Marketing is crucial for every industry, regardless of its mission or the products and services it offers. Whether you’re running a charity, a government organisation, a service-based business, or a product-based company, marketing is the gateway for people to discover who you are, what you offer, and why they should engage with you. Without it, even the most beneficial products and services would struggle to find their place in a noisy market competing for attention.
This article will explore why marketing is a key driver of growth for every organisation and examine how the constantly changing landscape of MarTech, and the shifting sands of customer behaviour, has increased the demand for adaptable and inquisitive marketeers – whether that is a business employing a single multi skilled person, or a team of specialists.
Investing in the right marketing talent can ensure continued relevance and secure an organisation’s future in an increasingly competitive and attention-driven landscape.
Marketing Strategy as a Key Driver of Growth
“In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.” – Seth Godin
At its core, marketing is about connecting with people and building trust. It doesn’t just introduce your business to potential customers, it creates a pathway for growth. In the latest CMO Survey, leading marketers report that a well-differentiated strategy is their top growth driver, outweighing funding alone (Deloitte 2024). By leveraging the power of a thoughtful and targeted marketing strategy, businesses can build and expand reach, draw in new customers, reinforce loyalty with existing ones, and ultimately stand out to drive sustainable growth.
For nonprofits and government bodies, growth may not directly equate to revenue, but marketing remains essential for expanding influence, building awareness, and driving engagement. However, across all sectors, marketing fuels economic activity, creating a need for functions that balance creativity with strategic insight. By building such functions, organisations can better navigate the complexities of their respective landscapes and sustain their impact.
Marketers in a Changing Landscape
Marketing function size is based on either budget availability, or value placed on marketing by business owners. There are a great many businesses who operate a one-person marketing function, which of course requires a multi-skilled individual with good knowledge of a range of channels, or a T-shaped marketer, someone with a specialism but with additional knowledge. On the other end of the spectrum sits the business who have the funds, and or understand the value of marketing, who operate with a multi person marketing team, comprising specialists in particular skill sets or channels. The same of course applies to Marketing agencies in the main.
The role of the one person marketing function has evolved significantly. In the past, marketing might have been more straightforward: create an ad, launch it on TV, Radio or print, and wait for the results. Today, however, marketing is a multi-faceted field requiring a mix of skills. For example, a modern in-house marketer might need to understand marketing strategy, data analytics, content creation, social media management, email marketing, SEO, event production, and potentially much more.This broad knowledge base allows them to work cross-functionally, supporting different departments and adapting to diverse business needs.
Meanwhile businesses with large teams, and Marketing agencies, operate differently, often focusing on specialised skill sets. Here, marketers typically hone-in on one area - say, SEO, ad campaigns, or influencer partnerships - and master that particular craft.Agencies often work with various clients from diverse industries, so deep specialisation helps them deliver tailored expertise and impactful results in specific areas. This specialisation within agencies offers a different but equally valuable path, emphasising depth over breadth.This approach, as with client side business with a large team, the wealth of channel experts should deliver supercharged results.
“Today marketing is like day trading – if you are not staying ahead of the curve every day, somebody is outflanking you” – Gary Vaynerchuk
As organisations increasingly rely on digital channels to reach their audience, the demand for skilled marketers who can handle multiple channels and adapt to new platforms grows. Whether a generalist or a specialist, today’s marketers must be ready to think creatively, make data-driven decisions, and stay up-to-date with ever-evolving technologies.
Securing the Future with the Right Talent
In a world where people’s attention spans are short, and becoming forever shorter, marketing strategies must adapt to stand out. Modern marketing demands a balance of creativity and strategy, requiring talent that understands both storytelling and data. Hiring the right talent can be the difference between blending into the background and making a memorable impact in the marketplace.
Attention is now one of the most valuable currencies, and brands that can create an emotional connection through compelling stories are the ones that will succeed. Successful marketing talent today is adept not just in creating a catchy slogan or a viral video but can strategically align these elements to the broader business goals. A strong marketer doesn’t just make noise, they craft messages that resonate with the right audience and at the right time. Furthermore, the ability to see, in real time, how customers are interacting online, gives unprecedented levels of insight that can help businesses to really fine tune their activities.
Investing in the right marketing talent also means equipping teams to navigate new platforms and tools. As new technologies and social media platforms emerge, marketers must be agile, continually learning to stay ahead of trends and maintain a brand’s relevance. AI, for example, is reshaping marketing by providing predictive analytics and automating processes, which allows marketers to focus more on creative problem-solving. However, this also means that organisations need talent capable of understanding and integrating these technologies into their strategies effectively. Jim Collins, business consultant and author, famously said, “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” reinforcing the notion that investing in the right talent is crucial for future growth (Good to Great 2001).
Conclusion
No organisation can afford to ignore the value of marketing and what it can bring to your business. Whether you’re a charity trying to gain visibility for a good cause, a government body working to engage the public, or a business focused on selling products or services, marketing is the channel that bridges the gap between you and the people you serve. It drives growth by building relationships. It requires adaptable, inquisitive, and driven professionals who embrace change, eagerly adapting to an ever-evolving landscape in order to secure a place in the hearts and minds of consumer.
As we move forward, the organisations that will thrive are those that see marketing as an investment, not just an expense. By embracing marketing’s potential to build awareness, trust, and loyalty, and by empowering skilled marketers to drive impactful campaigns, every organisation can ensure that its message not only reaches its intended target audience but resonates deeply.