Most people approach a new job by knowing something about it. I thought I was doing the same thing when I started at Marketing Jumpstart. I’ve known Ming for several years, I’ve worked with her during that time, I’ve met some of her clients, it seemed fairly reasonable to think I understood what I was walking into.
I first met Ming in media. I was working in radio production at a large talkback station, she was our consulting expert in all things tech and social media. I’ve sat by while hundreds of listeners asked her questions and she solved problems for them on air. Hell, I’ve had her troubleshoot for us a dozen times. So when she asked me to join the team, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what I was getting into.
That was not how it went. I’ve spent the last week awash in a sea of tech I don’t understand, and ad terms that are gibberish to me. The Marketing Jumpstart team move at blinding speed, putting the most seasoned of traditional media to shame (and those industries move pretty quickly to begin with). I’ve also spent the week sitting 2 feet behind Ming watching her speak to clients, solve problems, and plan content.
So here’s what I’ve learned in a week:
Business moves fast.
Like, really fast. From one meeting to the next the needs of a business can change, and you need to stay on your toes to keep up. Marketing needs to be agile to keep up with the needs of the business.
Marketing covers a lot more than just marketing.
This week I’ve seen the team be business coaches, hand holders, real talkers, pricing adjusters, tech support, and problem solvers. All of it makes a difference to how your client interacts with your business, so all of it is important in marketing.
Digital marketing is way more straightforward than you think, but also way more work.
Full disclosure, I’m a research junkie. So as soon as I felt out of my depth I started researching. And immediately got hopelessly lost and confused. I went back to the team and had it explained to me, and suddenly it all made sense. There’s a lot of things out there about digital marketing that almost seem designed to bewilder you. What it boils down to is this; like everything else, getting results from your digital marketing takes work, time, and consistency. It’s about making good moves at the right time and working with people who understand what you’re trying to do.
Businesses don’t always prioritise making money.
Ok, so I know this sounds strange, but they don’t. Think about it. Your business is your baby, your passion. You got into it because you love what you do and you want to do it well. Somewhere in there doing things that make money sometimes get lost in the overwhelm of getting everything else done. Sometimes you need someone to point out the income stream you’re missing or keep you on track to prioritise the things that keep your business in the money.
Nobody has time to learn how to do all of this.
This week I’ve learned the basics of building websites, SEO, Google ads, business and marketing strategy, and a host of other things needed to market a business well. I finish the day with my brain aching from all the things I’m trying to cram into it. I have no idea how anyone could get home after running their business all day and try to take this in. Let alone all the specialist tools they don’t have access to that makes the job that little bit easier. After watching the Marketing Jumpstart crew work for a week I have no idea how small businesses do all of this without a specialist team.
The best way to help people is to help them.
It’s rare to find a company that really believes in helping people. It shouldn’t be, but it is. Maybe working in radio has made me cynical, but we spend a lot of time talking about how many people are only doing things for themselves. Giving people the tools and education they need freely never really figures in the narrative. Ming is a believer in giving people what they need to do things well, and the amount of website retrieval, social media troubleshooting and general spot fire management she makes time for is continually astonishing.
Watch this space for more blinding insights of brilliance from me as I work out what the hell I’m doing. Or get in touch with the team.
