7 ways a strategy and planning certification makes you a better leader

If you’re managing the digital marketing for your organisation, establishing yourself as an accredited digital strategist will position you above the noise. With 81% of our graduates being promoted since completing the course, having a structured and comprehensive skills base is clearly desirable.

But, how does a certification in Digital Strategy and Planning make you a better leader?

 

 Better formulation of role responsibilities

If you’re managing a team of digital marketing executives, a concrete strategy will enable you to better divide the workload. By undertaking a strategic course, you’ll be able to implement a powerful marketing mix that can be distributed across your teams areas of genius. Employees with well defined job roles are not only happier, they’re more productive too.

• Targeted marketing = better results

45% of companies are still using digital marketing without a strategic approach. This could mean that they are missing out on valuable opportunities, or misrepresenting their target market. Producing a dedicated and targeted marketing plan means that your efforts will be much more impactful. Plus, hitting KPIs and targets is as motivational as it is profitable.

• Integrate your workforce

Instead of allowing your individual marketing efforts to exist in silos, an integrated digital marketing strategy enables teams across traditional media, digital media and sales to work alongside each other. Working to the same model, your target market, existing customers and internal teams will be receiving consistent and targeted communication that converts.

• Communicate your goals effectively

As almost 50% of businesses are still negating digital marketing, you may be required to convince stakeholders, or even staff, of its importance. With a certification behind you, you’ll be able to report on ROI, customer acquisition cost and customer lifetime value. Learn to speak the language of those die hard sales types, and you’ll soon be leading the charge.

• Budget better and spend less

It’s a no brainer that you need to be able to plan in advance in order to budget. With a digital program you will know exactly what you need to deliver results and how employees could be using their time most effectively. Being efficient with the resources to hand allows capital to be spent wisely, in the areas you need it most.

• Retain existing customers

Having a digital marketing strategy can quite literally keep your company afloat. Whilst existing customers are buying from you now, your competitors are not asleep. If your rivals are executing a slick strategy and you’re not, you may find that your target market start to look elsewhere.

• Validate yourself as a leader

One of the key elements of a great leader is that they are an expert in what they do. Employees and customers look to someone who can answer their questions with ease. By obtaining a qualification you not only validate yourself, but you learn new skills and tools that can positively impact your business as well as your reputation. 

It’s never too late to learn something new, whether you’re going it alone as a freelancer, or jumping into management. Education doesn’t stop just because you’ve been in the business for a while. In fact, 76% of people think that marketing has changed more in the past two years that it did over the previous fifty. Keeping ahead of the curve ensures that you don’t fall victim to the most common marketing foibles, such as: securing enough budget, proving ROI on marketing activities and generating leads.

If you want to know more about why now is the perfect time for a career in digital marketing, check out our blog or get in touch with one of our advisors.