“I don’t care what anything was DESIGNED to do. I care about what it CAN do”-Gene Kranz

Actually; I CARE ABOUT BOTH. I believe that what any creature can do is largely determined by two things; NATURE and NURTURE. Nature I believe supplies you with potential, and NURTURE supplies you with functionality. In effect, it is not enough to just have what it takes to be a marketer. You should be able to put it to use and become the best in your field.

Here’s a simple equation for you:

Nature + Nurture = Excellence.

Every marketer is hired for the results he or she CAN produce. As a young marketer, it’s tempting to stop at the broad term “marketing”; but stop to consider this: what kind of marketer are you? A bird is so called because it has attributes of its kind, behaves like its kind and does things its kind CAN do. Let me ask you this question: what kind of marketer are you? What area of marketing will most suit you? What area of marketing does your skillset incline you for?

Know your difference. Your difference as an individual is your strength. Your difference is what you can do that another cannot. Your difference is what will make you preferred over another. It determines the things you CAN or CANNOT do. When you discover your difference you discover your talents, strengths and weaknesses. The young marketer who knows what he or she CAN do; knows three important things: the where; the why; and the how.

“Your difference put to use directly affects your perceived value” -Vanessa Sangari

Market your difference. Get an eagle to behave like a pigeon and it’ll be called a pigeon; whether or not it isn’t one. It’s not enough to just know your difference; you must nurture it, and  market it. Nurturing your difference is equivalent to embarking on a journey of self discovery and self improvement. Think of yourself as a product. The best must go into developing you before marketing you.

When you market your difference well, you stand out from the crowd. A company that spots your difference will not only appreciate it but want to hire you for it! Remember, if you cannot market your difference; you cannot communicate your value and will have a tough time being rewarded for it.

Use your difference. There’s no use in having the wings of an eagle if the bird will fly like a fowl. As a marketer, a company hires you primarily to boost sales and help them maximize profits by developing marketing strategies that best communicate how well their product or service satisfies customer needs and requirements. Let your difference translate into your work as a marketer. Anyone who encounters your work must see you in it. It’s the one thing that would distinguish your works from others. Use you difference to make a difference.

I’ll conclude by saying that every marketer must bring something unique to the table and add value to a company in the best way possible. I agree it can be quite the daunting task when it’s new terrain… but I can assure you that by augmenting good work ethics with your difference, you can offer a dimension of service that will not only inspire a company’s trust in you but make you valuable to them.

Dear young marketer, don’t just be a marketer; be a marketer of difference!!!