There are things no business should scrimp on, with one being marketing. It costs for money to come through the door, but getting more business doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. The people and resources needed are already in the door, and with a little-hired help, an economically feasible in-house marketing team is possible.
In-House Resources
Hiring people with miscellaneous, but potentially useful skills isn’t a bad idea. Certifications and multiple languages is a valuable asset in some markets and industries. Asking around and getting to know employees also helps, talent can have many talents, jacks can be jacks of at least several trades- or good at learning new ones. Everyone has talents and skills that can be adapted to new areas. And marketing can be a wide area.
Necessary Skills
Skills to look for and further encourage in an in-house marketing team are: Organizational. Analytical, Management, Creative, and Technical skills.
Organizational
A good marketer is organized, on top of things, and good with documents and spreadsheets. The office Virgo is perfectly suited for this. A budget sheet by any other name is still a budget sheet.
Analytics
Analytics is essential to marketing, it’s the only way to tell what’s working and what’s not. Analysts also tend to be good researchers and strategists. Which are also a must for any campaign.
Management
Keeping everyone on top of things is different from being on top of things. People with good people skills, but don’t strive to be everyone’s friend, make good managers. They’re aware of what’s going on, the grand scheme of things, and make sure goals are achieved. They also are good at resolving conflicts and disputes. If you ever try to build anything, they will come.
Creative
There are all kinds of creativity, marketing wise, creative communication is a must. Visual communicators and writers are necessary for any campaign. Even one semester of art school, or a wannabe novelist is an asset. It’s just a matter of adapting and redirecting their creative skills- plus some training and research.
Also, don’t forget to find an editor and content manager. One misspelling can make everyone look very silly.
Technical
HTML5, HTML, CSS, C++ and Java are just a few programs someone on the in-house marketing team should know about. Website and general technical maintenance is important for any marketing endeavor. Hopefully such skills aren’t needed as much past a certain stage, but technical difficulties never announce themselves.
Being good with video and photography, along with editing, should also be sought after.
Continuing Education
It helps to offer something in return for this extra work, and to cover the cost of it. Providing continuing education is great way to do this, there’s something in it for everyone. Continuing education doesn’t have to be a college degree, it can be a conference, seminar, or a night class. Marketing wise, online classes and certifications can be free.
Out-of-House Hiring
Specialized training and guidance is also integral. Looking outside the office is a must. A freelancer, contractor, or an intern studying a relevant topic should be brought on eventually. There certainly isn’t a shortage of them in the marketing field, they also could end up filling future positions with relative ease.
Their skill set fulfills the necessary skills, plus they can teach their skills and provide ongoing training. Whatever the need is, it’s easy to find someone who is a specialist in one area, or areas, that are needed more than others.
There’s a saying, “you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone,” but if no one ever looks at what they have, what they have can be full of pleasant and useful surprises.