Social Media Marketers: Be Weary of Your Surroundings
Tips to Finding the RIGHT Job in Digital Media
In a perfect world, we all have the job of our dreams, working in digital media, with only the best brands and clients, great salary, what more would you want? Well, unfortunately, this is not a perfect world, and it doesn’t happen that easily. Whether you are currently looking for a job in social or new media, or you have one and might be looking for “something else” – these are just a few tips to stick in your back pocket while you consider your options. 
Often, our call to action, when placed upon us, is quick, and often people searching for a job will take swift action and jump immediately at the first thing thrown at them. Others might ponder situations and maybe can afford to be patient while they look. Whatever your preference is, you never really know where you are going until you’re actually there. And sometimes what’s in the bright, shiny package may not be all it was really that cracked up to be. The following are a few steps and tips to take to heart while you consider a new opportunity.
Step 1: Do Your Homework
Depending on your situation, and everyone is unique – it’s important that you apply to or work somewhere you truly want to be; not just because they have an opening or it pays you a salary. (I say this delicately…) Over the past two years, there have been a number of jobs that have opened up in the digital marketing field, and every agency and their mother are trying to figure out social & new media and how to offer it as a service within their organization. However, common mistakes I have found within the market are that agencies may not be situated to handle social media because they lack the proper clientele.
You need a base to require a major departmental shift or need, and if you don’t have the right support systems in place, such as clients or prospects to sell social media as a proper service, you are going to have a hard time building a social media department in your organization. Be certain that the organization you go to has more than just one “in the box” client. Working in the agency world, everyone knows how client relationships can take drastic turns overnight, and an agency relying on one client to carry the load, or maybe your salary – spells a very dangerous ground to walk on. This is not always the case in such situations, but, I do say, tread lightly.
Step 2: Employees – Teach Them
As a prospective or current employee, it’s important to recognize that you are going to be your company’s greatest advocate when it comes to preaching and promoting social media within the organization. And, it’s event more important that this is established and setup before you are tasked with the job of selling it as a service (speaking to the agency crowd here). This form of marketing is becoming ubiquitous and everyone believes they are social media experts and understand it – but what makes your program stronger is how well your employees are versed.
And let’s say you don’t have the luxury of having some groundwork already laid, and you are starting from scratch. Think of who within your agency or place of work (brands) can spearhead your social media efforts, and possibly take the reigns. Then, as a leader, this person should be able to teach others about the space and how it reacts on a daily basis. Consider starting a type of tier-level education program for your employees. Build out a list of questions that would have them seek out correct answers and grant them awards or some kind of internal badge for passing each rank. And make it enjoyable, it’s important to keep your employees both happy and learning at the same time – don’t make it feel like it’s something they “have to do.”
Step 3: Not All Business Development is The Same
When starting a social media department or role, it’s important that you ensure that the business development department understands social media from both a tactical and sales standpoint. Developing sales presentations and price points are standard tools to integrate when starting your social media service offerings.
But, it is important to make sure that the business development leader is approaching the right type of clients. The last thing you want to happen is arriving in a place where your business development department focuses too much on specific client verticals that may not be exactly suitable for social media. We all know and say we can sell a program to a “blind man”, but this conversation is more focused around budgets and levels of brands you approach. For example, start-ups and companies still in “rounds of funding” are not going to bite the bullet on paying for social media programs. They might love what you have to say, however, realize they have tiny budgets, and despite the “millions in the bank,” it could be tough to get even a penny out of them for a marketing program if it’s not an EXACT fit.
Step 4: Agency Originality – Is It There?
Marketing agencies all offer a variety of services. Whether it’s specializing in Search, Media, Branding, PR, Creative, Development, each seems to be trying to maneuver social media as an integrated service along with their “sweet spot” offerings. So often, and it is becoming common, specialty shops believe they can do and offer everything under the sun. It maybe maneuvered by a solution of hiring one or two consultants or one main person to handle everything in that new speciality. This is quite the opposite train of thought.
I believe a number of agencies make a mistake when they think they can do everything out of the box, and just by “having it available” – it makes them the place to go. Often, this is where you run into internal disruption, and you lose focus on your over-arching vision and forget about your employees who you hired to perform and create the work for you.
If you expect one person to do the job, and they certainly might be able to – you need to be sure your internal systems are all on par. The last thing you want to do is ignore how social media interacts with all your agency offerings – thinking it does not overlap with specialties such as search, online media, branding, PR, web development, analytics, etc; these systems need to sync with your social media offering, and that will require two modes of thought skills that agencies lack: Time & Patience
Don’t expect instant synchronization, and make sure these departments begin to work together. Every agency has a different process in place, and these teams need to figure out how they can help each other, where offerings overlap, and how to sell each others services.
Step 5: Establish “Your” Idea
As a marketer and digital thinker, a social media or new media marketing expert needs to define an outlook in their space, and create innovation in their pitch. Much of what you see in the market right now is overlap, and although it’s not necessarily a bad thing, bringing “your idea” to the table is key for building a successful social media role / department. Whether you are “the guy/gal” or “one of the guy/gals”, it’s important you bring original thinking and creativity to your everyday practice.
You may not be defining the department or building it from scratch, but your input is valuable. I have always looked at social media marketing and building a department as a patient process. Interviewing and hiring the right minds that mesh with your process and way of thinking is key for turning the everyday in your work to success stories.
Conclusion
All of the above is an opinion – I need to stress that. Much of it is built from my own experiences from working in agencies, both large and small and being an entrepreneur as well. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I certainly have put myself in a position to succeed with new media marketing, and I do this everyday by learning and cultivating my experiences to present, write, research, teach, and most importantly – learn about digital media and all of its foundations.
What are your thoughts, any other tips you might add to the above?
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