With the mass adoption of the internet into our everyday lives, it is no doubt that in the last 30 years, the marketing industry has experienced almost unfathomable change. Today, with devices that can tell you pretty much anything you need or want to know, and even what you don’t want to know, it is clear that information is everywhere. As a result, today’s customers are smarter than ever. They can research new products and answer their own questions in minutes. For sales professionals, this new consumer creates an entirely different challenge than what sellers dealt with in the past. Realistically, the majority of the buyer’s journey is complete long before the customer actually talks to a salesperson, if that conversation even takes place, or needs to take place, at all. And so, today’s digital marketers really need to be on their game. Three habits to become a better digital marketer Any digital marketer is prone to have their own habits or best practices that work for them and for the business that they represent. This makes sense, as everyone has slightly different skills and interests, and businesses have different niches and target audiences. But one thing is for certain; all digital marketers have built the following three habits into their approach to digital marketing.

1. Develop a marketing plan and calendar - Many companies still do not operate with a marketing plan, and that means that they are directionless, literally. Even worse, they could be creating confusion for their customers who are seeking consistency and dependability. Digital marketing plans and the subsequent marketing calendars provide marketers with the ability to get agreement and buy-in by setting out the path to take to achieve the defined marketing objectives. Once you have a plan that includes your budget and goals, you can then map out the tactics that you will use to cater to your customers (your target audience). With the calendar in place, digital marketers can relax as they know what content they need to prepare, when they need to post that content, and how much budget they have available to promote the content. This also creates a historical project plan to reference, which will make the next two habits much easier.
2. Analyze, correct, and iterate - Marketing campaigns are never intended to be developed as a set it and forget it type of strategy. The best digital marketers analyze and report on the success of their campaigns at established intervals to determine what is working and what it not. If over a period of time a certain tactic fails to appeal to your audience, it means you need to veer off your plan and create a new tactic. This is much easier to do when you are not flying by the seat of your pants.
3. Keep learning - The best digital marketers are constant learners and are always open to trying new things. Marketing does not have a role for complacency, especially when the digital marketing world is moving pretty much at the speed of light. Digital marketers need to stay up to date on the latest marketing trends by taking classes, attending webinars, and experimenting (as appropriate) with new marketing tactics to see what resonates (and what does not) with their customers.

In marketing, curiosity did not kill the cat Ultimately, digital marketers are organized and curious. When they demonstrate these two strategies, it means that they can be better prepared to make changes as needed while ensuring that pushing relevant and engaging marketing content doesn’t fall off the face of a cliff in the process. Today’s customers are continually learning and evolving, and they expect that their brands will evolve and change with them. This process of change and growth isn’t just limited to product development. Customers are information savvy and will know quite quickly when their brand isn’t staying up with the times, even if it is in the marketing.