Sheila Louis (Chickita Marketing) is a freelance marketing manager focused on high tech organizations. Her background is in software development, customer service, tech support and marketing. This week, she has shared her expertise and insights on the dynamic world of marketing!

1. What do you think is the most underrated skill for marketing teams these days?

   I think that project management is an underrated—and often overlooked—skill within marketing teams. Marketing projects are often managed by teams or individuals working in silos, sometimes in different physical locations from one another, with no one accountable for overseeing the project as a whole. Project management is integral to the success of any marketing project; having a bill of materials and work back schedule is a simple way of keeping everyone focused and ensuring accountability that your project is on track and on time. 

2. What is the most common and fixable marketing mistake you see small-to-medium sized businesses making when they execute online communications? Are these different or the same as for enterprises?

   Sole proprietors, SMBs, and enterprises alike are apt to not take time to proof and edit content before putting it in front of customers. Historically, when a company released new information via traditional print, it went through several iterations as content was written, proofed, edited, and maybe re-written. I think a lot of the time—especially when it comes to blogging and online applications—we are quickly pumping information out to channels and don’t take time to review what we are truly saying. A major typo or grammatical error may not bother all of your readers, but there are those who will be instantly turned off by one. Why risk losing a great lead or customer to something so easily avoided, when all it takes is a second set of eyes on your written communications? Well-written copy simply flows better for your readers, making your message easily digested.

3. What advice would you give to people who feel overwhelmed by all the different digital marketing tools and channels out there?

   You don’t need to be a pro with all of the tools and channels out there; however, you do need to be aware of them, and reach out to your teammates or outside professionals for support when needed. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and recognizing where and when we need help is integral to achieving success.
   
   You can also help yourself; signing up for marketing-related digests or emails and joining LinkedIn groups ensures that you are always learning, even if it is only in bite-sized portions. Often we get caught up in thinking that we need to dedicate days or weeks to training courses, but simply reading articles by thought leaders during our coffee breaks can prove tremendously educational and inspire us to make little changes that might make a big difference.
   
   Lastly, it’s important to remember that just because there are a plethora of marketing tools and channels available, not all of them necessarily make sense for your business. Make sure to analyze what the benefits of a program or channel are before investing a bunch of time and resources; make sure to focus on those that are going to help you the most.

4. With digital marketing constantly changing, how should businesses adapt?

   Communication and social media channels are constantly changing and becoming more diverse; one way to be ready for these changes is to start using these channels for your personal use when possible, so that you are ready to embrace them within your organization as they become more relevant to the business world. For instance, using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram (and now Ello) at home makes the transition to using these for your business/brand much easier. Practice makes perfect.
   
   Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone who focuses on marketing and communications to provide assistance and guidance, should these not be your strong suits! 

5. What keeps you excited and motivated every day?

   As a freelance marketing communications manager, I’m motivated every day by the sheer diversity of projects and clients that I get to work with. Whether I’m writing a case study for a tech startup, project managing a release, organizing an announcement for an enterprise, or making volunteer social media updates for BC Children’s Hospital ChildRun, I find joy in simply doing all I can to help make these programs a success.
   
   
   
   

   Sheila Louis (Chickita Marketing) is a freelance marketing manager focused on high tech organizations. Her background is in software development, customer service, tech support and marketing. When she's not working with her clients, she's responsible for online promotions and serves as Vice Chair for BC Children's Hospital ChildRun, raising funds for BC's youngest cancer patients.