Hiring/Training : What the CMO Wants

Building the next generation of response marketers

Due to this combination of rapid change and channel proliferation, deep expertise and hands-on knowledge is starting to be replaced by the ability to be flexible, quick and innovative. This new type of marketer, a generalist, certainly will not know the intricacies of all channels, but will understand the roles of each and how to adapt his marketing strategies to the ever-changing marketplace. Generalists also will make good decisions based on the business needs (like budgets, target audience, communication objective, etc.).

In this new marketing climate, specialists still have their roles on the marketing team; without them, companies wouldn't be able to execute, particularly as each channel has its deployment intricacies. However, a marketing generalist is agile and will be able to integrate and collaborate across all channels. And he will know how to work with these channel experts, whether they're employed internally or by an industry vendor. These skills are key to mastering today's web of multichannel marketing.

A Meeting of the Marketing Minds
Another key development sweeping the modern marketing department is the necessity of generalists to hire and train the next generation of response marketers. This is not much of a departure from the mentoring processes of years past; save that the more senior marketing professionals now don't need to pass along their specific channel expertise, so much as the art and science of channel integration and collaboration.

At the same time, these more well-rounded marketers will be learning from subsequent generations who comprehend and master the digital channel intricacies better than anyone. Sometimes called "digital natives," younger marketing professionals have grown up with the Internet and do not see online marketing as anything exotic or intimidating.

Marketing veterans, for whom the latest digital marketing media often seem foreign, can learn from the Millennial generation and its innate understanding of online channels and audiences. The new marketer needs to be one who can draw on all available channels; something which students are learning at the university level.

The digital age also calls for an environment of transparency and sharing. The Millennials are more than comfortable with this concept; whereas, offline marketers might not be quite at ease with it yet. On the other hand, these more "traditional" marketers are well-versed in building and managing brands. They also understand how to leverage multiple channels to create sales.

So there is room on both sides of the marketing skills spectrum for marketers to learn from one another. Smart marketing team leaders will embrace the technology of today, but also dedicate time to educate the next generation of marketers about the roles and benefits of the channels that preceded the Internet.

Strength in Diversification
Finally, as the economy starts to ramp up and the demand for talent increases, it's important not to be shortsighted about what this talent will look like or where it will come from. Remember, as the demand for future talent increases, the depth of the hiring pool will decrease.

It's critical that the next evolution of marketing teams be comprised of professionals with varying backgrounds. They could come from the services, sales or client side, as well as from an array of industries. To build a strong marketing team, it's important not to weed people out simply because they did not come up through the ranks of your industry. Rather, it's essential now to have people who can think differently from each other to fully leverage the multichannel landscape.

Heather Baker is managing partner of executive recruiting firm BennetBaker, Ltd. She can be reached at (312) 252-8884.