3 Reasons Why You Should Choose Digital Marketing As A Career
For the last year I have failed to get a full-time sales role in an Australian town called Townsville.
I had a mid midlife crisis trying to wrap my head around how to land a role with:
- No experience
- Being young AF
- And not having the same population size as the bigger cities like Brisbane.
Finally, I had an epiphany.
What if there was a career path that:
- Doesn't need formal experience
- Being young is advantageous
- Every business needed this role
I said to myself,
"I should be in digital marketing. And or sales."
I've been making content and digitally marketing myself since Grade 12. Through my own experience hunting for a job and starting my career, I hope you can learn some lessons from me.
The main reason I'm choosing marketing or sales as a career is because they're high-income skills. My final end goal, maybe like yourself, is being an entrepreneur and playing the money game.
In fact, I thought sales was the natural career start in order to progress into marketing. As sales is selling 1-to-1, and marketing is selling 1-to-many.
That's my story...
But why should someone like you choose digital marketing?
Well, you're already consuming a form of digital marketing, literally reading this article. And, if you know how to consume media, you probably know how to search things up on Google.
And, you can show employers your marketing experience without landing a role in the first place.
With all this, you'll be earning an average salary of 75-95k/year. I assure you, any job that involves the direct effect of a company's revenue will pay you very well.
So, in this article, I'm going to focus more on why you might consider digital marketing as a career option. Because it doesn't get talked about much in school, or in general. And, you already have an advantage entering the industry.
Here's my three reasons...
#1: Growing Up Using The Technology
There are people who are older than you that don't know how to run a website, create content or run an ad campaign.
My friend, as a person growing up on the internet using a computer and smartphone you have an edge.
Even though you might not be able to run a website or create an ad campaign right now, you know how to navigate the interfaces.
You're comfortable using the technology because you've been exposed to it from a young age. I'm going to make a large blanket statement. Employers are putting more tech savvy tasks to young people.
For example, the golf club I work at lets me do their online sales, stuff for their website and flyer creations on Canva. All because I can demonstrate confidence doing stuff online.
As someone who grew up with the technology, you will have less hesitancy navigating and using it. You're already familiar with finding files, which websites to go to, how to edit basic photos and video.
What you find intuitive about technology is someone else's second-thought. So, entering the digital marketing industry you can lean into this advantage.
#2: Knowing How To Google Stuff Is A Super Power
You may not know this. You already possess a powerful skill that can help assist in your digital marketing career.
It's literally looking stuff up on Google.
I'll ask this, have you ever experienced this with your family?
They'll ask a question about the computer.
What ends up happening is you look up the answer yourself on Google and do some troubleshooting.
It works! Then they call you a genius, when you've only just learned how to do it in that very moment.
For me, this skill was extremely useful when creating and running my first website. I did a lot of Googling on how to: connect the domain, connect to Google Analytics, editing the site.
Because, you do not necessarily have to attend a university lecture to teach you how to do this stuff. It's a skill knowing how to ask prompts in the search engine, and sifting through useful information.
So, if you know how to Google stuff and are patient enough to find the answer. You've got a super power my friend.
#3: Easier To Get Marketing Experience Without A Job
Most jobs you'll find might say,
"Need 2-5 years experience."
Then you're in Catch 22,
"I need experience for a job, then I need a job for experience."
For digital marketing, you can still get experience without having a job. Here's how I did it.
You want to look for opportunities where you can apply your skills in a practical way. That means helping people with their digital marketing.
You probably know someone who needs help with their digital marketing. Whether it's a friend, family member or mutual acquaintance.
Heck, it can even be yourself by creating a personal brand to begin with!
Now you might be asking,
"How should I establish the deal with my new clients?"
This is the approach I've taken with my first client who's a golf coach. Understand when you're starting out, you do not have the track record for generating results.
That means, there is no point asking to be paid for your time.
The person accepting your help is doing you a favour by gaining experience using their business. They're taking some risk bringing in some digital marketing kid who's got no experience.
There's two approaches:
- They pay for the running costs of managing a website and you work for free.
- You pay the running costs and get paid by your performance.
Approach #2 is what I did with my golf coach. More risk, more reward.
I get paid 12.5% commission rate every sale booked ONLINE, knowing that I set up the website, the payment processor and pay for all of this.
All my client focuses on is the technical side being the golf game development and service delivery.
Absolutely no risk to him. It's on ME to funnel attention onto the website either through organic or paid traffic.
Which might terrify you, but it's a fantastic way to put your money where your mouth is and test your marketing skills.
Taking this approach, you're getting more than just money. You're utilising the opportunity to help a business create sales through the web.
You benefit by gaining experience and applying learnt skills. Whether it's SEO, copywriting, website design, ad creations etc.
Sure, you're not going to be guaranteed a check at the end of the week. But that's not the point.
You're out here getting experience. To show a willingness to contribute to the marketing industry.
Employers will see you're committed to your craft, even without the incentive of a job.
Three Strong Reasons
To recap why you have an advantage in choosing digital marketing as a career,
- You've grown up on the technology.
- Most likely know how to Google search for answers.
- You can show your experience and willingness to work in the role without having a job.
If me talking about digital marketing has got you interested and you want to see how I'm doing it.
I've got an online community called Kaizen Club.
Me and members in there help each other try to pursue high-income jobs. We also discuss playing piano, learning Japanese, social skills and entrepreneurship.