Marketing is a massive industry, and though there’s a lot of crossover, no two roles are exactly the same. You need to combine industry and market research in order to customize your approach. You then need to adapt that approach every time to keep up with trends, legislation, changing opinions, news, etc. It’s a fast-paced world that can feel like taking many shots in the dark until you have enough information to steer your company in the right direction. 

Though every business needs a marketing specialist, marketing as a career is incredibly competitive. If you want to stand out as a marketer today, then you’ll need to use these tips.

Earn a Degree 

You can technically learn what you need using free resources and trial and error. However, you don’t have much time to learn by doing so. If you want to get your foot in the door of the marketing world, then you need to have the skills and the know-how already in place. The best way to have that and to approach marketing using data analysis at the heart of everything that you do is to earn a marketing degree online. 

Online degrees are perfect for those who want to transition into marketing or advance their credentials. If you already have a degree in art or design, for example, marketing can help increase your analytical and strategic skills so that you can offer a robust skillset.

Create, Polish, and Keep Your Portfolio Updated 

Marketing combines visual media and hard analysis, and you need to create a portfolio that can showcase both skills. A good way to do this is to create case studies. This outlines the issue or goal, the analysis and strategy design you created, and provides visual examples of the final work. A case study portfolio is an excellent way to prove your skills in a way that your resume never could. 

Stay on the Beating Heart of the Marketing World 

If you want to really stand out as a marketer in today’s world, then you need to keep a firm hold on the beating heart of it. This means regularly attending conferences, talks, and workshops. It means staying up to date with the latest market research and trends. It means continually learning by reading, watching, listening, and debating. 

Don’t Just Absorb Information, Be a Leader 

You’ll develop your own ideas and opinions. Use those to help establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. This means using a blog, or sites like LinkedIn, to start and lead debates. It means networking with other panel hosts and publications to get your work published. With enough hard work and networking, it will be you that people ask to interview, and it will be you that they go to for advice and help. 

Being a leader in your field will immediately give you greater negotiating power when it comes to your career. Use that to get better jobs, higher paying salaries, and unique opportunities that would otherwise never have been available.