When you’re just starting out in the world of marketing, the decision of whether to focus on brand marketing or performance marketing can be a tough one. It’s tempting to dive straight into brand marketing, especially given its creative appeal. However, as a junior marketer, there are strong reasons to consider starting with performance marketing instead. Here’s why.
1. Understand the Core of the Business
When you’re new to marketing, your primary goal should be to quickly grasp the essence of the business and how it operates. Brand marketing, while vital, often involves working on elements like slogans, social media presence, or event marketing—important, but sometimes disconnected from the immediate business outcomes.
- Get Close to the Numbers: Performance marketing, on the other hand, puts you right at the heart of the business. You’re dealing with measurable results, whether it’s conversions, ROI, or customer acquisition costs. This direct exposure to metrics teaches you how the business really makes money, which is crucial knowledge for any marketer.
- Immediate Impact: In performance marketing, you can see the immediate impact of your actions. This helps you understand which strategies work and which don’t, giving you a clear sense of what drives business success.
- Broader Scope: Starting with performance marketing also allows you to gain hands-on experience with various aspects of marketing, from product marketing and content creation to lead generation and platform management. This wide exposure is invaluable early in your career.
2. Avoid Being Pigeonholed Too Early
Brand marketing can sometimes keep you focused on specific tasks, such as content creation or social media management, which might limit your exposure to the broader business strategy. This can be problematic if you decide to shift roles later in your career.
- Stay Versatile: By starting in performance marketing, you develop a versatile skill set that’s in high demand across different marketing functions. This makes it easier to pivot into other areas of marketing or take on larger responsibilities within a marketing team.
- Long-Term Impact: Over time, you’ll also become more attuned to the long-term effects of your marketing efforts, making you more valuable to employers who seek marketers with a comprehensive understanding of both brand and performance dynamics.
3. Develop a Strong Foundation Before Moving to Brand
If you’re passionate about brand marketing, it’s not off the table—but it’s often better approached after you’ve built a solid foundation in performance marketing.
- Understand Business Logic: Before diving into brand marketing, it’s essential to understand the core logic of the business. For example, can you identify the company’s primary revenue sources, the structure of the business, and the key customer demographics? These insights are crucial for making informed brand decisions.
- Link Brand to Business Outcomes: Effective brand marketing is about more than just creativity—it’s about linking your efforts to tangible business outcomes. Understanding how brand perception influences sales and customer loyalty is key to building a strong, sustainable brand.
- Work on Business-Driven Projects: Even in a brand role, seek opportunities to work on projects that are directly tied to business results, such as lead generation campaigns or customer retention strategies. This keeps your work grounded in measurable outcomes, ensuring your contributions are aligned with the company’s overall goals.
4. Gain Exposure to Different Roles and Perspectives
To be a well-rounded marketer, it’s important to interact with professionals across different roles, not just those focused on brand marketing.
- Learn from Different Functions: Spend time with colleagues in sales, product development, customer service, and other areas. Understanding their challenges and how they relate to marketing will give you a more holistic view of the business.
- Break Down Silos: By working closely with different teams, you’ll learn how various departments contribute to the company’s success. This knowledge can help you create more effective, integrated marketing strategies.
- Stay Open to New Ideas: Exposure to different roles also opens you up to new ideas and approaches that can enhance your marketing efforts. Whether it’s learning about customer pain points from the support team or discovering new product features from the development team, these insights can be invaluable.
5. Position Yourself for Long-Term Growth
Starting your career in performance marketing positions you for long-term growth in the industry. You’ll develop a deep understanding of how marketing drives business results, making you a more strategic and effective marketer as your career progresses.
- Build a Strong Reputation: Marketers who can demonstrate a clear impact on the business are highly valued. By focusing on performance marketing, you’ll build a reputation for delivering results, which can open doors to more advanced roles in the future.
- Expand Your Horizons: As you gain experience, you’ll be well-equipped to move into brand marketing with a strong foundation in business logic and metrics. This combination of skills makes you a well-rounded marketer capable of handling both creative and analytical challenges.
- Stay Competitive: The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and having a diverse skill set that includes both brand and performance marketing makes you more adaptable to industry changes and emerging trends.
Conclusion
While brand marketing has its appeal, starting your career in performance marketing can provide a stronger foundation for long-term success. By focusing on the business’s core needs, staying versatile, and keeping an eye on measurable outcomes, you’ll develop the skills and insights needed to thrive in any marketing role. And when the time is right, transitioning into brand marketing with a solid understanding of how your work impacts the business will make you an even more valuable asset to any team.