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6 key skills marketers should add to their resumes in 2024
There’s no way to sugarcoat some of the top workplace trends of 2023: lower budgets and smaller staff numbers. Tech companies laid off over 100,000 workers over the course of 2023 — and the workers who remained spent much of the year scrambling to cover the gaps left when their colleagues were let go. We were truly in our ‘do more with less’ era: the work had to get accomplished, but the resources were slim. [caption id="attachment_493501" align="alignnone" width="8688"]Photo by M. Monk on Unsplash[/caption] While 2024 hasn’t completely stabilized (Microsoft and Amazon both announced large layoffs in January), many workers have recovered from the shock of the collective losses of 2023 and have begun to look toward the future. For marketers especially, there is a collective need to move beyond the ‘Do more with less’ era and into a more sustainable landscape. That’s why 2024 will likely be a year dedicated to upskilling for many marketers — or at least it should be! Try Wrike for free Why you should continue to pursue new skills There are a few very compelling reasons to learn new skills, especially in a tumultuous job market. Whether you feel your current position may be in jeopardy or not, having new skills can help you protect yourself in the future as well as expand your current horizons and improve job satisfaction. One reason to upskill is that it will make you more valuable as a current employee, potentially helping you avoid layoffs in the future. Employers might look more favorably on someone who is able to offer a broader range of skills than someone who has a more limited skill set. Upskilling could also allow you to move laterally within your company to other roles at a time when the scope for promotions might be on hold. Another reason to pursue upskilling is to ensure that if you are affected by a layoff in the future, you should be able to maximize your job search opportunities with more skills under your belt. CNBC reported that when employees were laid off in 2023, a number of those workers ended up being hired at smaller companies or in adjacent industries: “Some laid-off employees immediately found new jobs at smaller software firms and internet companies or continued their careers outside of tech, pivoting to consulting, health care, finance and other industries eager to recruit top talent who might have otherwise stayed at larger tech companies.” Over a third of laid-off tech workers found positions in software development, internet, and IT firms. Joining a smaller firm often means that you will have broader responsibilities than at a large company. In the hiring process for one of these roles, having a wider range of skills to offer can give you a competitive edge. Finally, upskilling will likely increase your job satisfaction. A study undertaken by Gallup and Amazon found that “nearly three-in-four workers (71%) who have participated in upskilling agree or strongly agree that it has enhanced their satisfaction with work.” If you can increase your current and future employability as well as your job satisfaction at the same time, that’s a win-win situation. Areas marketers should upskill in 2024 Upskilling or even reskilling opportunities are often dependent on your current role and experience, as well as your employer’s flexibility and openness to the process, which may involve using working hours. With those caveats in mind, certain categories of marketing skills will continue to be valuable in the coming years and will most likely benefit marketers who seek out those skills. Here are a few key marketing skills marketers should add to their resumes in 2024: Data analysis and reporting: Reporting and data analysis go hand in hand. Data analysis allows you to better understand the numbers behind what’s working and what’s not, and reporting can help you show your managers and executives how the work your team is undertaking is affecting the company’s bottom line. This course will give you the lowdown on how to analyze key metrics for your marketing campaigns. Social media: Social media is here to stay and many marketing departments that have undergone layoffs have had to say goodbye to their social media staff. Learning new strategies in the social media marketing department can allow your organization to continue to have a presence during a period of slower growth. HubSpot offers a free social media marketing course that would fit the bill in this area. Project management: Most marketers function as project managers as part of their roles, but most don’t have formal project management training. The Project Management Institute offers a selection of free e-learning opportunities that will help you gain a better understanding of how the principles of project management can inform your marketing campaigns, event planning, and more. A/B testing: Figuring out exactly what marketing activities, campaigns, or language works best is critical to effectively using budgets and resources. A/B testing allows you to do just that, drilling down into the effectiveness of particular elements with your audience so you can do more of what’s effective. A course in the basics of A/B testing like this one would give you a sense of how to start designing the most effective A/B testing experiments. Generative AI: Understanding how to use generative AI for your marketing role, no matter what that role is, will continue to be imperative over the coming year. Whether you’re using ChatGPT to draft email cadences to nurture leads or brainstorming keywords, the new AI technology can and should help make your marketing job easier and less time-consuming. This ChatGPT for Beginners course would be a smart place to start. Copywriting: As a copywriter, I might live to regret suggesting all marketers upskill their copywriting but, truth be told, it’s a darn useful skill to have. If you can draft more effective emails to potential leads without the help of your organization’s copywriters (if they have them at all), you’ll be one step ahead of your colleagues. Similarly, if you are applying for a position at a company that doesn’t have copywriters, having strong writing skills can only benefit you in the hiring process. This course in High Impact Business Writing would help you polish your writing skills. Why mastering Wrike can help bolster your 2024 goals In the spirit of continuous learning, Wrike offers a range of courses that will help you improve your Wrike skills, ensuring you’re able to use each and every feature that can impact your team’s success. (Our marketing team recently brushed up on our skills and we can attest it’s a game changer!) While Wrike doesn’t offer general marketing courses, so many of our platform’s features directly enable marketers to use the skills we outlined above. Interested in increasing your analytics and reporting skills in 2024? Wrike’s advanced analytics feature allows you to analyze data and create reports with a few clicks. Trying to improve your copywriting skills this year? Use our integration with Grammarly, which offers full functionality in all tasks and ensures your Wrike work is typo-free. Once you’ve created the foundation for a new campaign using ChatGPT, bring it into Wrike to manage it from start to finish. If you’re itching to get started using Wrike to support new skills, a Wrike free two-week trial is the perfect introduction. Try Wrike for free
How Wrike’s Content Team Uses ChatGPT: Successes, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned
Since we first adopted ChatGPT as a content marketing team at Wrike, a lot has happened, to say the least. Not only has the tool itself evolved, Wrike as a company has embraced AI — using it internally to increase productivity and fusing it into our product as well, with a whole new set of generative AI features. As a manager in the content team at Wrike, when first asked how our team planned to multiply content production using AI, my first thought was well, I have no idea. When I recovered from my initial panic, I had two more thoughts. One, AI was really here, and two, why not embrace it and add it as a tool in our toolbelt to see what we can really do? So we dove in. Here’s what we’ve done, what we know now, and where we plan to go. How we’re using ChatGPT now Those I’ve talked to in other content marketing teams outside of Wrike have mostly said the same thing: Their company has adopted ChatGPT and their instructions have been to use it in all content they create to produce work faster. This mostly seems to come as a blanket instruction, without much education or strategy regarding the best ways to use the tool. After having these conversations with others in the industry, I definitely appreciate the approach Wrike’s leadership has taken on generative AI so far when it comes to content creation. We’ve been given the opportunity to test and understand the tool, and be the leaders when it comes to setting and evaluating our AI content creation strategy. So what have we been up to? Here are some of our top initiatives using ChatGPT for content creation: SEO: Our approach to SEO content creation has totally changed with the introduction of generative AI. Why? Number one, SEO content is largely programmatic and an AI model lends itself well to something like this, something with a formula to how it should be created. Since SEO content is always a part of our strategy, it’s also a great place for us to test different methods of content creation using AI. We’ve been running several tests involving increasing our new SEO blog production and we’ve seen an exponential increase of our SEO blog production by experimenting with both AI and ChatGPT. Gated asset production: With the use of AI, we’ve also been able to multiply our gated asset production. These types of assets are often more human-led since the goal is to go in depth on a topic and provide value to our readers, but we’re finding ChatGPT can be very helpful when it comes to repurposing existing content into different formats, providing an outline, or creating draft content for sections of larger assets. Promotional kit automation: For a long time as a content manager, I’ve wanted to create promotional kits containing pre-approved promotional copy stakeholders can use in their ads, emails, and social campaigns. But, as is a common pain point for a lot of content teams, we’ve struggled to find the time to do these on top of our regular tasks and requests. With the addition of ChatGPT to our toolkit, we’ve been able to start testing the creation of these promotional kits with AI, taking much less time from our writers than it would have before. What we’ve learned While I could maybe write 10 blogs on what we’ve learned so far, I’ll keep it to a few top points. Test, but don’t forget to evaluate: Don’t just stick with one or two ways you use AI, but test and retest, and then don’t forget to evaluate the results of the content you’re producing. You want to know what’s working and you want to be spending your time in the most valuable ways. It’s probably not the right time to lean all the way into one method of content production: Based on our tests and retests, we found that human-written blogs still largely outperformed AI-generated blogs. However, we were impressed with how many clicks AI-generated blogs were able to generate without any human intervention. So, while it’s not the right time to go all AI as it doesn’t compare to the performance of our human-led content so far, we’re finding that it’s been a nice augment to the performance of our content overall. Don’t make your writers use AI in everything they do: As discussed above, it’s not time to totally cut out the human voice. Instead, we’ve been thinking about content production in terms of tiers, ranging from tier one (mostly human-written) to tier three (mostly AI-written). As our data has also shown us, we’re currently finding the highest value in producing a mix of these tiers. This also allows our writers to still flex their very valuable creativity to provide the thought leadership voice to Wrike, while embracing innovative technology to supplement their work in other areas. Where we go from here This year, I attended the AI 4 conference in Las Vegas. When it comes to using AI in marketing, the big topic of the day is personalization. How can you use AI to create the exact right piece of content to deliver to the right person, at the right time? Using AI to scale content creation gets us one step closer in that journey, as we’ve been able to multiply production essentially overnight, giving us a much wider sample size to see what’s resonating with our audience better. From here, our plans are to continue to test and measure. Our ultimate goal is to find the right balance of AI content that augments what our team does, doesn’t dilute the Wrike brand, and ensures we get the most value out of working with our new robot friends.
Developing a Robust Business Continuity Plan: Essential Steps for Marketers
It is essential for marketers to have a robust business continuity plan in place so that a company can continue its operations smoothly in the face of unexpected events or disruptions. By understanding the importance of a business continuity plan and its key elements, marketers can take the necessary steps to develop and maintain an effective plan that will safeguard their business. Understanding the Importance of a Business Continuity Plan A business continuity plan is a proactive strategy that outlines the steps and actions a company will take to continue its core functions in the event of a disruption. It provides guidelines and procedures to mitigate risks, manage crises, and ensure business resilience. Marketers have a unique role in the overall functioning of a company, because they are responsible for promoting products or services, building brand awareness, and driving sales. A disruption in marketing activities can have significant implications for the company's reputation and revenue. Therefore, marketers need to be prepared with a solid business continuity plan to minimize any potential impacts on their marketing efforts. Key Elements of a Robust Business Continuity Plan A robust business continuity plan consists of several key elements that work together to ensure the company's continued operation. These elements include: Risk Assessment and Management Before developing a business continuity plan, marketers need to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities that could disrupt their marketing activities. This includes assessing both internal and external factors that may pose a threat, such as natural disasters, cyber attacks, or supply chain disruptions. Once the risks are identified, strategies can be put in place to manage and mitigate these risks. This may involve implementing security measures, creating backup systems, or establishing alternative communication channels. In the case of a natural disaster, marketers may need to consider the potential impact of flooding on their physical marketing assets, such as retail stores or warehouses. They may develop a risk management strategy that includes relocating these assets to higher ground or investing in flood-resistant infrastructure. For cyber attacks, marketers may conduct regular vulnerability assessments and implement robust security measures, such as firewalls and encryption, to protect their digital marketing platforms and customer data. Business Impact Analysis A business impact analysis helps marketers understand the potential impacts of different disruptions on their marketing activities. By assessing the potential consequences, marketers can prioritize their response and allocate resources accordingly. During the business impact analysis, marketers should identify critical marketing functions and determine the potential loss of revenue or customer impact resulting from disruptions. This analysis provides valuable insights into where resources and efforts should be focused in the event of a disruption. For instance, if a supply chain disruption occurs, marketers may analyze the potential impact on product availability and customer satisfaction. They may identify alternative suppliers or develop contingency plans to guarantee uninterrupted delivery of goods or services to customers. In addition, marketers may conduct customer surveys or market research to understand the potential impact of disruptions on customer loyalty and brand reputation. This information can help them prioritize recovery efforts and allocate resources to minimize any negative consequences. Recovery Strategies and Procedures Recovery strategies outline the steps and procedures that marketers will follow to recover their marketing activities after a disruption. These strategies may include alternative marketing channels, backup plans for lost data, or contingency plans for promotional activities. For example, if a marketing campaign is disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances, marketers may have a recovery strategy in place that includes redirecting resources to alternative marketing channels, such as social media or email marketing. They may also have backup plans for lost data, such as regularly backing up customer databases and marketing analytics. As for contingency plans for promotional activities, this may involve having alternative promotional materials or messaging ready to go in case the original plans are disrupted. The objective is for marketers to quickly adapt and continue engaging with their target audience, ensuring minimal disruption to their marketing efforts. Steps to Develop a Business Continuity Plan Now that the importance of a business continuity plan and its key elements are understood, let's dive into the essential steps for marketers to develop a robust plan: Establishing the Planning Team The first step in developing a business continuity plan is to establish a dedicated planning team. This team should consist of key stakeholders from the marketing department, as well as representatives from other areas of the company. The planning team will be responsible for conducting risk assessments, performing business impact analyses, and creating recovery strategies. During the process of establishing the planning team, it is important to identify individuals who possess a deep understanding of the company's marketing operations and have the ability to think strategically. These individuals should have a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks and challenges that the business may face, allowing them to contribute effectively to the development of the plan. Moreover, it is crucial to confirm that the planning team consists of individuals who possess strong communication and leadership skills. This will enable effective coordination and collaboration among team members, so that the plan is developed and executed smoothly. Identifying Critical Business Functions Next, marketers need to identify the critical marketing functions that need to be prioritized in the event of a disruption. These functions could include lead generation, brand management, advertising campaigns, or customer communications. By identifying these critical functions, marketers can focus their efforts on confirming that these activities can continue even in the face of a disruption. This may involve establishing backup systems, training additional staff, or developing contingency plans. During the process of identifying critical business functions, it is important to conduct a thorough analysis of the potential impacts of disruptions on each function. This analysis should take into account various scenarios, such as natural disasters, supply chain disruptions, or technological failures. Furthermore, marketers should consider the potential financial and reputational consequences of disruptions to these critical functions. By understanding the potential risks and impacts, marketers can develop strategies to mitigate these risks and uphold the continuity of their marketing activities. Developing Recovery Strategies Based on the risk assessments and business impact analyses, it is vital for marketers to develop recovery strategies that align with the specific needs of their marketing activities. For example, if a disruption affects a company's ability to use its primary marketing channels, marketers should have alternative channels in place to maintain communication with customers. This may include utilizing social media platforms, email marketing, or influencer collaborations. During the process of developing recovery strategies, marketers should consider the potential costs and feasibility of implementing these strategies. They should assess the resources required, such as financial investments, technological infrastructure, or human resources. Moreover, marketers should also take into account the potential impact of these recovery strategies on other aspects of the business. For example, implementing certain strategies may require reallocating resources from other areas of the company, which could have implications on overall business operations. Creating and Implementing the Plan Once the recovery strategies are developed, marketers need to create a comprehensive business continuity plan that outlines all the necessary procedures and steps to be followed in the event of a disruption. This plan should be clearly communicated to all relevant stakeholders within the marketing department and regularly reviewed and updated as needed. Implementation of the plan should be practiced through drills or simulations to verify all team members are familiar with their roles and responsibilities. During the process of creating and implementing the plan, it is important to establish clear lines of communication and escalation protocols. This will ensure that in the event of a disruption, all team members are aware of the appropriate channels to report incidents and receive guidance. Also, the plan should include mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the business continuity strategies. This will allow marketers to continuously improve and refine their approach to ensure maximum resilience in the face of disruptions. Testing and Maintaining Your Business Continuity Plan Developing a business continuity plan is only half the battle; testing and maintaining the plan is equally important to ensure its effectiveness. This involves regular testing of the plan and updating it as business needs change. Regular Testing of the Plan Marketers should conduct regular tests and simulations to assess the effectiveness of their business continuity plan. These tests can help identify any gaps or weaknesses in the plan and allow for adjustments to be made accordingly. During testing, marketers can evaluate the response time, communication effectiveness, and overall functionality of the plan. This provides an opportunity to fine-tune the plan and ensure it remains robust and up-to-date. Updating the Plan as Business Needs Change As a company evolves and business needs change, it is essential for marketers to review and update their business continuity plan to reflect these changes. This includes revisiting the risk assessments, business impact analysis, and recovery strategies to ensure they align with the current marketing landscape. Regular reviews and updates of the plan help marketers stay proactive and prepared for any potential disruptions that may arise in the future. Overall, developing a robust business continuity plan is an essential step for marketers to safeguard their marketing activities and ensure business resilience. By understanding the importance of a business continuity plan and following the key elements outlined in this article, marketers can take the necessary steps to develop an effective plan that mitigates risks and ensures the continuity of their marketing efforts even in challenging circumstances. Develop a robust business continuity plan with Wrike's strategic planning tools. Start your free trial and ensure your marketing efforts remain unhindered, no matter what comes your way. Note: This article was created with the assistance of an AI engine. It has been reviewed and revised by our team of experts to ensure accuracy and quality.