AI is an opportunity, not a threat. The marketers who embrace change will see their capabilities expand faster than they ever thought possible. Marketers who hide or ignore the trends will be left behind.
There are two ways to look at this situation. Let’s start with the negative way…
The Lost Marketers on the Beach
All the marketers sat on a beautiful beach that went on far as the eye could see. They chatted, laughed, built sand castles, and played in the waves. Then the ocean started to recede; a little bit at first, but as the minutes ticked by, it got farther and farther away from the shore until it couldn’t be seen.
The marketers looked at each other perplexed… some thought it was funny and ran out onto the wet sand where the waves used to crash. Others remained were they were, and simply discussed the troubling disappearance of the ocean. Still others ran inland towards high ground, screaming for the rest to follow.
By the time the tsunami could be seen, it was too late for anyone to change their mind. The wave rose, and rose, and rose, and it got closer, and closer, and closer. It swept up the people who had run towards the ocean first, then the people who did nothing, and then pursued the ones who tried to prepare for its arrival.
Everything they had built on the beach was destroyed. Most of the marketers were lost, sucked into the ocean or smashed against the shore. The remainder stumbled across a desolate landscape, picking up the pieces of what they had built, and began reconstructing from scratch.
I’m sure you guessed that AI is the tsunami, and the three groups of marketers are the ones that are happy about AI but aren’t taking it seriously, the ones on the beach aren’t doing anything, and the ones heading for the hills understand that AI is a game changer and are starting to prepare.
The good news is, this isn’t the only way to look at this situation!
The Adventurous Marketers on the Frontier
The crew was ready. Cargo stowed, flight checklist reviewed, engines in the green… the countdown had begun. The count reached zero and like a match being struck, the ship leapt into the air climbing higher and higher, faster and faster until the mountains and waves devolved into a mat of green and blue, and the clouds billowed below.
They were headed towards space, where countless new stations had been constructed near resource-rich astroids… or maybe to the manufacturing plants on the moon… or to the growing colony on Mars… or to explore the moons of Jupiter. The crew was excited with the endless possibilities this new frontier had opened up.
There would be danger and fear, but that would be easily squashed by adventure and opportunity, driven by courage, energy, and a ravenous appetite for advancement.
The frontier had been opened to everyone, and once that happened, the crew realized that the environment they had been operating in had become stale, monotonous, tedious, and boring. The frontier had saved them.
Which story do you identify with? Which one sounds like more fun?
Survival is stressful. Adventure is stressful. The difference is that you can choose adventure, while survival is just something we all have to do.
Your Marketing Career is Safe If You Want It to Be
I speak to a lot of well-established, successful marketers who have been in marketing for over 20 years. That puts them in a unique set of people who saw the transition from traditional offline marketing to digital marketing… the biggest change in the industry since the television.
They’re NOT worried. All they can see is possibility. Possibility for more effective marketing, for more efficient teams and workflows, for expanding markets in new industries, and for tech that makes they themselves 10 times more productive.
If you choose to view AI as an opportunity, you will have the right mindset for what’s coming next.
What’s coming next? A shift in the way we do things! It’s something we’ve faced before and will face again. That said, you still need several traditional marketing skills to succeed in the new age.
Here are 5 ways to safeguard your marketing career.
#1: Double Down on Marketing Strategy
With AI tools increasing the productivity of marketing managers, and allowing all marketers to produce content faster than ever while also managing paid media channels more effectively, the marketer that can produce the best overall strategy will win.
Note that I said “overall strategy” and not “paid media strategy,” “social media strategy,” “content strategy,” “product strategy,” etc. With marketers’ growing capabilities comes the opportunity (and necessity) of creating a cohesive strategic plan that can be created and executed by a single marketer.
At DigitalMarketer, we have the Customer Value Journey
to guide overall strategy creation. It’s an 8-stage process that will turn strangers into buyers into active promoters, and you can incorporate all elements of marketing (AI, email marketing, social media marketing, copywriting, etc.) into it.
TAKE ACTION!
If you don’t have a well defined overall marketing strategy, you don’t need to create one from scratch. The Customer Value Journey has been used to make over $100 million for DigitalMarketer and billions for our students. Download this ebook and start solidifying your strategy today.
#2: Start Using AI
No, you can’t avoid using AI tools.
If you think that you can eventually hire an “AI Specialist” just like you do with a “TikTok Specialist” because you want to avoid the platform, you are 100% wrong here. You need to build a basic understanding of how AI works so you can evolve your strategy to match.
Your ability to both use and understand AI will directly impact your ability to manage marketing campaigns. Without a basic understanding, you won’t just SEEM out of date, you will be truly lost, and that will be very noticeable by your subordinates, colleagues, superiors, and clients.
TAKE ACTION!
Not using AI yet? Not to worry! Simply set up a ChatGPT account RIGHT NOW. Next, whenever you’re planning on doing a Google search for something, instead put the same search into ChatGPT. Review the answer and ask follow up questions to refine the result. This is the FIRST STEP to understanding AI and what it’s capable of.
#3: Ensure That You Understand All Marketing Methods
Do you still need to understand each marketing method if AI could potentially execute it for you? Of course you do. How could you manage anything you don’t really understand? You can’t!
Could you manage a group of doctors if you have no medical experience? How about mechanics if you’ve never fixed a car? All managers in skilled workforces have typically done the job in some way, shape, or form in the past. Marketers are no different.
At DigitalMarketer we call it the T-Shaped Marketer. A T-Shaped Marketer is somebody who has expertise in about 1-3 main marketing facets.
Being a T-shaped marketer means that you can help clients with their marketing strategy from A-Z. While you’ll have your bread and butter (like SEO, social media, paid ads, or community building), you’ll be able to create winning strategies amongst other marketing facets by collaborating with your marketing team.
While AI might ultimately replace some of the marketing specialities, your understanding of what role the method played will be pivotal to your advancement as AI becomes increasingly widespread.
TAKE ACTION!
Do a self-assessment, and find out where your marketing skills are really lacking. Here are the marketing skills that we promote at DigitalMarketer. Copy the list, then give yourself a 1 to 10 score regarding your knowledge and understanding of each one. If you give yourself a 5 or less on any of them, start researching, or take a course to learn more.
- Digital Advertising
- Content Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Search Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Copywriting
- Ecommerce Marketing
- Analytics & Data
- Community Management
- Optimization & Testing
#4: Add Style & Creativity to Your Skillsets
AI isn’t magic… it’s just a new kind of program. You’ve used computers and programs for years, and you understand the limitations they have when it comes to new ideas, stylized content, and general creativity. It can only know what we know, so the best way to stay useful is to KNOW MORE.
How can you start to “know more?” You do more! You experience more. You open your mind to every possibility and identify and squash habits that prevent you from learning. This sounds simple, but it is far from it.
Hate to bring it up… but you know your aversion to using TikTok because “it’s for young people,” or “you don’t have time,” or “you’re too mature for the content?” STOP IT. That is a perfect case study of your tendency to limit growth because it’s uncomfortable and you fear change. ‘
Now that you’re open to learning, let’s talk about creativity. Who better to show you how to beat AI in creativity, than AI? Here’s what ChatGPT had to say on the subject:
Let’s take it a step further by talking about style. If you can’t define your brand’s style in every aspect of the content they generate, then it doesn’t have a style.
Every piece of content you generate needs to have a unique and identifiable style that matches your brand. Every article, video, graphic, document, post, press release, event, physical location, website, etc. needs to look like “you.”
This is extremely important as more and more people generate more and more content using AI. If we all use the same tool to create content about the same subject, there will be no reason to go to one vendor over another. Your content needs to reflect you.
If you don’t consider yourself stylish or creative, stop it. You’re both of those things, you just need some practice.
TAKE ACTION!
Two tasks for you to do here… get creative and define your style. To get creative, set aside 15-30 minutes a day for creative exploration. This could be through artistic mediums like painting or drawing, but it could also be trying physical activities like yoga or weightlifting. The important part is that you try something NEW each week, every day.
For your personal style, open a document and define 3 unique aspects of the following (start with this personal list to really drive home the need for defining style in every aspect of your life):
- Your Writing Style
- Your Wardrobe
- Your Home
- Your Diet
- Your Hobbies
Don’t overthink it! Simply start to think about what makes you different from other people.
#5: Improve Your People Skills
AI isn’t people! We all know this. Just try to chat with a bot and you’ll quickly notice who’s a person and who isn’t.
There are dozens of facets of communication that we unconsciously execute every time we have a conversation. From body language to tone to mood to outside factors like the weather, time of day, and current events, a lot goes into how we converse with each other.
That isn’t likely to change soon, which means that your personal relationships with coworkers, managers, employees, customers, clients, and vendors will still require people skills.
“People skills” are more than just conversing as well. If you want to be a truly capable human, your skills will need to include emotional intelligence, empathy, adaptability, listening, openness, acceptance, authenticity, curiosity, clarity, patience, compassion, and an abundance of energy to make it all work.
That personal touch will be more important than ever as the more mundane tasks that used to suck up our energy and emotional reserves will be increasingly delegated to unfeeling machines (AI).
I think one directive sums up your new mindset well: BE INTERESTING.
Be interesting in your conversations. Be interesting in the way you approach projects. Be interesting when you talk to people you see every day. Be interesting to new people you meet.
TAKE ACTION!
For the next week take notes on any conversation that lasts more than 5 minutes. Note how interesting (or boring) the engagement was, and then consider how you could have made it more interesting. After a week, take one of your notes and apply it to your conversations for a day. See how the conversations go and adjust accordingly.
Conclusion: You’re Going to Be Fine
You don’t have be afraid of the coming changes, but you do need to be open and aware of them. Start using AI right now, and really start to think about what makes you special as a person.
If you want a huge leg-up, consider the AI-Powered Marketer course. We’re assembling a team of highly intelligent marketers who are embracing AI right now to enhance their results.
[TAG3]The post 5 Ways to Safeguard Your Marketing Career Against/With AI appeared first on DigitalMarketer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the five essential factors of motivation for entrepreneurs?
Motivation is the key to success. Without it, nothing could happen. In fact, without it we wouldn't even exist.
Motivational psychology examines how motivation affects human behavior. When we are motivated, we can achieve amazing feats. There are limits to our motivation.
The five most important motivational factors are:
- Autonomy: The freedom to make your own decisions
- Mastery – The ability to master your skills
- Purpose: The feeling of purpose
- Relatedness - the feeling of belonging
- Reciprocity: The desire to give something back
These motivators could be useful for your business. In reality, however, each provides a slightly different perspective on why people act as they do.
A person may desire autonomy because he wants freedom and control over his life. He might seek mastery to be more proficient at his job.
And so on. These are just some of the motivations that could be used. There are countless others. There are many others. But which ones are most relevant to your specific situation? It all depends on you.
To help you find out, I suggest writing three words that describe your ideal environment at work. Next, take these words and apply them in your current work environment.
If you struggle to come up with ideas, simply ask yourself why are you doing this. Your goals will be identified when you have an answer.
Once you know your goals and objectives, you can determine where you stand now. This knowledge will help you decide if you should make any changes.
If you don’t want to make any changes, it's time to assess your options.
However, if you are looking to make positive changes in your life, you will need to begin thinking about how to motivate yourself.
Which motivator is the most powerful? It's difficult to say. So instead of focusing on one single factor, focus on all five.
This will help achieve your ultimate goal of being an entrepreneur.
How do entrepreneurs motivate their employees?
Motivation can come in any form. It doesn't matter from where motivation comes, as long as it inspires people to take action. Motivation is key for any business, whether it's a carrot or stick approach.
The more motivated an employee feels, the more likely he/she is to perform well. To make your team more productive, empower and engage them.
You must create an environment that makes them feel valued. They should feel encouraged to grow and learn. Where they can contribute ideas without fear of punishment.
It is important to create a culture within your company that encourages employees to flourish and be successful. This is how you keep your best people happy, loyal, productive and satisfied.
You need to recognize the behaviors that make you successful in order to maintain a culture. This can include bonuses when goals are achieved, training opportunities, raising pay raises, and providing perks like insurance.
Clear communication and direction are also essential. Make sure everyone is clear about what they are expected to do and why.
You must ensure that policies and procedures are clearly written and communicated. It is important that you designate someone to ensure that your policies and procedures are being followed.
Communication is key. Keep your team updated about what's happening in the organization. Let your team know about what's happening.
Communication is vital. Looking after your team is the best way for you to stay ahead of the game. They will take good care of you.
If you don't build a strong relationship with your employees, it could be costly. Research shows that employees who are engaged with their work have higher productivity and profitability than those who struggle for top performers.
It's important that employees understand that they don't all want to work at the exact same pace. Some prefer working independently, while others like to collaborate. Each person can be motivated in different ways, so it is up to you which one works for you.
One example is that some people respond better to recognition, while others may prefer incentives. Whatever you find works best for you, make sure it's in alignment with the company’s goals.
It's up to the leader to set the tone. Be open-minded. Listen to the team. Don't forget to listen.
What motivates entrepreneurs?
Passion drives us. However, we are driven by passion and a strong desire to create meaningful things that make a real difference. To make a difference for our loved ones as well as ourselves.
To give back. To give back. To leave a legacy.
We do it because we love what we do. Because we feel called to live life fully, and have success in the things that matter most.
We are driven by a sense and purpose that cannot be satisfied with money alone.
The key here is to find a way to combine business with pleasure. Entrepreneurship can be more than a career; it's a lifestyle.
Entrepreneur success is what I am passionately interested in. My goal in helping entrepreneurs achieve financial freedom and make a lasting difference in the world is my goal.
It's the only way to create value. I am living proof of this. Sharing your knowledge and expertise with others.
It's not enough just to build a great service or product. To understand your customers and what their needs are, you need to first get to know them. They want what they need.
You'll always be able to improve your offerings if you do. And therefore, you'll always provide more value.
And if you provide more value, you will gain more customers. If you have more customers, you can sell more products. Plus, you'll generate more revenue if your products and services are more popular. You will eventually be financially independent if you have more revenue.
You see, money isn't everything. It is the means to an ending. It's not an end in itself.
It is not enough to focus on money if your goal is to live a full and happy life. It is important to make a positive difference. Contributing. Leave a legacy. It is creating something of value. It's something that is unique. It adds meaning and purpose to your life, as well as those of others.
Entrepreneurship requires risk-taking. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to follow certain rules. It means being flexible. Adapting. Adjusting. Improving.
You will succeed as long you are true and honest with yourself.
Entrepreneurship is a calling. A vocation. The chance to give back. To create wealth. To influence history.
You will be your best self when you embrace all these aspects.
You will not be stopped.
What are the advantages of an entrepreneurial mindset?
There are many benefits to being an entrepreneur. You become more independent. You can no longer depend on others.
You will be able to work for yourself and follow your dreams. You can also build relationships with other entrepreneurs, as you share the same challenges and interests.
You gain confidence. Entrepreneurs learn constantly. This gives you the ability and flexibility to change quickly. By thinking outside the box, you will not be trapped in a rut.
All entrepreneurs are free to start their own businesses. We no longer have to follow the rules and regulations set out by society. We can choose what we want and how we want it to go.
We can choose either to follow the crowds or go against them. You have the power to be successful. You have the choice to fail or win.
It is exhilarating. But it comes with its fair share of responsibility. Because once you accept this role, everything in your business is at your responsibility.
To succeed, you have to learn to manage risks. Don't be afraid to try new things. Your goal will be achieved if you are open to learning from your mistakes.
These lessons will help you to stay on the right track when you embark on your journey.
Remember:
- Entrepreneurship can be a way to live your life.
- You are the boss when you own your business.
- Be wary of following trends.
- You don't measure success in money. It is in freedom.
- You need to balance your personal life with your professional life.
- Set clear expectations.
- Always be open with your team.
- Do something about it if you want things to happen.
These are the 6 most important questions to ask entrepreneurs.
Motivation is the key ingredient to any business. Motivation is essential for any business. Without it, it's difficult to get out of bed every day. Without motivation, you'll struggle to finish projects. You can't reach your goals without motivation. How do we find our inspiration?
It is possible to ask yourself: "What motivates me?" But the answer might surprise you. You may have been asking yourself the same question for years. This question is one of life's most rewarding rewards. It allows you to uncover your motivation.
Discovering why you are there is the best motivation. This is when you realize what drives your actions. Your purpose becomes clearer. What are you passionate about? Once you know why you care, it will make it easier to stay motivated.
Looking within is the key to unlocking your motivation. Ask yourself these questions:
- What are my passions and interests?
- What makes my heart beat quicker?
- What is it that lights me up?
- What gives me butterflies in the stomach?
- What makes me feel alive
- What keeps you coming back to your projects again and again?
Once you know the answers to your questions, you will be able identify your true motivations.
Your motivation will help you get through those tough times. It will give strength when you need. It will inspire you to work harder. It will help you achieve success.
If you're anything like me, you will never stop searching for your motivation.
Spend some time today reflecting on your motivations. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you uncover.
What are the motivations behind entrepreneurs?
There are three main categories of motivation for entrepreneurs. Each type of motivation has its strengths and weaknesses.
External motivation is the most prevalent form of motivation. An individual wants more money. This motivation is usually triggered by financial concerns.
External motivation is driven by personal interest, ambition, and desire. This type of motivation leads to people who are extremely goal-oriented.
Internal motivation is far more rare. People with inner motivation are less likely to seek wealth. Instead, they aim for other goals, such as self-development or fulfillment.
People with internal motivation are often called "passionate" because they find satisfaction in their work.
Finally, intrinsic motivation can be described as the least common form of motivation. Individuals who find enjoyment and satisfaction in working towards a specific goal are called intrinsic motivation.
The intrinsic motivation of a person is more powerful than the external or internal motivation.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It is based the belief people are endowed with certain talents and capabilities. These abilities and talents allow them to achieve things that no one else could.
It is satisfying and fulfilling to realize our potential and talents. It makes us feel that we are doing valuable work.
In simple words, intrinsic motivation makes us feel happy. The joy that comes from knowing we can accomplish whatever we set our minds on is intrinsic motivation.
This feeling of accomplishment is what keeps us going through tough times.
It's a fact that if you don’t love what you’re doing, then it's not worth doing.
If you want to know more about entrepreneur motivation, click here.
Statistics
- “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” (oberlo.com)
- I shifted my motivational point from something huge (and undefined) to improve by just 1% each day. (carolroth.com)
- "If you improve by just 1% every single day, in several months, you will have improved by 100%. (carolroth.com)
- Our 10 years of research also shows that 75% of mentored entrepreneurs increased their revenue, and 82% of their businesses survived the first two years. (carolroth.com)
- “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know. (americanexpress.com)
External Links
businessinsider.com
- 101 Best Inspirational Quotes For Entrepreneurs
- SpaceX employees face almost impossible goals from Elon Musk
entrepreneur.com
oberlo.com
twitter.com
How To
Are You a TRUE Entrepreneur?
True entrepreneurs are those who create value for themselves as well as others. He is willing to take risks and build businesses. And he also makes money.
He doesn't wait to be offered an opportunity by someone else; he seeks them out. He is a self-starter who can take on any task.
True entrepreneurs know how to quickly and efficiently make decisions. He is able to see problems clearly and solve them creatively.
According to him, there is no difference in business and life. To him, entrepreneurship isn't a job; it's a way of life.
True entrepreneurs do not fear failing. Failure is part of the journey to success. True entrepreneurs are open to change and can thrive under pressure.
They are determined to achieve success and growth. They are passionate about what they do and enjoy creating value.
They do not just want to start successful companies; they want to have successful lives for their family.
The next time you feel lost or unmotivated about whether it is worth starting your own company, consider this question:
"Am I a true entrepreneur?" If yes, then take action. If no, you might need to rethink where your career is heading.
