Why are generalist marketing skills important?

Strategic marketing and positioning overall are not a specialist role. They require someone who can connect the dots and manage the orchestra. Generalist marketing is still valuable for organisations that are growing (startups) or expanding their offering. This is especially true for organisations that face change or instability. In a market with limited budgets and investment, and where the discourse shifts to focus on cost savings, generalist marketing skills are essential. Generalist marketing skills enable individuals to have competency across various disciplines. This helps them to understand how an organisation’s activities work together to support broader objectives and to be more strategic. But even generalist marketers need to clarify their specialty, even if they have experience in different marketing areas. This is more important if they work as consultants or freelancers rather than in-house roles.

“When something is in chaos, who can help see something more clearly? It’s going to be people who have a wider breadth of experience.” Tracey Wallace, director of marketing at MarketerHire.

Demand for general marketing skills has increased a 7%

According to the Digital Skills Benchmark by CIM, the only discipline that showed a significant improvement in 2021 was general marketing, with a 7% increase compared to 2020.

General marketing covers all industry fundamentals and models and is usually required for senior positions such as managers, heads of departments or directors. Having an awareness of “all things marketing” is certainly a strength for those overseeing a marketing function or team. The recent challenges faced by the sector forced the senior roles to take on more responsibilities and wear more hats.

James Nally, Senior Manager at Michael Page FMCG & Consumer, says in the article ‘Generalist marketing: The skills you should be looking for’ that companies are merging more roles that used to be separate in the past. The boundaries between 'what is marketing' and 'what is digital' are becoming blurred. This does not mean that specialist skills are obsolete, as there is still a high demand for technical SEO expertise; but candidates who have adapted to different situations or worked in smaller teams without specialised support tend to be more attractive.

UK gig economy workforce is about 22.1% of the total UK workforce.

According to a report by StandOut CV, the UK gig economy workforce is as of the end of 2022 estimated at 7.25 million, which is about 22.1% of the total UK workforce. That's a lot more than the estimated 14.7% of the total workforce employed in the gig economy in 2021. Only 9.4% of gig workers depend on this type of work as their only income, while for 28.5% it makes up at least half of their earnings.

One of the areas that has been most affected by the gig-economy is marketing.

The gig-economy has changed the way we work and live. More people are choosing flexible, project-based, and independent work options. One of the areas that has been most affected by the gig-economy is marketing. Marketing is a fun and creative field that needs a bunch of skills and expertise, like copywriting, graphic design, social media management, SEO, analytics, and more. With the growth of digital platforms and tools, marketing has become easier and cheaper for businesses of all sizes and industries. But it also means that marketing needs are always changing and evolving, depending on the market trends, customer likes, and business goals.

That's why more companies are looking for generalist marketers for their projects. A generalist marketer is someone who has a wide range of marketing skills and can adjust to different situations and tasks. They can handle many aspects of a marketing campaign, from strategy to execution, and deliver results in a quick and effective way. They can also learn new skills and tools fast and keep up with the latest stuff in the marketing industry.

Generalist marketers are in high demand in the gig-economy, as they offer flexibility, versatility, and value for money to their clients. We are like Swiss army knives of marketing; we can do it all.

• We can work on short-term or long-term projects, depending on the client's needs and budget.

• We can also work remotely or on-site, depending on the project requirements and preferences.

• We can collaborate with other freelancers or agencies or work independently as consultants or contractors.

Are you looking for a marketing expert who can help you grow your brand, streamline your operations and/or execute your projects? I'm your person! I'm eager to chat with you and see how we can work together. Don't hesitate, contact me today! Schedule a call here.