When I ask you this question, you might say yes, that you can succeed in digital marketing because of the skills that you have for it. While your skills can help you achieve a certain amount of success in this industry, it is not the only thing that you need. To get to a level where only a few are able to achieve, you need to have a few other things with you.
So, when I ask if you have what it takes to make it in the world of digital marketing, you need to ask yourself the same question and look not only at your skill set but also into your persona. You need to assess whether or not you have the kind of drive to succeed in such a competitive world and the mindset to give it your all. Digital marketing and all that it entails is a constantly changing beast, which can eat you up and spit you out if you are not ready for it.
What Does it Take to Succeed in This Industry?
Success in this industry is not merely defined by having a steady stream of clients that trust you with their digital marketing needs. It is a combination of this and your drive to stay current with the constant changing face of the industry. It is in how you take in the challenges that come and how you find ways to improve on your craft. It is in your zeal to innovate and in your attitude towards what you do.
So, what does it take to make it in this digital marketing world I am in? Here are some things you should have on your plate:
Willingness to evolve – you cannot stay still in this world. If you do, you will be left in the dust by your competition. You are not the only one in this industry and there are even more who are waiting in line to get in on the action, so to speak, of the digital marketing realm. If you don’t evolve with the industry, if you stick with what you know and refuse to embrace the constant change that comes with working in digital marketing, you may as well find other avenues of income.
Hunger for learning – with the much needed evolution of who you are in this industry comes the need to learn, and learn you must if you want to stay competitive and ahead of the pack. As I mentioned earlier, this industry is constantly changing, and this is partly because of Google’s constant tweaking of their products and their algorithm. This is what keeps digital marketers on their toes. Not knowing what to expect and trying to keep up with the many changes search engines and other online entities make requires that you keep up by learning.
Talk to people – if you don’t know how to talk to people, and think that a digital marketer can hide behind their laptops, you have it all wrong. PR, or personal relations, is one of the key ingredients to a successful career in this industry. You need to know how to explain what you do to possible clients who know nothing of your world or your work. You need to do so in such a way that they understand what you are saying but think that you are the only one they can trust with it. You have to be jovial, kind, friendly, yet authoritative, commanding, and convincing.
Up and at ‘em attitude – it is so easy to be lazy when it comes to digital marketing, particularly if you are someone who can work from anywhere and at any time. Being able to do this does not mean that you should slack off. You need to have the drive and enthusiasm to greet every single day with a zeal for what you do. Always think that you need to get things done and this should be on the top of your list every single day.
These are just a few of the things you need (apart from mad digital marketing skills, of course) to get ahead in this industry. You can always learn the tricks of the trade, but without the drive, the attitude, and the personality that is needed for success in digital marketing, you won’t make it too far. If you want to talk about all of this and how to improve on your skills as well as yourself, feel free to contact me or leave a comment here.
