Advice for the New Kid in Inbound Marketing

As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent most of my working life before Waypost doing just about everything but Inbound Marketing. I’m still relatively new to the industry, but I feel like I can give at least a few pieces of advice when it comes to your first digital marketing job that you other newbies might find helpful.

Don’t Take On Too Much (But Do Try to Prove Yourself)

When you’re completely new to an industry, it’s hard not to take on everything you can in order to prove that your employer made the right choice. While I am absolutely certain everyone reading this is a natural born marketer and  can handle anything, taking on everything at once is a great way to burn out fast.

Don’t say “yes” unless you’re certain you can both take on the new project and give it the detailed (even obsessive) attention the client deserves. If you start to feel in over your head, let your boss or coworkers know! They’re probably just trying to get a feel for what you’re capable of, and nobody’s going to blame you for not being a superhuman your first month on the job.

Take Feedback For the Help It Is (Positive And Negative)

In the very beginning, when you’re feeling insecure and fighting hard to prove your worth, any feedback that isn’t 100% positive can have you wondering if maybe this career change was a mistake. Don’t let your self-doubt lie to you! Focus on what made you search for and decide to make the transition into Inbound Marketing in the first place… a job with limitless potential for connecting with people, telling stories, and changing the very foundations of marketing.

Write down the feedback you’re receiving and really make a list of what’s positive about it and what you can use to become better. Every piece of advice you receive is invaluable, positive and negative. Really listen to what they’re really looking for and make sure you’re ready to deliver it.

Set Goals (But Be Realistic)

For your first week, don’t set any personal goals for your new career at all. Related to our first piece of advice, it’s easy to be on such a career-change high that first week that you start making promises to anyone who will sit still about what a great job you’re going to do and in half the time it took the last guy to do it.

Beware that reckless enthusiasm – it could come back to haunt you. I recommend sitting down by yourself after that first week, when you’ve had some time to realize what you’re really getting into, and make a list of professional goals to commit to reaching within six months, one year, three years, and five years. Write it down and then mark them off as you fulfill each one.

The Three R’s (Reading, Writing, Research)

The first couple of months will involve a lot of reading. You’ll be learning about buyer personas, storytelling, and the techniques and skills you’ll need to really excel. You might feel tempted, once you’ve passed the required certifications or gotten comfortable, to stop doing the research you had worked so hard on when you first began. Never stop learning new things. Seek out blogs on digital marketing, look for new certifications you might apply for, and always keep writing. Digital Marketing is an industry that is still fairly young, and it changes rapidly and constantly. Keep yourself up to date, and stay an expert in Inbound Marketing, even as the market itself evolves.

When you’re new to Inbound Marketing, it can be pretty dizzying. It’s not just blog posts or social media sharing, but a whole new world of ways to tell the right stories to the right people on behalf of the right clients. The best ways to keep up with the pack aren’t much different than they are in any other industry in spirit; it’s the specifics where things really get to be a lot of fun. Interested in learning more? We have more blog posts under our Inbound Marketing tag. If you’re looking for a website redesign or to have your marketing run by a dedicated team who are always ready to tell your story, contact us today! We’d be happy to talk with you about your needs and what you’re looking for. You can reach us by phone at (864) 288-6162 or fill out our form to contact us online!