Tips for Building a Marketing Career

A smart young digital marketer just left my team, and on the way out, he asked me to share some advice as he considered his next steps in his career. I'm a sucker for a smart person who seeks my advice. This is what I wrote: 1. Keep up the kind of professionalism that you exhibited at GoTo and during your transition.  Your willingness to go the extra mile and package your work so others can continue without dropping the ball will definitely be remembered.  Your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. 2. As you progress through your career, remember to maintain a focus on the business purpose that is driving your activities.  You might be surprised to find out that most people don't think about (and some don't understand) the business reasons behind their marketing activities.  Make sure you can always connect the dots and explain why you are recommending a decision in terms of financial outcomes. 3. Skate to where the puck is going. Lean into new technologies as a lifelong learner.  There are some amazing new AI tools coming out for marketing.  Spend some time learning about them, form an opinion about which ones would be most useful based on their business impact. It's easier to become an expert in something that is new.  There is a lot of new right now...dig in. 4. Find opportunities to sell an idea inside a company. The most successful people I know are great at convincing people to change the way they do things. If you think that something can be done better, do some research, run some experiments, model the improvement of doing something different, and sell the idea of making a change. It will be one of the most compelling stories you can tell when you are interviewing for jobs, and you will learn a ton along the way. 5. Be thoughtful and professional in your communication with others.  Writing and speaking in complete sentences is becoming a lost art. Leaders will take notice if you can write a concise, compelling email with proper grammar and no spelling errors.

Most high achievers begin their careers based on what’s available, what others recommend, or what looks promising. The first ten years- or more- are usually exhilarating, filled with learning, promotions, new experiences, marriage, children, and growing aspirations. Eventually, once the basic needs are met and the dust settles, a different kind of question surfaces: “Is this it? Where am I going from here?” I recently got a note from someone saying, “I just came across this older career roadmap you drew for me in 2010 when I was at a crossroads, mulling over what I should switch to after my recent MBA but nervous about making the change.” He went on to say, “Your message about ‘getting to the core of your preferred area ASAP’ and the roadmap you laid out toward a GM role was one of the meetings I still cherish to this day.” Over the years, I’ve probably drawn hundreds of such sheets always with my signature and the date on them and often tell people to come see me 15 years later so we can talk about how things turned out. Some, like him, do. While our careers are often shaped by serendipity, here are five steps I frequently share with young professionals during these conversations grounded in personal experience: 𝟭. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮 of the function you want to be in, enjoy, and are good at. For instance, get as close as possible to sales or account management if you want to grow in the broader sales/marketing domain. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟳–𝟭𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 working with increasing responsibility across different aspects of that core area. Do significant, high-impact work. Take on the company’s difficult problems that need solved. Take risks. 𝟯. 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 with additional certifications whether in Six Sigma, analytics, or leadership, based on your trajectory and context. 𝟰. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 who will advocate for you, open doors for you, and help clear the path ahead. 𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸 or as my good friend would say, at least the absence of ill luck. As you reflect on your own career path, I’d love to know: What’s the best career advice you’ve received that you now pass on to younger professionals? #CareerRoadmaps #Careermapping #PayitForward

The end of 2023 has got me thinking about the top lessons learned from the Women in Product Marketing podcast. Over the course of 50 (and counting!) interviews with top women PMM leaders, I found myself scribbling down actionable gold nuggets faster than I could hit record. Here are the top 10 lessons that have risen to the top. Don’t worry, new episodes are dropping in early 2024! 1. Know Your Customer Inside and Out: It's all about understanding their needs, wants, and pain points. The more you empathize with your audience, the better you can craft products and messaging that truly resonate. 2. Data Drives Decisions, Not Intuition: While gut feelings can be valuable, they shouldn't be the sole driver of your product marketing strategy. Leverage data analytics to track performance, measure results, and optimize your campaigns for maximum impact. 3. The Power of Storytelling: Humans are wired to connect with stories. Use storytelling to bring your product to life (internally too!), showcase its value proposition, and create emotional connections with your target audience. 4. Build Relationships: Partnering with key stakeholders can amplify your impact, build your credibility, and drive targeted engagement. 5. Stay Ahead of the Curve: The product marketing landscape (and your industry) is constantly evolving. What’s your prediction for 3-5 years from now? Have a POV. 6. Confidence is Key: Believe in your expertise and the value you bring to the table. Don't be afraid to speak up in meetings, share your ideas, and advocate for your career. 7. Find Your Board of Mentors: Having multiple supportive mentors can be invaluable for your career growth. Seek guidance from experienced professionals who can offer advice, open doors, and help you navigate the industry. 8. Embrace Collaboration: Product marketing is a team effort. Foster a collaborative spirit within your organization, work closely with cross-functional teams, and leverage the diverse strengths of your colleagues. 9. Celebrate Your Wins (and Learn from Your Losses): Take the time to acknowledge your achievements (and that of your teams), both big and small. Don’t shy away from analyzing setbacks. Learn from your mistakes, adapt your approach, and come back even stronger. 10. Give Back to the Community: Share your knowledge and experience with others. Mentor aspiring product marketers, participate in industry events, and contribute to the growth of the community. I would love to hear your own lessons learned in 2023 and your favorite WPM episodes in the comments below.👇 P.S. Leaving the pod a review on your platform of choice is the most effective way to help spread the word! (Close second is texting it to your PMM besties). Link in comments of how to do this. #womeninproductmarketing #podcast #lessonslearned

A bunch of people have said they love my posts/content, but they'd also like to see more advice/thought leadership from me. So here are some thoughts and advice for people at different career stages. Most of this is based on my experience in Marketing and Marketing Ops, but a lot of it could be applied to other functions as well: Early stages of your career: - Learning should be your top priority. Develop skills and an understanding of different functions, beyond what you are specifically doing in your role. - Make enough money to support your lifestyle and your needs, but don't obsess with money. You'll make plenty of money in your career if you do nothing else besides work hard and collaborate. - Seek out mentors. Internally at your company and externally. Ask them a lot of questions. Write down what they say and the advice they give and re-read it every quarter. Keep in touch with them! - In your first 30-60 days in a new job, write down 3 questions during/after every meeting. Review those questions with your manager or mentors once per week and have them provide explanations/answers. - Be confident, but don't be arrogant. I made this mistake! Middle-Management: - Develop the people on your team. Give them reasons to want to stay working for/with you. For example: Find stretch projects for them that keep them motivated. If you don't do this, you will waste a lot of time trying to hire and onboard replacement employees and will never get the benefit of having experienced/trustworthy people on your team. - Learn how to manage up. Anticipate what your leader wants/needs before they ask for it. - Be proactive and begin to build out and present plans that go beyond the next day/week/month and go beyond your core role. Develop surface level-knowledge of other areas of the business so that you can speak intelligently about those areas if/when there is an opportunity to expand your role. - Say "yes" and speak up when there are opportunities to be involved in cross-functional projects. Don't underestimate the value you bring to those projects. Functional/Departmental Leadership: - Hire and retain great managers who you can trust. This is #1 with a bullet. Meet their needs in their career and their personal life. These people need empathy especially because they are often the ones that have families or home/financial responsibilities. - Be a collaborative and enthusiastic partner to other senior level employees. Support your peers and be as enthusiastic about their wins as you are about your own and your team's. - Don't talk in "I's". At this level, success is not what you did, it's what your team did. Give them credit and talk in "We's". Tell your team to keep you honest and call you out on saying "I" too much! - Don't surprise your team. Be transparent with them. I packed a lot into this post. It's my voice but it's a little different than what I've been posting lately. Let me know what you think!

I went from coordinator to CSO in 5 years. It has been crazy. Here’s my “Top 7” for an explosive career in marketing 🚀 TL;DR 1. Passion 2. Fill gaps, don’t just fulfill orders 3. Connect the dots 4. Meetings = Classes 5. Apply Feedback 6. Rabbit Hole 7. Strength = Weakness 1. Passion 🍍 This is the most obvious and the most crucial. If you are going to put in the hard work to grow your career, you have to want it. You have to have an innate motivation and you have to go all in. 2. Fill gaps, don’t just fulfill orders. 🥧 Do things because they need to get done, and try to get to them before you are asked. Pick up the stuff that is left in the gray area between roles. And don't be afraid to challenge priorities for the betterment of a business (be a thought leader). 3. Connect the dots. ⚫⚫⚫ Don’t just do things. Always try to figure out why you are doing them. Understanding how your role impacts the bigger picture is the first step to a promotion. 4. Meetings are career development classes 🏫 As a coordinator you are usually sitting in on meetings while “bigger” people go back and forth. Make sure you are listening and picking up on patterns. Use what they are talking about to help you understand your role, the company as a whole, and the goals of the organization. Also, learn from how they conduct meetings. Use this when you are called on to speak, present, or lead a meeting. 5. Apply Feedback 🔏 No one starts out knowing everything. We all get feedback, and it is easy to get upset or ignore it. Don’t. Feedback is free help to get closer to the next level. Apply it as soon as possible so it sticks. 6. Send yourself down the rabbit hole. 🐰 Leave no stone unturned. This applies to your work, the business as a whole, testing creative, client strategy, training, etc. Having a deeper understanding of how things work will make you stand out. 7. Don’t let your strength be your downfall. 😴 If you are doing all this, you are probably super ambitious and motivated. That’s great. But it can also lead to burnout REALLY quickly. Make sure you are carving out time to disconnect and recharge. This may feel like this goes against trying to grow your career, but it is actually part of it. People can tell when you are burned out, and they will be hesitant to give you more responsibility. These are the 7 things that have had a HUGE impact on my career growth- what would you add? Let me know below!