Boston – and the world for that matter – have been having a completely different kind of “tea party” recently.
You see, there’s a new phrase in marketing that’s sweeping through the airwaves like a hurricane. That phrase? T-shaped marketer.
So, why is T-shaped digital marketing so popular?
Well, T-shaped marketers are experts in 2-3 main digital marketing strategies. A diverse skill set with one extremely focused specialty allows T-shaped marketers to take a holistic approach that ultimately benefits both the company and the marketer. You can visualize the skillset of that kind of digital marketer as a physical “T.”
(Photo credit to Digital Marketer)
You can think of this particular brand of digital marketer as a Jack-of-All-Trades that finally found their passion.
So, how do you go from zero to T-shaped hero?
Your Start: The Call to Adventure
Every journey starts somewhere. Yours begins everywhere. The more information you’re able to absorb, the better off you’ll be. That means AdWords training (there’re free), design courses, SEO research, video marketing, social media promotion, fundraisers, etc. The more you experience, the better you’ll be as a T-shaped marketer in the future.
You can think about this process like Luke looking for a way to leave Tatooine. Right now, you need to be searching for your inspiration – your driving force.
After a while, your path should be clear, young Jedi.
Start Training for T-Shaped Marketing Goodness: The Rising Action
We’re already going strong with the Star Wars references, so let’s keep moving.
If you think back to the movie, Luke already knew how to pilot, fight, and take care of himself. After all, he was bulls-eyeing womp rats in his T-16 when he was just a teenager. It took a guide and a call to action to turn him into a Jedi.
After working with as many disciplines as possible, it should be clear to you which jobs you like, which positions you hate, and which jobs come the easiest. For example, maybe you love running ads. Perhaps you’re an SEO fiend!
That’s all up to you.
When you find your focus, drill down into it as much as possible. Get as many AdWords certifications as possible and find some classes on data analytics. Start obsessing over Google’s SEO updates and SEO theory blogs (SEO by the sea is a great resource) and start testing your SEO theories with blog posts.
Regardless of what discipline you chose, you’ve just received your first lightsaber, and you’re starting on your journey.
Time to Face Your Fears: The Ultimate Conflict
No hero is a mountain of endless fortitude. At some point, you’ll have to face your own Vader on Dagobah. You’ll have to face the worst aspects of your digital marketing skillset, and that won’t be an easy thing to do.
You need to ask yourself a challenging question. What kind of digital marketing are you the worst at doing? What can you not seem to get the hang of no matter how hard you try?
This conversation, more than anything else, is your career’s first Vader, Palpatine, etc. Of course you’re going to struggle, but if you can develop and train your weakest aspects, then you’ll be on the way to becoming an excellent T-shaped marketer.
Landing Your First T-Shaped Marketing Job: The Falling Action
Congratulations!! You’ve reached the end of the start of your digital marketing adventure. Like Luke, Leia, and the Crew getting their just deserts during the The Royal Award Ceremony in the Great Temple on Yavin 4 (yeah, went there, Yavin 4), it’s time for you to reap the benefits of your labor. It’s probably been a long and hard road, but we knew that you could make it.
So, tell us, what does your T-shaped marketing path look like? Each road will look unique to the digital marketing professional that’s walking them.
Alternatively, if you’re a business owner, you could just hire someone! Rip Media Group is full of T-shaped marketers who specialize in video marketing and distribution (it’s even run by one).
So, if you’re looking to start marketing for your business, contact us to fill your T-shaped marketer requirements. We would love to help.
Your story starts here.
P.S. If you’re really digging these Star Wars analogies, check out Rise of Entrepreneur. We think you’ll like it.