Return of the marketing and communications generalist

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Where are my fellow “marketing generalists?”

Our communications roles have changed, as reflected in our job titles. My marketing and communications team of three has two of these “hottest jobs.” But that leaves me as just a “marketing generalist.”

Should I be worried? I don’t think so.

As CMO.com reports, “The company stands to gain a much better marketer who understands the big picture, and who can see how one program can fit into a broader corporate strategy.”

While the rise in digital and social have created most of these new roles, someone has to manage the larger goals and see how all our communication efforts work together, conveying a consistent message to our audiences in the most effective way.

That’s the role of the marketing and communications generalist.

I’ve been a one-person marketing and communications department, and I’ve been part of a 12-person department. I’ve worked in agencies and nonprofits. The marketing generalist’s greatest strength is the ability to write, with project management skills a close second. Knowing how all the strategies and tactics complement each other is critical as we move forward.

In the past few years, another skill has emerged and is gaining steam: data analytics – measuring and analyzing all the data that brands and organizations gather about their audiences. Add that to the marketing generalists job description and you have one person who knows the communication and marketing journey from start to finish.

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