I have a friend who’s a professor of marketing at a local university. One day we were talking, and a question popped into my head. I asked him, “Mark, do students majoring in marketing have to take any courses on writing web code like HTML, CSS or Javascript?”
Mark replied, “No.”
“What about database structures, data architecture, or scripting like SQL?”
“No, they don’t learn any of that either.”
“What about design tools like the Adobe Creative Suite?”
Mark thought for a second. “No, I don’t believe that’s required in any classes I can think of.”
“Marketing automation, CRM, BI tools?” I asked.
“Nope, not those either,” he responded.
The conversation continued along this path for several more minutes. I was amazed. I wondered how anyone coming out of college gets a job in marketing. I know if I graduated in 2014, I would be up a creek without a paddle! My point with this story is that marketing has changed. The skills needed to succeed as a modern marketer have evolved and become specialized as the complexity of marketing has exponentially increased. No longer is it good enough to have folks sit around dreaming up how they can create “a hook” that creates so much buzz that everyone flocks to their product or service. To create a modern marketing team, you need to assemble highly skilled, well-trained, extremely motivated people who realize their specialization contributes to the success of the team as a whole.
These are people who have the skills to build, manage, and execute integrated campaigns that produce measurable results. These marketers also understand that marketing is part art, part science. They mix creativity with data and automation to drive real revenue growth.
What sorts of people am I talking about? Well, if budget were no object for me, here are the 10 players I would want on my Modern Marketing Dream Team:
1) Chief Marketing Officer/Chief Marketing Technology Officer
Every team needs a great leader, but the definition of a great leader is evolving. Obviously, responsibilities like being the visionary and providing strategic direction will always be important, but just as the complexity of the marketing skillset is changing, so must the knowledge base of the head person. Modern marketers need to be steeped in digital technology. They need to understand the landscape of technology tools and how all of them integrate with each other. This person must be able to speak to SQL (as in the database programming language), as well as SQL (as in Sales Qualified Lead). Additionally, this person must be obsessed with data, measurement, process improvement, and analysis. Gone are the days of talking about fuzzy metrics like “brand recognition” and “market penetration.” They need facts about ROI, pipeline velocity, revenue forecasting and marketing spend.
2) Marketing Automation Manager/Demand Generation Manager
Your marketing automation manager or demand generation manager is the person who sets strategy for demand generation, builds out complex nurture flows and makes sure data is going where it needs to go. This person must have a deep understanding of data architecture and how to nurture a lead along the buying journey.
3) CRM Administrator
For many organizations, the CRM Admin sits within IT or Sales, not marketing. This is unfortunate. Given how closely the CRM Admin and Demand Gen Manager work together, it makes sense to have them on the same team. It speeds up the time it takes to get marketing projects off the ground. Make the case to bring this person onto the marketing team. It will pay dividends down the road.
4) Marketing Data Analyst/Marketing Data Scientist
There is so much data generated within an organization that it’s important to have someone on the team who knows how to use it. You are looking for a person who knows how to use the latest BI software, can spearhead data integration projects, and has a deep mathematical background. Equally as important, this person needs to know how to tell a compelling story with data and how to ask questions that get to the heart of what information people are really looking for. This person must be passionate about getting the data right as he/she is about presenting the data in a way that influences business decisions. Finding the right mix is no small feat.
5) Content Director In the age of search, content is king. This person needs to be more than just a great writer. He/she needs to be able to map content to the buying cycle and have a strategy for repurposing content to create new offerings without always rewriting new material. This person works closely with the Marketing Automation Manager to determine where to focus the content creation process. He/she also has a toolbox filled with outside contractors who specialize in things like video, infographics, photography, or graphic design.
6) Journalist
Closely related to the Content Director is the Journalist. This person is a writer but has a slightly different role than the Content Director. The Journalist is there to literally do what journalists do. They interview customers. They investigate problems. They do feature pieces. Basically, the Journalist tells stories that are compelling and informative. They write with their audience in mind, avoiding jargon and corporate catch phrases. In a world of officially-sanctioned-by-the-legal-department whitepapers, the Journalist brings humanity, empathy, and beauty back to your marketing content.
7) Community Manager
In case you’re wondering, this is not just a fancy way of saying a Social Media Manager. A social media manager is tasked with scouring through the social networks to look for problems and build brand awareness through curating and creating content. The Community Manager does this and so much more. They make sure customers remain happy. They develop loyalty programs and recruit brand ambassadors. The Community Manager spurs on discussion and serves as a one-stop shop for customers and prospects to turn to when they need help. This person should be a natural connector—the kind of person who lights up a room when they walk in. Get this hire correct, and you will watch customer satisfaction soar through the roof.
8) Event Manager
I was hesitant to put this role on the list. On one hand, events are expensive and can have limited ROI. On the other hand, events can be powerful tools to connect with customers face-to-face, get extended time to talk with prospects, and network with potential partners or even recruit top talent. And, after attending a few great events and too many mediocre (or downright lousy) events, I’ve seen first hand the difference a top-notch Event Manager can play. This person will team up with the Community Manager to ensure that both the logistics of the events are covered and the fun, educational, helpful aspects aren’t missed.
9) SEO Manager/Front-End Website Developer
Ever visited a corporate website and think to yourself, “Wow, that site looks horrible. When was the last time they even thought about updating this?” I know I have. How do horrible websites still exist in this day-and-age? This is the reason you need a first rate web person. This person should sit on the Marketing team, not the IT team. Your website is your 24/7/365 advertisement to the world. In addition to great coding skills, this person has to take into consideration organic and paid search, lead generation, content placement, UX best practices, and so much more. Getting the right person in this role might be tricky but it will pay off in the long run.
10) Designer
Last but certainly not least is a great Designer. Almost every role on this list can be improved or hindered by how a designer puts together the final product. An innate understanding of when things feel right and when they are off is key for this person. The Designer must also have outstanding technical chops to be able to use all the latest tools. Please note: this person isn’t just the “make it pretty person.” This person sets the entire tone of how the public sees your organization. Don’t believe me? Then ask yourself, why are people willing to pay premium pricing for technologically inferior iPhones? Two words: Outstanding design!
There you have it. My if-budget-and-hiring-limitations-were-no-boundary top 10 players on the Modern Marketing Dream Team. What do you think? Anyone you would add or remove? Let us know.
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