I am not a carpenter – if I need a bespoke coffee table I’ll find an experienced carpenter to make one.
My Dad is the vet, not me – I can’t heal my sick dog.
Just because I understand my own company balance sheet doesn’t mean I’m a financial or accounting expert.
I’m not a singer, if you need live entertainment at your next corporate ‘do’, don’t call me.
Do you get my drift?
I’m a marketer, a branding enthusiast, a social media maven if you will (I hate using the word expert in this case as I don’t think in this fast paced industry it actually exists.) I enjoy planning creative ways of using new online tools and platforms to connect customers and brands. I’ve wanted to be in some form of branding since I was a youngster and begged, borrowed and stole this advertising annual at any opportunity.
I’ll say it again, I’m a marketer, a branding enthusiast, a social media maven – so, THIS is what I do. It’s what I read about, implement and speak about – it’s been my core focus for a number of years now.
The bottom line? If you want to expand your marketing efforts and try something new, find industry specialists to help you. Lately I’m getting a bit peeved when I realise that I invest all this effort, time, knowledge and energy into social media, webPR and online marketing only for a brand custodian to suddenly think it’s a cool ‘pet’ project and an experiment in marketing DIY.
What happens? Un-cool campaigns that take too long to do and that ‘don’t work.’
Social Media planning, strategy and execution is a skill.
So it’s simple. In a branding context it doesn’t matter if you are a creative director, an FMCG product manager, an ad accounts exec, a web designer, a marketing manager, a media planner, a POS specialist or a merchandising planner.
Stick to your knitting and focus on what you’re good at….Leave the rest to those who offer a specific service.
FOOTNOTE: I need to qualify this post by saying that there are a lot of marketing and ad people who ‘get it’ they say things like ‘how can we work together’ and ‘You can add value to our existing efforts by broadening the conversation and increasing our brand footprint.’ Perhaps as New Media Professionals we’re just in a phase where we sometimes feel like we’re having to justify our place in the Marketing Mix…not a new concept when you consider that some years back the concept of the e-newsletter was difficult to sell 
There are so many smart, switched on, innovative and dynamic people doing awesome things in this space. The conversation is growing and I’m positive about the future and I’m glad to play a small part in it. Let’s keep talking.
Filed under: Me | Tagged: marketing, Me, Rant, social media
Do you think possibly that it’s the fact that when you say “Social Media Maven” you get blank stares from most corporates?
After working in a FMCG company for a couple of months I understand where you’re coming from. There is a certain “god complex” amongst these marketing people who think they know everything. I think the irony of this post is that to do your job you need to have a bit of skills from every profession you mentioned.
Brilliant, I know exactly what you’re talking about, however, people need to start somewhere and not everyone has the money or knowledge upfront to launch a successful campaign. So yes, they might burn your idea or concept, but as a professional, don’t you think you should be above their attempts?
I’m just playing the devil’s advocate, this might lead to interesting conversation, which in itself will market this post nicely
@saulk – agreed – listen I don’t refer to myself as a social media maven ‘out loud’
I’m a marketer at heart (an ex FMCG one at that) who understands and gets the online space and yes I agree that one needs a wide skillset. Perhaps it goes back to education and encouraging marketers to evaluate SM stuff like they would any other effort. I acknowledge that I can’t do everything – perhaps more ppl should. In fact this should have been a wider more gen post…:P
@ChrisM thanks! Yes I would hope I’m above their attempts otherwise I’m wasting my time and may as well move to the Karoo and farm sheep
I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while as I think people toss plenty of money in ‘odd’ ‘traditional’ directions and I understand that it takes time to invest in ‘new’ stuff.
My concepts or ideas haven’t been burned it’s just more of a pervasive attitude I’m picking up from some, not all of the people I meet.
I’m positive about the future and the possibilities…..what is grinding me at the moment is the ‘I can do that’ ala Catherine Tate character attitude….so = jack of all trades, master of none. But then again I guess that’s the human condition at times.