Being in marketing is no walk in the park - It has one of the highest turnover rates and is often under appreciated by other departments. It takes a special breed of person to put up with the challenges. That said, this is a humorous look at some stereotypes associated with marketing managers. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Data Nerd
The Data Nerd is the newest breed of marketing manager. They're obsessed with metrics, analytics, and fact-based plans of action. Unfortunately, their talents are often suppressed because they keep getting asked for new brochures and newspaper ads despite their constant protest. It's tough being the new kid.
De Facto CEO
They know everything about the business, its customers, and market needs. They have a seat at the executive table and are secretly plotting how the company will be run when they're CEO. Their acumen and knowledge are often seen as threatening by other executives who secretly plot to keep them where they are.
Queen Bee
An exceptional multi-tasker and organizer who has strong relationships with almost every department. Gets sh*t done yet comes across sweet as honey. Will be loyal to the hive and work tirelessly until their inevitable burnout occurs.
Eager Pleaser
Recently promoted or new to the job and therefore enthusiastic about doing whatever is asked of them. They'll always say 'yes' and turn out tons and tons of mediocre work. Generally liked by everyone but their eagerness is taken advantage of by unscrupulous peers who walk over them like a door mat.
Dapper Designer
They're creative, artistic, and a wizard with photoshop. They can design anything you need but just don't ask them for a marketing strategy - They have no idea what they're actually doing in Marketing. But, at least your company will have a great looking logo.
Brand Police
A stickler for detail and a laser-like focus for keeping the message on point. They spend most their time developing brand guidelines and scolding staff for using the wrong fonts. Firm believers that if the logo colours and font are correct that sales will follow. They're usually not around long enough to find out.
Social Media Socializer
They have more followers than most religions and their Snapchat game is on point. They know the different context of every social network and what to post when. When faced with questions about the ROI of social media they dodge them at every turn. Sales won't improve but your "engagement" will be better than ever.
Aspiring Writer
Good writing is tough to come by, but this marketing manager takes creative writing courses for fun. For FUN. They can take any product and make it sound good. They're a genius with words, but anything to do with numbers gives them a migraine. A loyal employee until their personal blog gets a book deal and they reveal a tell-all exposé about your company.
All Plan No Action
A failure to plan is a plan to fail, and no one believes this more than "All Plan No Action". In fact, they plan everything so much that they never get around to doing anything. They don't fail from trying something, they fail by not doing anything at all. At least everything will be well documented for the next marketing manager.
Sales Breath
At one time this marketing manager was a top performing sales person who could sell a ketchup ice cream cone to a woman wearing white gloves. Persistence made them successful at sales but when applied to marketing it turns your company into a late-night infomercial selling a pyramid scheme. Sales might increase but at what cost?
