How is Marketing Communications (MarComm) different from Marketing? Some of it is in the eye of the beholder, sure. Here’s how I think of it.
I’ve worked in marketing and I’ve worked in communications, and I think they’re best served when combined. To me, marketing alone can get too focused on spin, on perception, on analytics and, in doing so, can neglect the core of the company’s intent and how it is conveyed to the consumer. It’s a question, for me, of authenticity.
What I do best is translate the ethos of the company into something that will resonate with the customer. (Sans buzzwords, please!) I believe there is power in accurate, authentic, true communication, and my goal is to marry that with traditional marketing needs.
That said, I have collective experience in nearly everything that a communications department runs up against. I’ve managed a digital corporate presence, including developing, writing, and project management. I’ve vetted vendors, collaborated with a web firm to build two corporate sites from scratch (including writing much of the copy), and managed social media. I’ve conceptualized and implemented marketing campaigns, selling to both individuals and institutions. I’ve built relationships, presented to colleagues, senior management, and faculty, negotiated contracts, written and managed budgets, and have hired/trained/managed both full-time and freelance employees. I have been successful in a variety of roles: off-site and in-house, high-travel and low/no travel, customer-facing and back-office.
As an English major, I’m a believer in the theory of a liberal arts education...that it teaches us how to learn. Marketing changes so quickly, especially in our current era. If I don’t know how to do something, I know how to learn or or how to find someone with whom to collaborate.
There you have it, my experience, expertise, and disposition in a nutshell.