What do you do if you want to enhance your strategic thinking skills as a marketing professional?

reading and talking to other people who work in the same area I think is the best way to learn anything. thinking about the bigger picture becomes critical - marketing has so many different activities and they all take time. determining what the RIGHT and most effective activities are is critical

If you want to enhance your strategic thinking skills as a marketing professional, stop focusing on tasks and tactics and start thinking outcomes. Have extreme ownership and try to have a holistic approach to what you are doing. Start by understanding the WHY.

In my experience, enhancing your strategic thinking skills as a marketing professional requires a few key actions: Stay Informed: Keep up with industry trends and understand historical marketing successes and failures. Learn Broadly: Gain insights from related fields to enrich your strategies. Network: Exchange ideas with peers and mentors to gain diverse perspectives. Practice: Use scenario planning to anticipate and strategize for future market changes. Adapt: Analyze both successes and failures to sharpen decision-making. Embrace Data: Make informed decisions with a strong foundation in data analysis. Continuous Learning: Commit to regularly updating your skills and knowledge.

Looking to be a marketing mastermind? 1. Ask Disruptive Questions: Don't settle for surface-level solutions. Challenge assumptions and delve deeper with questions like "How can we disrupt the market?" or "What future trends will impact our industry?" 2. Embrace the Big Picture: Marketing doesn't exist in a silo. Understand how your role aligns with the company's overall goals. Think cross-departmentally and see how marketing can fuel success across the board. 3. Befriend Data & Analytics: Data is your strategic weapon. Use analytics to measure campaign performance, identify trends, and predict future outcomes.

I guess I'll state the obvious: READ MORE BOOKS ON STRATEGIC THINKING! (WHY AM I YELLING?) And don't just read the classics (though there are many) or the books that everyone tells you to read. Instead, find books that align with your personal interest, values and goals... and find your own way. For example, I take a philosophical approach to most things. So, it didn't surprise anyone that I ended up reading (and loving) a book called, 'The Tao of Strategy'. Also, don't underestimate the books that seem unrelated. A historical novel might spark an ad campaign idea. A sci-fi story might reveal unexpected customer desires. The more diverse your reading, the more unconventional – and brilliant – your strategic thinking will become.

Working in many fields I've learn to observe and ask. Most companies have a certain culture, I like to learn the culture of my company, what works and what does not. Then, I look at the areas were I can improve. I then reach out to others in the same industry that are succesful in those areas. You can reach out via email, social platforms, read published books, magazines or journals. Most times we dont have to re-invent the wheel, but we can add high-value oil, to make sure it runs well and consistently.

Growing up with military men and women, and many Clinical providers as a child I learned early that asking for help is ok. Also, listening is key, sometimes we see our talents, and work to strengthen those, but forget about other areas we can grow as well. I like asking my boss, how I'm doing? Pros and Cons, constructive criticism is important. Also reading improvement books and being open to grow professionally is important.

There's an old philosophical saying, 'There's very little that's new, just different iterations of the same thing.' Don't underestimate the power of mentors. Their experience alone can save you countless hours of planning and strategizing. They expose your blind spots, share hard-won experience, connect you to a broader network of opportunities... and more importantly, give you the chance to tell that certain Mr/Mrs Know-It-All, 'I know I wasn't trippin'!' Mentorship doesn't have to be a formal arrangement; look for guidance in industry leaders you follow on Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms that give you access to successful figures you admire. Actively seek out their insights and apply them to accelerate your strategic growth.

Words have the power to shape perceptions over time. By aligning copy with a long-term vision, you're essentially sculpting the story your brand will tell to the world, long after individual campaigns are over. Whether you're data-driven (I know... it's a gross term) or customer focused, take the time to understand your audience, and how their short-term needs impact your long-term goals.

Many of us have been in our fields for many years and at times tend to forget, our journey. Become a mentor, reach out to other freshman co-workers. I've learned many new innovative ways of thinking and performing my job, with less stress and better productivity. Teaching is learning twice. No one person will know it all. But many people will know and teach us many new things. Outside of the box thinking is one key toward success.