By Mischka Studio in Marketing on August 14, 2023 · Updated May 18, 2026 · 5 min read

Marketing Managers and How We Became Jack-of-All-Trades

Technology has divided Marketing into offline and online. At university, they taught me more offline marketing (it was long ago), and work, additional education, and experience upgraded me to online. Everyone knows what marketing managers do - they sell fog 🙂. Most people don't think about the fact that you have to adapt and learn from scratch for every client or organization you work for. Not to mention new advertising channels and strategies. They spring up like mushrooms after rain, and after some time you simply become a jack-of-all-trades, whether you want it or not.

Marketing plan differs depending on the target group and that's clear as day, but to create a successful Marketing plan, you have to go a little deeper into the topic. For example, researching the gambling industry, you arrive at player psychology. Rules that apply to all other industries are completely reversed and twisted here.

Did you know that a player isn't driven by the win they get, but by the adrenaline that kicks in the moment they've lost xy amount of euros? Yes, it's completely opposite from most industries.

The role of marketing manager has changed more in the last decade than in the previous fifty years. It used to be about ads, brochures, and media buys. Now it's about everything, and marketing managers are expected to handle all of it.

Traditional vs. Digital Marketing

Ten years ago, marketing managers mainly relied on traditional channels like television, radio, print media, and outdoor advertising. Then digital happened, and digital marketing became an indispensable part of every company's strategy. Marketing managers today deal with online advertising, social media, newsletters, SEO optimization, and other digital channels to establish direct and interactive contact with their target audience.

One of the key aspects of the modern marketing manager role is the use of analytics to track marketing campaign effectiveness. Over the past ten years, technological progress has enabled deeper understanding of consumer behavior. It allowed marketing managers to analyze data about website visitors, social media engagement, and conversions. This data enables marketing managers to better tailor their strategies, identify what works and what doesn't, and optimize their efforts to achieve the best results.

Marketing messages used to be general and rarely aligned with what specific audiences actually cared about. That's changed. Consumers now expect personalized communication. Marketing managers now use audience segmentation and personalization technology to provide relevant content to consumers. This not only improves engagement but also increases conversion likelihood.

Social media has become an indispensable part of everyday life, and thus a key communication channel for marketing managers. Over the past ten years, social media has experienced explosive growth and become a platform where companies can directly communicate with their clients and build long-term relationships. Marketing managers now must understand different platforms, follow trends, and design strategies that will attract audience attention.

So, you have to see the bigger picture.

And that's not all - consumers have become increasingly aware of socially responsible behavior. Companies now face pressure to show their social responsibility and commitment to sustainability and environmental care. The marketing manager role has expanded to include these issues in marketing strategies. Consumers increasingly support companies that share their values and participate in initiatives with positive social impact.

Marketing Managers & Sales

Marketing has the task of attracting attention, but to get the label of successful, the goal is to sell the product/service. The marketing manager role has expanded to collaboration with other departments, such as sales, product development, and customer support. Introducing new products or services requires coordination of marketing and sales efforts to ensure message and goal alignment. So, if the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing, your efforts are in vain, musicians 😬.

One of the challenges marketing managers face is how to find new clients. Internet advertising plays a huge role in attracting new business opportunities. Free advertising through social media, writing relevant texts, and quality content marketing can be useful tools for attracting potential clients. It's also important to understand how to advertise on different platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and so on.

As the market constantly changes, marketing managers need to implement innovative strategies to find new clients. Marketing for everyone, regardless of company size and type, requires adaptability and creativity. Marketing for small and medium entrepreneurs has become especially significant, as it helps them build recognition and attract new customers/clients/users.

The question how much marketing costs and advertising on different platforms becomes important for financial planning. Costs can differ depending on the platform - from television to internet advertising. Advertising on television, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, radio, or billboard has different prices and reaches. Marketing managers must carefully assess their budget and choose communication channels that best suit their goals.

Popularization of Virtual Assistants

In search of effective marketing solutions, entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses, turn to virtual assistants for marketing or marketing agencies. Mostly the goal is to get maximum gain with minimum cost. Marketing costs began to be rationalized in every possible way. Instead of hiring "in-house" marketers of all kinds, companies started engaging agencies or virtual assistants to rationalize costs and extract the maximum in building a strong marketing strategy.

So, in the last ten years, a lot has evolved, including marketers. We became jacks-of-all-trades. Those who see the bigger picture and are eager for new knowledge found a way to respond to challenges in today's time. Today's marketing managers must be technologically literate, analytically oriented, creative, and socially aware to effectively manage company marketing strategies. Adaptability to new trends and continuous learning are key to success in this evolving role. Free advertising and innovative approaches to finding new clients are becoming an indispensable part of modern marketing. Collaboration with virtual assistants and marketing agencies can provide additional support in achieving results.

Damira Mišić Damira Mišić Creative Director

Damira started Mischka Studio after spending 15+ years figuring out what makes brands stick. She works with small and mid-sized businesses in Croatia and the EU, mostly on the stuff they keep putting off: the website, the brand identity, the marketing plan that actually gets done.

You may also like

Related posts

Scroll