Our clients rely on us for advice and counsel on marketing communications techniques and tactics. In order to best perform our jobs and remain a source of information, we seek out ways to hone our skills, learn about the latest trends and discover new ways to employ best practices in our clients’ programs. Our agency could not survive in this digital era if we had stopped trying to improve and innovate while everyone still relied on only print media in the 1980s.
A lot has changed in our 30 years of business, including how we learn. Right at our fingertips are endless supplies of webinars, blogs, whitepapers, eBooks, videos, seminars, community forums, and more… and that’s just what’s found online. Throughout the year we also look for ways to come together with our marketing peers in person. Workshops, conferences, even semiformal gatherings of regional or national associations keep us acquainted with the latest and greatest technology, tactics and team members.
And not only do we try to stay ahead of the curve in our own marcom community, but also within our clients’ markets. It does us, and our clients, no good to know all about SnapChat if we don’t also know that that platform is not really suited to our B2B audience needs. We say this not to be condescending, but to be an example.
Just last week a client recommended a conference for us to attend, right in our backyard, that we hadn’t heard about yet. Sharing information about where to share new information is the essence of community learning! It strengthens us all to help everyone continue to learn and push the industry forward.
Continuing your education, be it through seminars and workshops or attending graduate school, is a true investment in yourself and your career. Just like going to school broadens the minds and horizons of kids all around the world, it does the exact same thing for adults. We can easily take advantage of this wonderful opportunity by attending courses, seminars and talks that teach us all that is new in our respective industries, while sharpening our skills, getting new ideas, obtaining feedback and making us more marketable.
If a client or customer asks about a new trend you aren’t yet fully embracing, or maybe haven’t even considered, we encourage you to not only research the topic, but look at potential certification programs. There are many free training programs for marketing strategies that can help people from all industries. Consider looking at what is available from Google for its many platforms, or perhaps other software technology you use regularly. Not only would you potentially enhance your skills, but your success and expertise could inspire someone else to learn more as well. As they say, you are never too old to learn…