Tips for New Social Marketers

I was recently asked by a group of young social marketers to answer a few questions and to provide some advice for new social marketers entering the field. When I sat down to write my thoughts, it became apparent to me that in my five years in the working world and in particular in this industry, I have learned a few things and the experience I have gained has definitely shaped my current approach to social marketing.

I thought I'd share my answers to the questions I was asked:

1)   What is the best piece of advice you can give to emerging social marketers?
Understand and stay up to day on what’s happening in the marketplace.
Commercial marketers are so good at what they do because they are consistently striving for new, innovative and creative methods to reach their audiences. We as social marketers, tend to be a few steps behind and if we don’t understand what’s out there, we can’t expect that messages about changing behaviour (something that is much more complex that buying products) will ever break through.
How do you do this?
Subscribe to daily emails that will provide this information directly to your inbox. There are lots of free-subscription based publications that will give you latest marketing campaigns, updates on social media tactics and advances in the social sector focusing on non-profits and social enterprises. 

2)   What is the most important tool social marketers have at their disposal today?
A network of like-minded social marketers from all around the world that are committed to growing the practice and working together.
Here’s a few tips to stay connected:
·         Join relevant associations (i.e. International Social Marketing Association)
·         Attend conferences (i.e. World Social Marketing Conference, Agents of Change Summit)
·         Stay up to date with the latest in theory and practice (i.e. Blogs: Social exChange, On Social Marketing and Social Change, National Social Marketing Centre).

3) What important lesson have you learned since working in the field of social marketing?
I came into the industry as an idealist. What I mean is, that I was focused on building the ideal social marketing approach and I wanted to be able to do everything required, I mean absolutely everything, to create the most effective and evidence-based social marketing programs possible.

I quickly realized that with weaning budgets, scope constraints as a consultant, and a lack of social marketing capacity in the marketplace – this wasn’t the reality. There are so many social issues in the world, and within each issue, so many behaviors we want to influence. We can’t do it all, but we can work towards the bigger goals by focusing on smaller steps.

Now operating as a ‘realist’ social marketing consultant, I work to create as much change as possible on shoe-string budgets by:
·         Segmenting my target audience and going after low-hanging fruit
·         Find the core insight and the most creative way to deliver on that insight to influence one singular behaviour
·         Mobilizing and bringing together motivated stakeholders and partners
·         Working to educate and grow an understanding of social marketing with my clients and the broader community

I’ve also learned that by being realist, you’re more like to create an authentic approach to reach your audiences. It’s always good to check in and ask yourself, “Would I ever do what I’m asking my audience to do?”