particularly important when judging creative work or generating ideas.
4 Don’t waste your boss’s time
Your marketing boss is likely to have a full agenda, so make your time together as productive as possible.
This means
a) booking out their time, rather than randomly appearing at their office. Most bosses say, ‘my door is always open’ but they don’t really mean it. They hate it when their busy day is interrupted.
b) managing the time you have together. Plan the session properly Make sure you set the agenda. Become a really good meeting facilitator. There’s lots of advice here. Be clear about what you want from them. Is it feedback, a decision, some ideas? Make your meetings purposeful.
5 Be a source of inspiration
Your boss may be more experienced, but they still have knowledge gaps and still need to learn. The world moves quickly. Think about the expertise or knowledge you hold that could be useful to them. Then, pass it on.
For example, If you discover something new or interesting from your consumers, share it. If you see an idea that could be relevant to your brand, pass it on. It could be a new packaging format, a piece of communication. It may be within your category, or it could be elsewhere.
You may well have a specific passion or interest that could help others. It may be around sustainability, digital marketing, infographics, technology, semiotics – whatever. Make sure you nurture it.
Don’t always look to your boss for inspiration, just because they’re senior and have a few more years of experience. Make sure you’re a source of inspiration. It’s infectious. We all need it.
6 Champion your brand
The favourite brand I worked on when I was a brand manager was Buitoni (closely followed by Nescafé ). We had a great range of products and I loved the pioneering work we were undertaking. I saw my job as speaking up for the brand, defending it, and growing it. Even today, many years later, I still have a deep affection for it.
A surefire way to impress your boss is to show your belief in the brand you work on. No matter how big or small it is. Get to know your brand’s back story. Stand up for it during internal meetings. If your agency partners push it in a direction you’re not happy with, push back. Celebrate your brand’s victories. Hold firm when attempts are made to erode its value.
It’s likely that you’ll only be looking after a brand for a short period of its life. Make sure you leave it in better shape than when you joined it.
7 Prove you can be trusted
Demonstrate you have clear ethical boundaries. Don’t indulge in petty office politics or backstabbing to get ahead. Support your colleagues who need help. Don’t put them down. Don’t be the office gossip. It’ll backfire. Prove you that you respect confidentiality. It could be about an imminent new launch, sensitive business data, or a personal issue. If you breach your boss’s trust it’ll take a long time to win it back.
So to summarise
Want to get ahead in marketing? These are the areas to focus on. Demonstrate you’re a dedicated, independent, and reflective thinker. Show up every day. Contribute fully to the life and success of your brand. You’ll become a much better marketer. You’ll impress your boss and prove you’re destined for great things. You’ll get the promotion you deserve.