Stephanie Frasco is the VP at Convert with Content, a web marketing company in Los Angeles. Here are her insights on digital marketing:

1. What do you consider essential skills for a marketing team these days?

   As a social media person I think the number one skill a marketing team can have is good listening skills. Not only do you have to listen to your client, you also have to listen to those talking about your client's industry, products, services or anything else related online. Marketing teams need to be able to comprehend what the client needs and translate that into an online medium that resonates with their audience. They should be ahead of the curve so when changes happen they are ready to pounce. Beyond that a good marketing team needs to have creative strategy combined with implementation. The implementation is often the hardest part. 

2. What do you feel are the most underrated skills in a marketing team these days?

   The most underrated skill is speed of implementation. Social media is always changing and you have to be able to act quickly. This means always having your thumb on the pulse at all times and the ideas and implementation to create real-time content at the drop of a dime. 

    

3. What do you see as the biggest challenges for marketing professionals over the next year?

   One of the biggest challenges is going to be the use of personalization, automation and behavioral marketing.  You need to be creative but also technical to make it work. I truly think it's the future of marketing and without it in place you are going to miss out on huge opportunities. At ConvertWithContent we use Infusionsoft (www.convertwithcontent.com/infusionsoft) and it has changed the way we do business. We couldn't live without it. And many small businesses can really grow with the right strategy in place. 

4. What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in marketing teams in recent years compared to ten years ago?

   Well, 10 years ago I was just graduating from college! But I think the challenge will always be being able to understand your client's needs and deliver a campaign that helps them get results. 

    

5. How did you get the background and skills necessary?

   Trial and error. Marketing is a huge test. You have to try a ton of different things to see what works. When something works you have to go with it. However, what works today may not work tomorrow, so you always have to be on top of your game and never let things get stagnant. I also test and try out new social networks the minute they come out. I think it is important to be active everywhere from a personal standpoint so you can see how "real" people consume content on the networks and not how marketing people think the network should work. Luckily, I've been involved with a ton of different types of businesses and have worked with teams small and large. I've rolled my sleeves up when I needed to and I am thankful for getting a vast range of experience. 

    

6. What advice would you give to young people who want to become a Social Media Manager some day?

   Start using and studying the way people interact on social media channels. And start creating content! Your experience is going to be what gives you an edge. You are only as good as your ability to connect with an audience. (Learn about content creation, social media marketing, and more at the P.A.C.E. Digital Marketing Training Workshop.)
    

    

   

   Stephanie Frasco is a leading social media consultant and author. Over the past 7 years, she's worked closely with clients from all over the world to help them get more results from social media and blogging. Through experience, Stephanie has mastered some of the most powerful social media websites. Download her engagement report. Follow at on Twitter at @StephanieFrasco or Instagram at sociallystephanie.