TommyG
New Contributor
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2013
- Messages
- 12
Rep Bank
$270
$270
User Power: 450%
This essay from Brian Balfour really inspired me, so I thought I'd share it with you here.
Brian was the VP of growth at HubSpot, and generally one of these high-level silicon valley guys.
He's completely self-taught in marketing.
"I’m not here to brag. My point is, if I can do it, you can do it too and I want to share my tips and lessons learned"
Some key points:
The 'T Shaper Marketer'
Digital marketing is a HUGE field. In order to not get overwhelmed, you need a path and an action plan for your development.
The 'T' represents an individual with strong knowledge in many different areas and related topics, but who has very deep expertise in a more narrow subdomain.
1) Base Layer - non-marketing specific subjects that give a solid base and are used in the higher levels.
2) Marketing Foundation - the marketing subjects and concepts you should know used across all channels
3) Channel expertise - different ways of reaching the audience. Impossible to be a true expert in them all, so you need to choose which aligns with your goals and strengths. It can also be a good idea to take a bet on an emerging channel and become an expert early!
Here is an image that illustrates the "T Shaped" concept
Some good strategies:
Base layer
Basic statistics, basic programming, product design and UX principles, analytics, behavioral psych, branding/positioning/storytelling
Marketing Foundation Layer
Conversion rate optimization, copywriting, A/B multi testing, Basic photoshop and wireframing, database querying, excel and modeling
Channel Expertise Level (know the basics of all, go deep on 1-2)
Virality/WOM, Search PPC, FB Ads, SEO, Social, Content Marketing, Display and Retargeting, Mobile, Sales, PR, Email Marketing, Partnerships
Personally, my combo is SEO and content marketing.
I think this guide provides a really good blueprint to becoming a true marketing expert. Anybody with skills and expertise like this has a very valuable skillset that could help you to start your own company or be paid a ton to work on other people's.
Check out the original article for waaaaaaaaaay more detail.
There's a ton more amazing stuff on there, highly recommend for other online marketers.
Brian was the VP of growth at HubSpot, and generally one of these high-level silicon valley guys.
He's completely self-taught in marketing.
"I’m not here to brag. My point is, if I can do it, you can do it too and I want to share my tips and lessons learned"
Some key points:
- There is no one magic course or resource,
- experience and experimentation trumps all
- College/uni is pointless for marketers
- Blogs/forums etc help but you need to get your hands dirty
- Certifications mostly suck and are often inferior to freely available info
The 'T Shaper Marketer'
Digital marketing is a HUGE field. In order to not get overwhelmed, you need a path and an action plan for your development.
The 'T' represents an individual with strong knowledge in many different areas and related topics, but who has very deep expertise in a more narrow subdomain.
1) Base Layer - non-marketing specific subjects that give a solid base and are used in the higher levels.
2) Marketing Foundation - the marketing subjects and concepts you should know used across all channels
3) Channel expertise - different ways of reaching the audience. Impossible to be a true expert in them all, so you need to choose which aligns with your goals and strengths. It can also be a good idea to take a bet on an emerging channel and become an expert early!
Here is an image that illustrates the "T Shaped" concept
Some good strategies:
- Get something to experiment with. Nothing is as valuable as hands-on experience. The too best options here from scratch would be to try building your own sites and testing things on them, or to get a job in marketing to apply learnings (that's what I did)
- Learn from others - mentors, bosses, legit 'gurus'
- Learn from other companies (keep a scrapbook and swipe file with great examples. I got a great idea this year from Zapier's SEO strategy that we are now applying to our own. See what works and consider taking it into your toolkit)
Base layer
Basic statistics, basic programming, product design and UX principles, analytics, behavioral psych, branding/positioning/storytelling
Marketing Foundation Layer
Conversion rate optimization, copywriting, A/B multi testing, Basic photoshop and wireframing, database querying, excel and modeling
Channel Expertise Level (know the basics of all, go deep on 1-2)
Virality/WOM, Search PPC, FB Ads, SEO, Social, Content Marketing, Display and Retargeting, Mobile, Sales, PR, Email Marketing, Partnerships
Personally, my combo is SEO and content marketing.
I think this guide provides a really good blueprint to becoming a true marketing expert. Anybody with skills and expertise like this has a very valuable skillset that could help you to start your own company or be paid a ton to work on other people's.
Check out the original article for waaaaaaaaaay more detail.
There's a ton more amazing stuff on there, highly recommend for other online marketers.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
