It can be pretty difficult to break into the digital marketing industry, but it’s not even close to impossible. All you need is a little guidance from a pro.
Jurgen Cautreels is a record-breaking digital marketer with years of experience in the industry. He got his start like anyone else and worked his way all the way to the top to become one of the most respected marketers in the industry.
I know many people are trying to figure out how to break into the industry, so I asked him for some tips. Whether you’re in the industry trying to work your way up or just trying to get a foot in the door – with some hard work, Jurgen Cautreels’ advice should help you get a marketing job before you know it.
Figure out what kind of Marketing you want to Do
Before you can start working as a marketer, you’ll want to know what kind of marker you want to be. Which part of the industry do you want to work in?
Jurgen Cautreels talked about a few options to consider. You could be a brand manager, social media manager, marketing analyst, content creator/copywriter, or Product manager.
All of these roles pertain to marketing in one way or another, and they are all vastly different. When you think about your dream marketing job, what do you envision yourself doing? Now that you know what you want to be, you can figure out which skills to work on and which roads to follow.
Do your Research and Follow the Experts
Jurgen Cautreels is a strong proponent of learning by watching pros. It comes second only to learning by doing, in his book.
You should follow marketing experts and listen to marketing podcasts. This will give you fantastic insights into the industry.
Beyond this, you should also learn from good old-fashioned books and articles. There are so many newsletters and Youtube channels dedicated to keeping up with internet marketing trends that you’re doing yourself a disservice if you’re not following them.
Beyond this, Jurgen Cautreels says that if you want to be a great marketer, you should find marketing in every aspect of your life. When you see a company like McDonald’s post on social media, for example, try to dissect what they’re doing.
Pay attention to how they’re branding themselves with each post. Study their post history across social media platforms and really try to break down exactly what they’re doing.
These companies are professional, and every post is researched and scrutinized, so they’re a great place to learn what works and see state-of-the-art marketing in action.
Freelance and Fake it til you Make it
Freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr are great places to find entry-level marketing positions. Jurgen Cautreels says all you need to be able to do is communicate, write, and sell yourself.
Businesses are willing to give freelancers a chance, even with little or no experience, as long as that person has great communication skills and is willing to put in the work. You may end up getting a job posting on Twitter once a week, but even that is an experience that can translate to something larger further down the line.
