Four core tech skills that are vital for your marketing career

First, marketers need sales fluency, which includes pipeline management and forecasting – elements that are far more important than they used to be. 

“The line between marketing and sales has blurred, and marketing departments must drive measurable, accountable results, including pipeline, bookings and revenue. Today, marketing and sales must go to market together,” Whitler writes in a column for Forbes business magazine.

Data analytics underpins everything

Second, data analytics should underpin everything marketers do. Whether gleaning customer behaviour insights from big data or managing customer pulse surveys, data drives marketing. Understanding how to acquire, analyse and leverage data and insights is non-negotiable.

Third, digital marketing is so ubiquitous now that it should just be called ‘marketing’, Whitler observes. 

“Candidates should be well-versed in theory and best practices for email, web, content and social media,” she says. “As well as mobile marketing, digital audio-visual (whether that’s video or podcasting), and digital design — either because they are a hands-on creative person or because they need to guide and/or approve the design process based on what works best.”

Finally, agile project management and the martech solutions that enable it are key for marketers at every level. 

“Although different organisations may rely on different platforms, marketing candidates should be familiar with the overall category, its principles, features and benefits,” Whitler advises.

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