Lessons from a 30-Year Marketing Veteran: Embracing Change and Innovation

I remember walking into my mentor’s office, a man who is now in his 80’s with a spirit of someone half his age, with the stature of Travis Kelce, and feeling that my world was tumbling down. Without thought to who was in the surrounding areas able to hear my cries, I said “Everything is so heavy on my shoulders!”

Like anyone with great wisdom, this man who has accumulated more than a billion dollars said to me: “I feel that way sometimes.” Immediately, I felt a little better, and that lesson or experience is something that I now remember every time a friend or an employee comes to me with the same feeling.

Marketing can be ‘heavy’. There is so much to take in and it changes constantly. It isn’t possible for a marketing professional to know it all or to stay up to date, so there lies a challenge that just won’t go away. Quite often I hear this expectation of marketers that they ‘should know the latest in SEO, advertising, social media etc’ but unlike other industries, there really isn’t enough hours in the day.

That is why new technologies like AI that do the heavy lifting are so critical to marketing professionals’ careers and the learning on how to work with AI is essential from university throughout every stage of a career.

My story is stereotypical except for the fact that I started my first agency at just 25 years of age and ran at times million-dollar accounts, with no real experience in doing so, and no back up support.

I’m always challenged by youth because with years of experience there is wisdom and foresight that no price can be placed on. I’m also concerned by the changing of the guard when it comes to marketing. Being a social media micro influencer does not make you capable of writing a marketing strategy or rolling out lead generation campaigns – yet, companies are being sold this story, and are left with wasted budget and a distaste for the marketing profession.

Starting Out: The Analog Years

When I first dipped my toes into the world of advertising, the digital age was even a thought. My early days were spent clacking typewriter keys for scripts and ad copy. It was a tactile, hands-on process that demanded precision (my boss had a zero error policy) and offered little room for error. Little did I know, this attention to detail would become a cornerstone of my career and something that in my early days of owning a business made me stand out from the crowd. As my company got bigger and I became busy, that detail inevitably drops a little because you have to rely on others who did not grow up with the same rules.

The Digital Resistance

Fast forward five years, and the landscape began to shift with the arrival of email and the internet. Despite being a marketing manager in the tech sector, I was initially hesitant to embrace these new tools, which is ironic given where I am now. This resistance was a reflection of a broader skepticism that pervaded the industry at the time. However, it wasn't long before the undeniable potential of digital communication became apparent, prompting a significant pivot in my approach to marketing.

Entrepreneurial Leap: No Rule Book Included

By the age of 25, armed with nothing but grit and a vision, I took the plunge and started my own marketing agency. With no rule book or prior experience in running a business, every day was a learning experience. I was not just creating marketing strategies but also learning to manage a team, balance books and navigate the myriad challenges of entrepreneurship – all while being a young lady at the quarter of a century mark.

Being an entrepreneur was exciting, however, I frowned on anyone calling me that. I was a marketer and very proud of my profession. To me, an entrepreneur was a sales person and it took me another decade to come to terms with the fact that we are all sales people in one way or another and without sales, no business exists.

A Second Attempt: Learning on the Fly

My second business venture at 30 brought with it a slightly more refined strategy, though I was still far from having all the answers. This venture coincided with the rise of social media platforms like Facebook, which I initially dismissed as a passing fad. This miscalculation was a harsh lesson in the importance of staying ahead of the curve, as I watched my agency struggle to catch up.

It took a while for my second business, Marketing Eye, to take off and there were a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, by this time in my career, I was a little spoilt. Given my age and network, I was quite protected as the girl from the country. Growing up in Charters Towers, by this stage in my careers, was something I had learned to rollout. It was my point of difference and gave me a pass from being associated with ‘the school I went to’ which was how many people in life and business were categorizing people. I was thankful for this because big cities can be harsh and by this time in my career, I had moved from starting a business on the Gold Coast, to expanding to Sydney and then Melbourne.

Embracing Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword

Eventually, I became an early adopter of Twitter, learning firsthand that building a successful online community took much more than just showing up. It required engagement, consistency, and a deep understanding of the platform's intricacies. However, this digital journey wasn't without its pitfalls. A security oversight led to a past employee deleting my significant Instagram following, a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in digital platforms. Fortunately, by this point, my ego wasn’t associated with how big my following was and I just shrugged it off, but it did effect how many freebies that I received in the office each day as an influencer before the term was coined.

The Drive for Success: A Daily Commitment

My passion for marketing has always been intertwined with a relentless pursuit of success. This drive compels me to monitor our social media, website, and blog traffic daily, ensuring that we're not just participating in the digital world but leading it. It's a testament to the idea that in marketing, there's no such thing as a day off.

I was most successful from a sales perspective and through following when I checked all the data every day. It made me inherently competitive to beat my competition on every front, which I achieved easily at that point in time. In fact, at one point, if you typed in “marketing” into Google, Marketing Eye came up number one.

Knowing what to do on a daily basis with your marketing is critical to outperforming your competitors. I took these lessons and turned it into technology.

Recognizing Our Limits: Playing to Our Strengths

One of the critical realizations in my career has been that marketers cannot excel at everything. This understanding led to the creation of Robotic Marketer, a tool designed to enhance productivity and compensate for individual weaknesses. Developing a comprehensive marketing strategy can take weeks—a luxury many don't have. Robotic Marketer was born from the need to streamline this process, ensuring that strategies are not just thorough but also timely.

For instance, I am great at writing when I am ‘on’ but I am terrible with follow-through unless something is going wrong. When I have ‘fear,’ I work harder and faster. When things are going well, I take my eye off the ball. I am a perfectionist, so I want everything to be 100% perfect – but that is exactly what holds me back from being more successful. 80% is ok. Period.

Pioneering in AI: Overcoming Skepticism

Venturing into the AI sector with Robotic Marketer was, without a doubt, one of my most challenging undertakings. The initial skepticism was palpable, and convincing potential clients and investors of AI's capabilities was a battle fought with perseverance and patience. However, with the advent of technologies like ChatGPT, the tide has turned, and acceptance of AI in marketing has surged, validating years of hard work and belief in the technology. Robotic Marketer is a game changing technology. It fills all the gaps in my own skill shortage, along with that of my teams. I see the value in this technology in giving marketers back time. I also know the demand to scale marketing efforts with limited resources – so for me, this technology will allow for greater efficiencies and effectiveness and the benefit of predictive analysis.

Five Indispensable Lessons

1. Embrace the Wave: As marketers, skepticism towards new trends is natural, but ignoring them can be perilous. Investing in new platforms and trends, even when they seem fleeting, is essential.
2. Your Website is Your Foundation: A dynamic website isn't just built; it's grown and nurtured over time, reflecting the evolving nature of your business and market.
3. Ongoing SEO Efforts: SEO isn't a one-time setup. It requires continuous effort and updates to keep up with the changing algorithms and competitive landscape.
4. Internal Clientele: Your team's motivation and understanding of their role in client satisfaction are crucial. Remind them, and yourself, that everyone's first client is the internal team.
5. Strategy is Key: Without a clear strategy, you're merely hoping for success. Strategic planning provides direction and sets a measurable path to achieve your goals.

Being a veteran is an advantage

Looking back, I can see every mistake, every success and every seemingly minor decision has shaped my journey in ways I could never have predicted. The world of marketing doesn't stand still, and neither should we. As I continue to navigate this ever-changing landscape, the thrill of the challenge remains as compelling as ever. Here's to another 3 decades of innovation, adaptation and relentless pursuit of excellence in marketing – although I think I will hand over the baton long before that.