In an overwhelmingly competitive business world today, marketing trends and responses are constantly changing. What works today could be absolutely irrelevant in a few months. A report by Forbes Magazine, for example, opines that 3D advertising will move from novelty to mainstream in 2016. Also, mobile-optimized websites cannot be put off for another year. Continuous changes mean that marketers constantly have their plates full with data, analysis and a need for new strategies. And while it isn’t a job for everyone, those that succeed in the industry have so much that they do not tell you.
See Also: 8 Secrets People Who Work in Advertising Will Never Tell You
1. They Make it Look Easier Than it Really is
All those funny, and sometimes silly, memes, clips and one-liners start with a serious meeting. A bunch of smart, creative, and serious people sit together to come up with those one liners that have you rolling off your couch with laughter. It took several hours for a group of people to come up with phrases such as Gillette’s famous “We’re just going to keep adding more blades.” Marketers would certainly be glad to know that as you laugh your head off for that hilarious advertisement, you will observe a moment of silence for all the souls that missed out on having fun to create that for you. Only that will never happen, and they just have to live with it.
2. They Aren’t as Confident as They Sound
To make yourself sound like an expert is one of the arts you have to master as a marketer because most aren’t considered as specialists. Marketers know they meet different types of people each day, and they may just bump onto an expert on the subject, one that derives pleasure in intimidating them. Most marketers understand the basics of the product they are selling; they may not be very keen on the little details of the stuff they are selling. Their job is to convince you to need the product. Should you have any problems, the technical department will be at hand to take over the challenge.
3. It is Difficult to Dress Up for Work
Most companies have no specific dress codes for marketers. Such situations translate to permanent wardrobe agonies. The clients for the day dictate how marketers should dress. They do not want everyone thinking they have a job interview daily, and neither do they want to outdo their clients. A few choices mean all marketers end up dressing the same; a decent suit, black-framed glasses, and black shoes.
4. You Frustrate Them
Marketers sound very patient with inquisitive customers, and they have mastered that art of faking smiles. Deep down, they really can’t figure how slow a human being can be. After you have “wasted” enough of their minutes, they just want you to swipe that card and get off their faces. See marketing can be an exhausting job. The idea of repeating the same thing over and over to many different people in a day isn’t one that makes anyone want to jump out of bed. But it earns their pay and some really do love their jobs. But most would prefer that you cut their presentation short and just purchase the product immediately.
5. They Know That You do Not Believe Them
Marketers notice it when you roll your eyes when they say words like omnichannel, organic, millennial, and other commonly over-used phrases they throw at you. They know that as a colleague you think that they do a fake job. They know that as a boss you think that they aren’t giving it their all. But at the end, only they know how hard it is to drive sales up by 50 percent every year.
6. They Own Coffee in the Office
A good marketer is always excited and bouncy. Only a few are privileged to have a matching personality, but most of them just owe it all to the Arabica beans. It gets very personal when you try to transfer the coffee jar from a marketers’ office. In fact, they all scramble for a cup of coffee after a long meeting before their clients can even hit the elevator.
7. They Live for the Awards Season
For most marketers, the awards season feels like the Oscars. They can finally prove all those who thought they have a fake job wrong, and to finally suck on it. The company has money because marketers worked hard. And the bosses are taking note. It is the second most important moment for marketers, when all their hard work gets noticed. The most valuable moment is when they get a bonus cheque after they have had an outstanding performance. But they will also tell you that it is a dreadful season. Because it also means reviewing people, and this leads to some people losing their jobs.
8. They Know You More Than You Can Imagine
In this day and age, you are never alone on the Internet; marketers know more about you than you could ever possibly imagine. They know your purchasing and consumption habits, they know which adverts you check out more often, and they know how much time you spend on one. They also know all the secrets to your brain. Discovering a potential client’s data, makes a marketer more excited than sugar does for you. And when they want to talk to you, they will find you. You can never escape the wrath of marketers when they have listed you as part of their target clientele.
9. Getting to Your Emotions Counts
Marketing experts know that emotions leave a longer-lasting imprint than logic and rational thoughts. They, therefore, will pay most attention to what you see and what catches your emotions. It is no wonder that most of their messages will speak of your pains, emotions, and needs, as opposed to the facts about the product. They play with names to give a better impression. Perhaps a good reason why a fast-food restaurant will insist on calling their burger king-sized, as opposed to simply calling it extra size. Dr. David R. Just and Dr. Brian Wansink of the Cornell Food & Brand Lab, conducted a study on how labels impact consumer’s willingness to pay for a product. The study revealed that customers were only willing to pay half the price when Dr. Just and Dr. Wansink labeled the product as “half-sized”. When they labeled the same portion as “regular”, customers were willing to pay more. In their conclusion, the labels had a bigger influence than the visual appearance of the servings. Marketers know that what you see and how it makes you feel influences your decision, and they will manipulate it to their advantage.
See Also: An Overview of Online Advertising For Your Business Or Website
In an age where your TV, computer, and phone are bombarded with marketing messages, it is easy for most of them to get lost in the noise. An effective and productive marketer knows what buttons to push to get your attention long enough, to sell you a product. Whether it is writing catchy headlines, packaging content in a unique way, or just playing with your emotions, these are behind-the- scenes decisions that they have no business telling you. For marketers, it is the numbers that count, and not the how. And while most of the tricks are things you already know, they will, more often than not, catch you when you least expect it. That is what it takes to remain relevant in the marketing industry.
