The Key Traits that Distinguish a Good Marketer from a Poor One

The guest piece by Dave Kaufman, global director of marketing for VR, MR, and metaverse at Meta, is inspired by Ben Horowitz's essay "Good Product Manager/Bad Product Manager." The author's opinions are shared in the following.

Marketers who are considered good understand the distinctions between strategy, vision, tactics, and mission, while bad marketers tend to use these terms interchangeably. Good marketers place value on marketing education, ongoing learning, and expertise, whereas bad marketers see the field as only requiring strong gut instinct (and perhaps a TikTok account).

Skilled marketers prioritize diagnosis, strategy, and execution over promotional tactics. They appreciate the importance of market orientation, research, segmentation, targeting, and positioning. Conversely, less skilled marketers disregard these concepts as outdated in the "digital age." Successful marketers grasp the competitive landscape, market intricacies, company strengths and weaknesses, and audience nuances. In contrast, unsuccessful marketers rely on broad generalizations, platitudes, and overly simplistic user personas.

Effective marketers understand that the "product" is a critical factor among the 4Ps. In contrast, ineffective marketers believe their role only begins after a product is developed. Competent marketers are considered indispensable partners by project managers, while ineffective marketers are not considered until it's time to create an advertisement.

Proficient marketers are well-versed in their metrics and objectives. In contrast, incompetent marketers are unable to articulate their goals. Competent marketers regularly utilize dashboards and brand tracking, while ineffective marketers simply rejoice in the launch of a new campaign and assume everything is going according to plan. Competent marketers earn the trust of both company staff and executives, whereas ineffective marketers fail to do so by focusing more on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs rather than the company's profit and loss statement.

Effective marketers have a deep understanding of what it takes to craft a comprehensive brief. They are trusted by creatives and agencies because they recognize the difference between their role and that of a creative director. They also grasp the value of impactful creative and understand the true meaning and business value of a "brand."

In addition, they comprehend the complexities of marketing effectiveness, efficiency, and measurement, considering factors such as incrementality and long-term impact. They measure themselves against in-market success, rather than seeking recognition at events like Cannes. On the other hand, ineffective marketers often underestimate the importance of a well-crafted brief, fail to understand the value of great creative, and focus solely on vanity metrics and last-touch attribution.

Effective marketers know how to increase engagement, retention, and referrals. In contrast, ineffective marketers believe their responsibilities end once they acquire customers. Good marketers take ownership of their actions and outcomes. On the other hand, poor marketers make excuses, blaming budget constraints, organizational structure, and other team members for any challenges. Additionally, good marketers recognize and highlight the contributions of others, while bad marketers seek credit for successes and shift blame onto others for failures.

Effective marketers recognize the significance of documenting, communicating, and sharing information. In contrast, ineffective marketers belittle others for not being informed. Productive marketers consistently refine processes and seek out scalable tools and infrastructure. On the other hand, unproductive marketers persist in using manual methods and inefficiencies. Competent marketers have no qualms admitting when they lack knowledge, while incompetent marketers attempt to deceive their way through uncertainty. Forward-thinking marketers are outspoken, question assumptions, and do not adhere to outdated practices. Conversely, hesitant marketers rely on phrases like "that's above my pay grade."

Good marketers are hard to find. Bad marketers are a dime-a-dozen.