How to Be a Better Marketer in a High Tech Age

bulram | October 19, 2012

Better Marketer

The television show Mad Men provides a glimpse of the advertising and marketing world of the 1960s. Back then, marketing required a blend of math, science, and creativity – and perhaps a martini or two on the side. Much has changed, though math, science, and creativity are still hallmarks of the profession. While daytime drinking has largely disappeared, technology has moved in. From using technology to create sales and marketing materials to targeting a tech-savvy demographic, today’s marketers need a solid education in technology as well as in traditional advertising.

Hot High Tech Marketing Skills

It’s no longer enough to be creative in the marketing industry. Today’s marketers need to be as tech-savvy as the consumers they are trying to reach. While print ads, billboards, and TV and radio spots still have their place, consumers and businesses increasingly turn to the Internet and social media sites for information. Not only that, a dramatic shift in messaging has occurred; consumers are no longer passive, and they are increasingly resistant to push messaging. In order to reach a digitally connected demographic, you will need a technological skillset covering areas such as website design, social media marketing, and e-marketing campaign management as well as a deep understanding of changing consumer behaviors.

In addition to using technology to deliver marketing messages, today’s marketers use technology to conduct market research, analyze campaign performance, and interact with clients. In order to be effective, computer literacy, analytical skills, and research skills must be fully developed.

How an Online Education in Marketing and Technology Can Help

Fortunately, online education programs address the many disciplines modern marketers need to master in order to become more effective in a high tech age. Whether you want to earn a graduate degree in marketing or explore different areas of technology, an online education can deliver the knowledge and skills you seek.

While online programs are extremely convenient and can result in a highly sought after degree, they also allow you to stay on the cutting edge of your field. As you sharpen your marketing and technology skills, you may find that you are better able to adapt to rapid technological and behavioral changes. With a solid understanding of consumer behavior, statistical and analytical tools, and emerging technologies, you’ll be better prepared for future innovations and trends.

In addition, a few less tangible, but equally important benefits exist. For example, an online education can help you perform your job better by:

Exposing you to new ideas
Equipping you with skills your colleagues lack
Showing employers and clients that value knowledge
Showing employers and clients that you have the skills that they want

Email marketing, Internet marketing, Facebook marketing, QR codes, augmented reality, and mobile phone marketing are reaching consumers like never before. These technologies have arrived and are changing how marketers interact with consumers. While math, science, and creativity continue to drive marketing and advertising, technology has become an equally important ingredient. If you want to perform your marketing job more effectively, an online education can prepare you to do so. Best of all, you can put your newfound knowledge to work immediately and add value to your employer and clients while you are earning your degree.

Sarah Rawson is an avid blogger with a longstanding career in marketing. She has been researching the benefits of various online MBA in Marketing programs and has been contributing her articles on various higher education blogs.