Janet
Forum Replies Created
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Yes, you’re right, the best way to be a better copywriter is to write, write, write. Other good ways to improve your skills are to read, read, read.
1) Subscribe to newsletters to see how other people are writing. Good examples are Corey Haines and Nick Wolny.
2) Read trade journals and see what you like about the styles you see. Some will resonate more than others. I like to read both Marketing information and regular news articles, too.
3) Read good fiction and non-fiction. I find that the more good prose I read, the more ideas I have about developing skills at articulating what I’m trying to say.
Study the good writing that you find. Why is it good – to you? That’s one of the best ways you can up-level your skills.
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Barry, great question! I think that Virtual Assistants (VA’s) are a great way to ensure that, as a marketer, you’re maximizing your talent. So, for example, if you’re a marketer at a smaller organization and it’s impossible to “do everything,” a VA can help get tasks done quickly. Especially if it’s a task like posting on social media.
I also used VA’s to get this platform created. They helped with the tasks like: getting content posted, putting emails in place, and reaching out to software companies to answer questions, set up demos, etc.
I have used VA’s myself for years and found it really helpful. How about you? Do you have a VA?
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I love this question, Stephen! Companies are always looking for new ways to get their brands discovered by a new audience. However, the bigger the organization, the more risk-averse they are (typically – there are always exceptions). These brands watch and wait, to see what new channels emerge as “winners” on social media.
It’s become very clear that TikTok is a game-changer,so brands will try to jump in, just as they have for Facebook and other channels. The same holds true for Instagram Reels. What’s most interesting is seeing how each brand goes about doing this. They’ve created short videos for decades (think about TV commercials); the question is, if they’re creating their own content, how they tailor the content to each channel.
One way to get noticed quickly is to find stars/influencers, and to work with them. Again, nothing new here: they’ve been signing celebrities for years, to help sell their products.
How successful they’ll be is yet to be seen. The smaller players are typically better about understanding their audience and adapting to new channels, to fit in. But how I feel about this? There’s nothing to stop this from happening again and again. Whenever there’s a new channel, brands will try to use it to their advantage. That’s the nature of marketing. And some will always do better than others.
What about you? How do you feel about this? …
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Great question, Nolan! Interesting larger organizations that have marketing positions are consumer-based companies – “consumer packaged goods” (CPG), for example, have a wide range of marketing positions. Everything from toothpaste to bottled water. That’s where I’d start… go into a local store and see all the brands there.
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One of the best ways to turn an internship into a paid position – at the same company – is to find out if there are hiring plans or a need for marketing roles in the near future. If there’s a certain budget set for staff, marketing, etc. then it’s hard for an employer to suddenly create a new role, even if you (as an intern) are excellent.
One way to find out what the staffing and budgeting plans are is to ask “I love working here! Are there any plans to create a full-time position for what I’m doing in the near future? Or are there places you know internally that can use my talents?” That sends a clear signal that you’re interested and it plants a seed, in your manager’s mind, so that they may contact you if there’s an opportunity.
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Yes, I am!
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Great question! If anything, marketing has gotten more competitive. Having a degree isn’t necessary to do some of the basic digital tasks (posting on social media, etc.). But a degree can help with getting promoted to a more strategic role, or having the opportunity to manage or lead a team.
The toughest thing right now is getting experience (when it comes to getting hired). And for that, doing an internship or volunteering for a nonprofit can be a great way to show you have experience and talk about what you’ve done.
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Good question! You can to to the “Your Journey” area and pick the right “path” for you (Student/1st Job/Climbing the Ladder). Go to that page and scroll down to see the questions that have been answered (videos & transcriptions available).
You can also go to the Expert Info to check out the Top Marketing Influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Or watch the Executive Interview (a new one every month!).
Those are great ways to start!
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I’ve been asked this question a number of times and, for most teams, reply all is fine for an important message. But it’s a waste of everyone’s time for communication that isn’t important. And – please – be sure NOT to hit “reply all” for personal emails. As a general rule, it’s better NOT to use Reply All for anything sensitve. AND if you have an internal channel (Slack, etc.) it’s better to use that first, rather than email, to begin with.
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I’ve been asked this question – and typically the answer is that your manager is older (maybe over 50?) and email was the norm for internal communication, before the existence of Slack and other channels. I agree that it’s incredibly inefficeint to be sending internal emails, so telling them that you respond FASTEST to Slack is a good way to break that habit. It may take a while to do this – habits take a while to change (usually at least 3 weeks). But replying in Slack over and over again – and emailing a response that says “I responded to you in Slack” will help!
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I was asked this question and my answer was: Talk to your manager about how s/he would like you to notify about PTO. It could be that they want more notice than people are giving now (i.e. the day of, rather than planning in advance). Or it could be something else. Asking is often the best way to find out.
