Why marketers think like entrepreneurs

What would you say about a kid in elementary school that loved to sing in the children's choir, but also loved to think through how it must all work—from recruiting members, to getting music folders ready, to where the performances would be? Now what would you say about that same kid who then decided he should try his hand at branching out on his own to actually do that? Yeah, I was a little different. Oh, and just imagine what I did when I wanted to be a motorcycle cop. A story for another time. 

You see, I didn't have a language for any of that back then. I labeled myself with things that others labeled me with. "You're a musician. You are an artist." My dad always told me, "Son, whatever you do when you grow up probably doesn't exist yet." He was partially right. At least there was this whole internet thing to come where my skills could flourish in an unforeseen way. But I didn't really have the language of "marketing" until college when I was studying business. What a revelation! Yes, marketing. This is it!

It's more than logos and digital ads. We are entrepreneurs at our core. 

While I think everyone in a business or on a team needs to understand more than just their role, it's the marketing team that typically understands how it all works together.

We know that we can't just simply spend some money trying to build awareness for something that isn't quality and expect long-lasting results. We have to think about the product. We know that the product has to fulfill a specific need, thus there will be a specific customer for our product. 

We have to understand how our actions and budget affect the bottom line. Thus, we need to know the business model intimately. We have to manage brand reputation. As marketers, we are taking calculated risks to see what works and what doesn't. Rinse and repeat.

While I think everyone in a business or on a team needs to understand more than just their role, it's the marketing team that typically understands how it all works together. We are entrepreneurs at our core.

Marketers need to communicate effectively and understand customer retention. We are thinking about every touch point with the product and business and how it impacts our ability to sustain, grow, and thrive. 

I've come to realize that this is why even small businesses are able to hire "the marketing person." It's the one role that wears all these hats. We are deeply passionate about the whole picture and the details it takes to paint it. We are collaborators and connectors.

Want insight about a business or industry? Ask the marketing team. We really geek out about it. I've had the privilege of having jobs being "the marketing guy." Those jobs are super fun. I've been able to learn from some of the best, being a marketing guy on global teams. And I've had the honor to build teams from scratch, leading others in the exciting world of marketing.

And if you're still wondering, let's just say that I wrote a letter to the California Highway Patrol and convinced them to send me official gear so I could patrol our neighborhood on my custom "police" bike. Marketers can be very convincing, even at 7 years old.