Our communications roles have changed, as have our job titles. Our marketing team of three has two of these “hottest jobs.” But that leaves one of us, me, as just a “marketing generalist.” Should I be worried?
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 lots of new roles have emerged, there is still the need for someone to manage the big picture. Someone to see how all our communication efforts are working together, convening a consistent message to our audiences, in the most effective way. That’s the role of the marketing 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 generalists greatest strength is the ability to write, with project management and knowing how all the strategies and tactics work together coming in a close second. In the past few years, what’s fast becoming a “must-have” skill is measuring and analyzing all the data that digital leaves behind.
