Marketing is an Art. Marketing is a Skill. Few of the fortunate people have these characteristics in built in them, however, this does not mean that it is the birth right for them only to excel or be successful in the profession of marketing.
“Marketing takes a day to learn and a lifetime to master.” — Philip Kolter
Professional Marketing is a challenging task in the competitive market scenario. one the less, the skills required for building a career as a professional marketing person can be learned to be successful and an achiever. Sincere efforts combined with intelligent planning and execution can give desired results.
Professional Marketing: 6 Productive Skills
1. Attitude
2. Passion
3. Communication
4. Business Knowledge
5. Objection Handling
6. Decision Making
1. ATTITUDE
“Marketing is not anyone’s job… It’s everyone’s job!” — Jack Welch
This is the first and the far most parameter or quality a professional marketing person should possess. Attitude is your starting point in your life whether at professional level or at personal level.
Attitude in your life can give you lot or can make you lose. It is a refined way of thinking or perceiving. A right attitude triggers your principles which make you happy and contended.
In marketing you happen to meet different people with different thinking. Since, all cannot be handled or treated with one formula, you have to change yourself as per the situation. Any untoward scenario should be handled delicately.
Never underestimate yourself. You can be changed and who can change, it’s you and only you. You have to keep your enthusiasms high & in accordance your thought process, your communication and you act. So, this will definitely bring the positive results.
It is said that success begins in the mind and if you are convinced by yourself that yes, I can do it, believe me any situation can be brought in your favor. Surely, a positive attitude is your door for creating optimism and complementing situations.
2. PASSION
“Marketing is really just about sharing your passion.” — Michael Hyatt
Passion or a state of strong emotion within you is the driving force which takes you to go long. If you are passionate about marketing, your appetite to achieve the results is endless because you are inclined towards the self-explicating process which you love by heart.
And what you love, what you think, You become. Nobody can stop you to become a prosperous professional marketing person.
Passion is putting yourself and your energy into your actions. Passion holds your emotions to feel good, keeps you motivated as you do what you like. Up gradation of skills for acquiring success comes from your passion.
All difficulties and failures are overpowered by passion for the simple reason that you have decided to keep on moving till you see the light of day. Passion combined with self-belief can take you to the heights.
It is the desire and not the ability that determines the success. In professional marketing passion is guiding power.
3. COMMUNICATION
“The key is, no matter what story you tell, make your buyer the hero.” — Chris Brogan
Communication is the most powerful tool for a professional marketing person. Half of the job is done with the help of good communication. More you speak with clarity, more the possibilities for greater understanding. You can govern the interactions well and create synergy with another person.
Always involve customer to talk to make it effective discussion by way of asking questions and to understand the needs. This way you will be able to promote your product convincingly.
Voice modulation, where to pause and use of words like “thank you’’, “agreed” and “you are right, however” complement your communication.
Listening is an important part of communication. When you listen to customer with attention, it becomes easy to understand each other better and conveying your points gets noticed. This further builds up the close relationship.
Communication can be intensified using stories to link up with the facts and figures. Interesting contents allure customers and they definitely get impressed.
Communication can be done in different forms:
1. Verbal – When you talk one to one personally or telephonic
2. Non-Verbal – Eye contact, Gestures, Body language, Postures
3. Visual – Presentations, Images, Certificates, Info graphics
4. Written – E mails, Letters, Technical notes, Proposals
4. BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE
“Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed.” — Dan Zarrella
Business knowledge means a pretty decent understanding of your own company and product, market or industry information, competition along with customer and their organization. Hence, if you are equipped with this knowledge, you are eligible to count as a success.
All this information available with you allows you to be in a stronger position to deal with customer. Advantages of product, organizational ethics can be explained in such a way that it meets the requirements of customer. It is easy to provide the solution to the problems faced by customer. The technique of problem solving pays off smart returns.
Handling competition during the negotiations becomes convenient. Significantly, knowledge about customer enables you to refine your strategy of presenting your product. Any queries being raised during the conversation must be answered well using your skill of knowledge.
Learning is a continuous process. Learning everyday new things give additions in your bank of knowledge. Therefore, arousing the interest of customer in you at individual level gets a boost.
5. OBJECTIONS HANDLING
“Sell the problem you solve. Not the product you make.” — Unknown
An objection raised by customer is kind of a denial and they want to express their dissatisfaction. Objection can come in various forms like price, product functionality, Budget, not convinced, completion or delivery and may be more.
However, any objection should be taken in a positive mode which signifies that customer is sufficiently interested to continue interactions than to out rightly say ‘NO’ to close there and then. Involve yourself in the discussion so that customer also feels attended.
Objection gives you another chance to catch up with the requirements. Give a worth to issues raised and to feel them that you are genuinely concerned and involved. Never show that you are annoyed being asked questions.
At this point of time, satisfying the customer is of utmost priority to avoid losing the deal. A professional marketing person listens to the objection carefully to discard any assumptions which may prove otherwise.
Do not be in hurry to answer, take some time to review, ask questions and re frame the objection then come out with suitable solution. Resolve the concerns there itself across the table to boost their confidence. Once, able to satisfy, confirm the satisfaction to clear the path.
6. DECISION MAKING
“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” — Keri Russell
Right decisions taken at right time are bound to give right results. A delay in decision can adverse the state of affairs because there are certain circumstances where you cannot consult and have to decide. A professional marketing person never avoids decisions.
Therefore, a wrong decision is still better than no decision because you can take some corrective measures to convert it in your favor. However, not taking decision and leaving the situation unattended may cause you to collapse.
Negotiation in marketing is a significant criterion which depends on many factors of which one is to take prompt decisions for closing. Reading and assessing the customer during the earlier conversation help you to make decisions in a win-win situation.
TAKE AWAY
“Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them to do so.” – Bryan Eisenberg
Although challenging, professional marketing is highly enjoyable. However, you get the very good opportunity to sharpen your various skills specially communication and changing your attitude toward many things.
This is highly rewarding also and gives you good time to meet different people and move places.
