Whether you loved Spiderman, Superman or Wonder Woman as a child, at some point, we’ve all dreamed of having a magical superpower. Imagine being able to fly, have X-ray vision, or become invisible at the snap of a finger. While those superpowers are wishful thinking in real life, extraordinary marketers are everyday superheroes who use marketing superpowers to save the day again and again.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Marketer!
Web-slinging and leaping tall buildings in a single bound doesn’t come in handy in business, but here are five superpowers that are vital to every successful marketer:
1. Supersonic hearing
Superhero marketers are experts at listening. They are acutely tuned in to the world around them and hear what few others can. Marketers have a unique ability to truly listen. They not only hear what others are saying but also understand how those messages provide valuable insights into the minds of their target audiences. It’s not just about hearing the words that are spoken. What isn’t said is perhaps even more important. Superhero marketers hear what their target audiences need, even when they don’t realize it themselves.
2. Technological assimilation
Over the last decade, technology has transformed the B2B marketing world. From artificial intelligence to Google Analytics to the latest design software, new technology can be overwhelming for even the savviest of marketers. While it’s not imperative to master all the latest tools, extraordinary marketers have a knack for embracing technology and using it to grow, be more successful and work smarter than ever. Assimilating technology involves learning from other industries, using social media channels effectively and strategically, making data-driven decisions about marketing campaigns, and continuing to learn as new tools come on the scene.
3. Precognition
Successful marketers are always at least one step ahead of the pack. They have an uncanny ability to predict future trends and anticipate what their target audience will need before they know they need it. Superhero marketers also think strategically, focusing on the future and understanding how emerging trends will impact their business. Being a successful marketer means being a visionary. It means seeing your business from a higher perspective and making decisions that will positively affect your company’s growth. It also means having foresight, one of the essential traits of any successful business leader.
4. Telepathy
Superhero marketers have the uncanny marketing superpower to peer into the minds of their target audiences. By combining this power with empathy, marketers understand and share the feelings of others, truly recognizing how they feel about their experience with your brand. Clients and prospects don’t want to be analyzed and marketed to—they want brands to understand their needs and wants. When superhero marketers leverage their telepathic skills, they are able to communicate with target audiences without uttering a word.
5. Invisibility
The ability to become invisible and blend into the background in any situation is one of the most highly desired superpowers. Marketers often do this without even realizing it. The most successful marketing is subtle, cloaked in valuable thought leadership. When done well, target audiences don’t even know they are being marketed to. If companies are overly forceful or obvious in their promotional efforts, prospects will put up a wall. They’ll stop interacting with the brand and likely will block future contact. The best marketers are invisible, and they know how to use that superpower to their advantage. They understand how to get people interested in what they have to say without realizing it.
Marketing Superpowers, at your Command
There are marketers and then there are super marketers. While some marketing superpowers are innate, most marketers gain these superhero skills through a combination of on-the-job experience, practice and consistency. Identify the superpowers you already possess and those you’d like to harness. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. The ability to educate, engage, entertain and persuade target audiences is an incredible asset. For marketers who master these five superpowers and use them wisely, the sky is the limit! To learn more about how you can discover your marketing superpowers, schedule a call with our experts (superhero cape optional).
