Not easily swayed by buzzwords and fluff. Great at small talk. Able to capture the attention of a room. Sounds like the life of the party, right? This perfectly describes a Marketing professional.
But Marketers are about much more. They’re skilled communicators, have stellar analytical abilities and are always on top of the latest tech trends.
Unfortunately, this means they’re hard to impress. They can see through a marketing pitch a mile away.
In this next post in our multi-part series on engaging personas from different industries, we reveal how to turn picky marketing professionals into loyal advocates for your brand. (You can download the full eBook with more insights and ideas from other marketers here.)
Who is the marketing professional?
Perceptive problem solvers
They can pick up on things without someone even uttering a word. Marketers have an uncanny ability to interpret body language—an important skill to have when communicating a company’s brand message to customers and prospects.
Not surprisingly, most marketing professionals are outgoing. “They have a gift for reacting to and solving immediate problems, and persuading other people,” suggests the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) of those who fall into the Myers Briggs personality type—which often includes marketers.
“P” for “participate”
They excel at being team players, and love to motivate others. In fact, they’re up for taking part in just about anything–if its fun or valuable.
More Steve Jobs, less Bill Gates
Think Steve Jobs, not Bill Gates. You’re more likely to find casual attire than a sea of stiff, three-piece suits in a Marketing professional’s wardrobe. They beat to their own drum and create their own brand. Which means they’ll appreciate others who do the same.
Addressing Marketer’s Top Concerns
So how do you best reach this group who can see through, and interpret, just about anything you have to throw at them?
1. Be direct
State your ask, and let them answer. It’s that simple. They’re on to any clever tactics, so just cut straight to the point, and you’ll be appreciated and respected for it.
“If you want help getting the word out on social media, just ask for it,” says Mychelle Mollot, CMO at Klipfolio. “Marketers are happy to participate, not just for the rewards, but simply to help out.”
2. Make them feel special
Marketers often feel undervalued. They’re also under constant pressure to perform from their sales team. That’s why they appreciate having a space to vent frustrations and talk through their struggles with peers who are in the same boat. This means rewards like trade show passes, access to your C-suite, or an invitation to speak at your next conference are perfect ways to make marketers feel appreciated.
“Give them opportunities to speak and share their expertise—especially as they try to grow their career” says Kevin Lau, Senior Customer Retention Marketing Manager at Netbase.
3. Help them keep up
Give them as much information as possible. While Marketing professionals want to reinforce their status as experts, they often don’t have the time to search for the content that can help them do that. Make it easy, in turn, for them to share these articles, case studies, and other information with peers, and voice their opinions on them.
“Their industry is extremely competitive, so having the latest knowledge is the greatest benefit for Marketers,” says Candice Charleton, Senior Global Social & Community Manager at Hootsuite.
4. Encourage community
Facilitate open-ended discussions, both tied specifically to marketing initiatives and that are simply informative, educational, or entertaining. For example, showcase a recent campaign from another company and ask them to comment on what was good or bad about it. Or, ask them to share an interesting article they recently read.
“Think about how you can help Marketers be better by providing them with a welcoming community where they can ask questions and offer support,” says Sam Brennand, Director of Customer Success at Uberflip.
5. Provide a distraction
Marketers could use a break, but they won’t take one without some coaxing. Offer fun content, like surveys, inspirational quotes, GIFs, and videos, that will help them unwind and decompress. And don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. If they feel a connection, chances are they will interact with your brand in a deeper way, like checking out your blog or joining your online community.
“Marketers get “sold” to more than any other B2B buyers,” says Catie Ivey Coutinho, Vice President of Sales at Insightpool. “So above all else, do whatever it takes to avoid being boring.”
Bottom Line
The contrast of Marketing professionals being both fun-loving and extraverted, but also feeling under-appreciated and overwhelmed, makes marketing to them a particularly strategic endeavour. They deliver a lot, and thus expect a lot in return.
Arm them with as much information as possible to help them secure their reputation as experts. Let them share ideas and vent frustrations. And help them unwind. They’ll always appreciate learning something new, and will look forward to the interactions with your brand if they know you’ll add something of value to their day.
If gaining buy-in from marketers is critical to growing your business, you need to know wht will grab (and hang onto) their attention. In this ebook, you’ll learn:
- How to turn marketers into advocates for your brand
- Key challenges you’ll face communicating with them
- How other brands are successfully engaging this persona
