As marketers, we should always be listening. Listening to the consumer, listening to trends and engaging (ugh, buzz word) with those around us. I tend to put collaboration and listening above anything else–there is so much out there that I don’t know, and there is always something to learn. I collaborate on my blog and with my Twitter chat #u30pro. I surround myself with smart people so that I can have high-level conversations on a daily basis that make me think. They help me to think outside my comfort zone.
When did some stop listening? And why?
Some might call Gen Y entitled–but I’d rather call the ones I call good friends goal-oriented. They are always working toward the next big thing. We just graduated college and got the degree, and many are working hard in their careers to advance. Is this everyone? No. But somewhere along the way, many thought they knew it all, were already savvy and smart, and are too focused on competing to learn from those around them.
Shameless self-promoters are everywhere in social media. In fields such as public relations and marketing, where much is done behind the scenes, validation for work is more apparent in this space. But the listening principle still applies.
So, stop every once and awhile. Listen to those around you. Talk to those who challenge you on a daily basis. Those that advocate this philosophy–I know a few in Gen Y that do–they are succeeding by leaps and bounds.
What are your steps? Do you find competition driving, or do you listen? Is there a balance?
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I hear so many people (mainly in the social media space) talking about how organizations need to listen and social media will force them to do so…
Listening has always been step #1 in marketing & PR, but I think with the culture of mass marketing and a continually good economy (for the most part, the late 90s, early 2000s were tough), organizations didn’t need to listen…they had a formula for marketing, it worked, and they stuck with it.
Consumers and B2B buyers are no longer so trusting and that is helping to drive us back to our marketing/PR roots. Social media is one channel to help us ‘listen’ better, but that doesn’t mean that focus groups, customer councils, etc. don’t work…they can and do if the organizers don’t talk (or steer the conversation), but REALLY listen.
From a career position I think social media has allowed marketing/PR folks to have a voice and share their experiences/expertise with others… Tapping into that has been invaluable for me and listening (reading & asking questions too) to others has made me a better marketer. It has also shown me where there are a lot of holes in our industry and a lack of standards/best practices (especially around planning & measurement).
Happy holidays Lauren!
I love this post. As one who straddles Gen X and Gen Y, I often find myself becoming frustrated with those more solidly in Gen Y who have all the potential in the world, but who refuse to take the time to listen and learn because they think they know it all. And truth be told, I wasn’t far off from that after I graduated from college. I don’t necessarily expect today’s recent grads to pay the dues that our parents had to pay before they could advance, but there is precious knowledge to be gained from those with more experience, who have been in the industry a few years. If they take the time to sit back and listen, they can take that knowledge and then use it to become far more successful than they would have without it.
Listening is paramount to any level of success. Regardless of the business you’re in, you need to listen actively. As a Gen Y-er myself, I find it embarrassing that there are still people who choose to ignore this fact.
Tessa Carroll
http://www.blogs.vbpoutsourcing.com