So what do you do if you’re in a situation where marketing gets no respect? (See my last post.) Assuming the situation isn’t too far gone (i.e., resumes being updated & professional networks heating up), here’s what I advise.
Strategically you need to:
- increase awareness & visibility of marketing within your organization
- increase the perception of marketing’s value, and
- strengthen relationships within your organization.
Think of it as internally marketing the marketing function (a different application of internal marketing as featured in this blog).
I know, I know … most people are surprised by this. Don’t marketers automatically market themselves?
That thing about the shoemaker’s kids being barefoot
The reality is most marketers are so busy doing their jobs & whatever else has been heaped on them in this era of do-more-with-less, that it’s easy to neglect their own needs.
But just because you’re part of the organizational chart doesn’t mean that people know who you are & what you do! So marketers sometimes forget they need to educate others within the organization as to what marketing really does.
Non-marketers: listen up!
Important note: while I’m addressing marketing here, the situation also applies to other fields as well. Doesn’t matter if you’re in HR, IT, Finance, Operations, etc. … just substitute your function in place of marketing and read on.
I’ll continue this series of posts, but under a new name: Marketing ‘Marketing’ [or insert your particular function here] …