Up Your Game

There are many people who want to move ahead in Marketing. They want a better job. They want more pay. They want a better title. They want to manage more people. They want to work on more interesting business. I hope you’re one of those people.

Why do I wish that for you? Staying where you, are and doing what you’re doing, and being paid what you’re being paid to do the same thing next year won’t do much for you. It won’t move you to another level, it won’t push you spiritually, it won’t push you creatively, and it (probably) won’t make you a better person. If you’re not striving to grow, learn and push yourself, you’re not living (sorry to get all Tony Robbins on you, but it’s true).

There was a problem with trying to get ahead in Marketing…

Prior to the Internet, if you strived for more in Marketing, it wasn’t easy to find the tools, networks and people to help you get ahead. You would have to (at best) take a course, pass it and then prove to your managers that you have the new skill sets required to move ahead. You could read some of the trade and industry magazines and newspapers and (hopefully) be able to prove some of the ideas you picked up in your client (or brand) work. You could attend a few industry events and conferences and bring that knowledge back to work. There were few (and limited but always expensive) ways to get the information you needed to push ahead.

There’s no longer an excuse not to up your game.

We are here now. There are no more excuses. If you wanted to learn more, network with people and get some ideas and new skill sets, the only thing stopping you is you.

You can…

• Spend all day and night reading Marketing, Advertising and Communications Blogs from the sharpest minds.
• Connect to amazing people on Twitter (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc…).
• Watch hours of Marketing and advertising videos on YouTube.
• Rent documentaries on iTunes (have you seen Art And Copy yet?).
• Listen to audio Podcasts (do you listen to Marketing Over Coffee, For Immediate Release, Jaffe Juice, The Beancast, etc…?).
• Watch video Podcasts too.
• Add you thoughts by commenting on individual’s Facebook pages, Blogs, Podcasts, etc…
• Start your own Blog or Podcast to experiment with how you think and get others to help you crystallize your perspective.
• Attend an unconference like PodCamp and meet, learn and share with people "in their protein forms."
• Subscribe to a ton of free e-newsletters (iMedia connection, eMarketer, ClickZ, SmartBrief on Social Media, Marketing Charts, etc…).
• Attend online webinars.
• Take an online course (look at what they’re teaching over at Market Motive… and look at who your teachers can be).

The things is…

You have no more excuses for not upping your game. The craziest part? The majority of the ideas listed above are free (or close to it). They are all available – at your disposable – right now, forever and 24-hours-a-day. Your organization, boss, management and peers may never help you move forward. You’re not stuck. You don’t need them. All you need is the commitment, time, effort and true desire. It doesn’t matter if you are an entry-level employee, middle manager, senior executive, business owner in start-up mode or an entrepreneur with thousands of employees, there is still valuable learning skills and people to connect to at every level. Personally, no business books, courses or marketing conferences have held a candle to how the Internet has helped me upped my game (and I’m just getting started).

What are you waiting for? Up your game.