Marketing is a very broad field. In essence, it is divided into three parts, science, art, and leadership. When you start in marketing it is likely that you will either join the science or art side. The science part contains delivering ads using platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok. And also measuring the effectiveness of campaigns, creating websites, or setting up automation. Then there is the arty side, which people usually see as more creative. This consists of writing articles, designing visuals, editing movies, creating brand guidelines, sending out mailings, and basically all things where something is created.
Over the years I have seen a difference in characters for both sides but also many people who are good in both but prefer one side. And then there is the leadership, people who are good at coaching, teaching, strategy and motivating. Most of the marketing leaders that I have met were also good in all fields but excelled in the leadership components.
Where do you start your learning journey?
If you are at the start of your career in marketing and dream of becoming a marketing leader someday, then I would recommend developing your skills in both the arty and science side. It helps you to get an understanding of marketing and what parts you like most.
If you already have a preference you can also choose to dive into it to become a specialist. The more you focus on a specific part, the faster you can become a specialist. And the great thing about marketing is that you can build your career (and income) by either becoming a leader and also by becoming a specialist.
How do you learn the art side of marketing?
First of all, practice makes perfect. So, it is time to start creating content. To create good content it is very important to understand the psychology behind marketing. You have to know what triggers people. Therefore, I would recommend reading books or watching YouTube videos about buying behaviors.
After that, a crucial skill in the arty side is writing good texts. You want to captivate people. This is something you can also practice on your own. But I would recommend getting your texts reviewed by someone. If you don’t work in a company yet, you can hire someone on Fiverr.com.
To develop your graphic design or video skills, I would advise you to visit YouTube. It is literally filled with content about creating content. There are so many courses available totally for free that if you are disciplined it is the best way to start. Taking part in a real-life course or via a platform like Udemy.com might help you to keep up with the learning pace.
In visual design, there is also a huge field. To grasp the basics I would recommend learning the basics of design: spacing, hierarchy, positioning, etc. These basics can be applied to videos, images, websites, pictures, and more. You will learn cool tricks, for instance, that people will look at what the person in the picture is looking at.
How do you learn the science side of marketing?
For me, this journey started by creating my own website and analyzing it to see how I could get more traffic. This helped me to learn the basics of SEO, websites, analytics, and automation. After that, I started running Google Ads for friends (free of charge), which allowed me to practice it. I read articles online and then implemented suggestions to test them. A good alternative to learning this is to start working at a digital marketing agency. That way you are likely to see the effects of advertising in multiple sectors and allows you to meet specialists in different fields.
What helped me most in developing this side was getting my Bachelor’s degree and following an online course at EdX. Following online courses allows you to develop a specific part as you can choose your modules.
Here are some books that helped me in developing this side:
- Measure What Matters (John Doerr)
- The Science of Selling (David Hoffeld)
- The Sales Acceleration Formula (Mark Roberge)
How do you learn the leadership side of marketing?
All good marketing leaders that I have met started in marketing. They understand the basics of all marketing fields and are therefore able to select the right people to do the job. Therefore, I would recommend not going into leadership too soon but testing different fields of marketing. Another important component of leadership is being great at motivating people.
To learn how to motivate people it is crucial to understand human psychology. Over the years I’ve read countless books, got one-on-one leadership coaching, had team sessions with other marketing leaders, got external advice, and even took therapy to better understand myself and where my limitations lie.
The books are a great way to start to see if this is something you want to learn, here are some tips:
- The Servant (James C. Hunter)
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)
- The Coaching Habit (Michael Bungay Stanier)
- Trillion Dollar Coach (Bill Campbell)
- What You Do Is Who You Are (Ben Horowitz)
So, what is the best way to learn marketing?
Everyone learns in their own way. However, I would definitely advise you to learn out loud. Show what you learn. Only then people will know that you possess the skills. This will help you to progress in your career. So, start learning, creating, and sharing your stories.
