5 Facts That Define a Great Marketing Leader in These Modern Times

 

Marketing is a demanding profession where inaction often spells failure. However, this is also a profession where doing something will not always equate to desired results. Therefore, those in leadership positions should possess a particular mindset regarding how they can stir their team toward success.

It is a matter that goes beyond having specific skills sets. Every great leader in the marketing industry should have the following traits:

1. Imaginative

Every leader should be a source of inspiration, and having this quality means that the leader should be able to spark creative thoughts and ideas in the team members. Today’s market scene is very saturated, and cutting through such a consumer landscape requires talent. It will often involve taking the target audience by surprise and capturing their interest.

To achieve this, a leader needs to see things differently; to be able to notice creative ideas in the team members. Such a leader may not be that imaginative but needs to inspire others to exercise their thought processes and come up with ideas that offer solutions.

2. Strategic Mind

No project can run successfully without adequate planning. However, the core of the planning processes determines the execution of the plans and therefore the results. A great marketing leader should appreciate this fact and always plan; this means strategising and coming up with the objectives to be met, when, and how. If the planning is done correctly, then the leader may not necessarily have to get his or her hands dirty since everything is going by the book.

Failure to nail down the goal of the project and how to reach that set objective will see the team members heading in different directions, and that most likely is not their fault. When the leaders strategise, it is an opportunity to position correct individuals in different jobs based on their skills and strength.

3. Seeing beyond Results

Successful marketing is a game that requires creativity, coupled with methodical thinking. With data at the helm of what it takes to know where and what to target, you need to get such information so that you know who your consumers are and what they want from what you have to offer. It will also help you figure out how effective you are at reaching them. Such goals may, at times, have you obsessing over results, and this can take you off track from your creative process.

A great leader should be able to see beyond the set goals and objectives. Inasmuch as the data will give an idea of the expected results, it should be more of an insight for what to do. If you allow your judgement to be clouded by the information at hand, then you may misinterpret the targeted outcomes, and all you have is a failed project. Therefore, as a leader, you should not be obstructed by the data. Take into account past input and set objectives for the current project and use that information to direct your team as they work to achieve the set goals.

4. Impressive Connections

Being a leader entails more than being able to carry and direct a group of individuals. Much of the work that the leader does is centred on identifying new opportunities that facilitate growth and success in and outside the business.

People are more concerned about connecting with others that they consider relevant to their interests and influential in their respective industries. It is this new age of doing business that has many professionals concerned about personal branding. It is all about being able to show fellow professionals that you are a voice worth being heard. That is how these individuals get connections to people that matter, and that is what today’s marketing leaders should strive for.

5. Knowing When to Delegate

To be a great marketing leader, you need to lead your team, and that implies showing them how things are done. However, every sound leader also appreciates the fact that there is a time for grabbing the bull by the horns and a time to speak and expect things to be done. With several individuals under your guidance and mentorship, you  will not always have time to own every task. You will need to delegate, and this helps establish trust in your group members. Assign them their respective duties and allow them to handle them without supervision.

Such a move makes them feel like they have the full approval and support of their leader. It gives them an opportunity to shine, to show that they have what it takes to deliver. For the leader, delegating work is a means of learning if the team is strong and able to rise to the occasion. Therefore, this is an intricate cycle, as echoed by the fact that great leaders are only as good as the people around them. Check out creative recruitment agencies in London for further ideas on this topic.

Alison Lurie

Alison Lurie