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Climbing the success ladder and standing atop the management hierarchy is every professional’s dream. If you are too a working professional, don’t you aspire to be one among the senior management one day? Don’t you want to be on the other side of the table – commanding, leading from the top, and setting an example for many to follow? It’s not easy definitely; getting there requires immaculate efforts, and of course, the requisite skills.One among such most vital skills is marketing. Does not sound very common when it comes to senior management roles, right? But yes, it’s a skill that’s highly valued by employers today across organisations. It is, in fact, one of the pivotal competencies of a strong senior manager. We, at Times TSW, will help you explore why and how marketing skills form an inevitable trait for senior management roles, in this article below.Marketing Skills Form the Core of the Senior Management’s ResponsibilitiesIf you thought that marketing is a task restricted to the creative marketing department of your organisation, it’s time to rethink. Competition in the corporate world has brought marketing competencies right to the lap of every employee therein. And, once you start working on augmenting them, you’d soon start treading the path of success.This is because managers must know how to promote their specific product/idea in the market amid cut-throat competition. For this, they need to polish some of the basic marketing competencies such as:Effective communication
Communication is the lifeblood of a team lead/manager. That’s common knowledge. But it shouldn’t just be restricted to interpersonal or in-house communication. Marketing is a type of professional communication that happens between organisations (B2B), as well as with potential and existing customers (B2C). If you exactly know how to market your service idea outside the four walls of your enterprise, you’d be doing immense good to the latter as well as to yourself.Out-of-the-box approaches
What’s the most impactful quality of a senior manager? Their ability to think out of the box for the most trivial or critical issues at hand; to offer creative solutions when needed. Marketing skills require you to develop analytical thinking towards project goals and requirements and present innovative ways to achieve them, both to your team as well as your customers.Keeping pace with technology
Technological changes have seeped into every phase of work functions today. You may be part of any domain in your organisation, be it IT, marketing, finance, HR, or any other, you do need to adapt yourself to fast-paced changes all along so as to surpass the competition.Moreover, you need to keep an eye open for cues all along. For instance, keep a check if the traditional means of advertising the project idea are failing to attain desired results? See if digital marketing is the new trend in the market that can put across your message more effectively? Figure out and work on your marketing strategies in accordance with changing technologies.Efficient collaboration
Marketing competencies also involve effective coordination with other departments of the organisation as you work on your product. This may require you to sit with the design team to prepare your product design/logo for promotion, or spending time with the research team to analyse consumer survey data.Since all of these activities form a part of marketing, it’s a good idea to have a working knowledge of all these essential skills so as to qualify for senior management roles.How Can Executive Education Help?Marketing is the backbone of any company today. Your product literally has no value until it’s promoted effectively in the market. And this is exactly why each department needs to possess marketing skills to stay in and beat the competition.To help the ambitious professionals of the 21st-century sharpen their marketing skills and make their way to the senior management roles, the prestigious IIM Kozhikode has introduced its Executive Post Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management (EPGCMM) programme. The one-year Interactive Learning course is aimed at providing specialised marketing management training to executives, helping them grow into senior management positions in their respective organisations. The Executive Post Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management (EPGCMM) programme can be attended in any of the Times TSW centres across India, and the sessions are delivered live via a technology platform by none other but the senior faculty from IIM Kozhikode. So come and join the EPGCMM programme to augment your marketing skills and rise as the best in the field.

8 Key Areas You Want to Keep Your Visual Brand ConsistentHave you ever wondered what your social media followers think about you?Is it possible you are sending mixed messages to your prospects?This month we’re talking about the importance of personal branding and how it helps your business. This article ties closely in with that regarding your visual brand – essentially how you come across to others.Over the years I have seen a lot of business owners who haven’t taken time to define their brand. They don’t understand when businesses stray from their brand, it dilutes their brand power and impact. Or worse, they have nothing about them that sets them apart.As a result, they complain they are attracting the wrong customers or hardly getting any leads at all…This “me too” method of marketing that mimics what competitors are doing isn’t effective. That’s why I feel compelled to share more what a visual brand is and how to build a strong one online.Whether you’re creating a new brand or updating your existing one, your brand’s visual identity is the most important factor in your marketing.Your brand is so much more than a website and a logo. It’s a user’s total experience and perception of you.So every touchpoint a prospect has with you should have one consistent look and theme. This includes your logo, website, stationery, social media, videos, brochures, business cards, and of course your personal brand in how you dress and present yourself to the world.A solid visual brand:- Helps people know what to expect from you.- Promotes professionalism and purpose.- Draws prospects who align with your ideas, attitudes and values.- Enhances confidence, trust and rapport with your followers.- Builds upon the existing brand experience they have with you in a positive (or a negative) way.Visual branding adds real power to your marketing. It increases engagement and understanding.With all these benefits to personal and professional branding, it’s more important than ever to brand your visual content and images so you stand out from competitors.How Can You Keep Your Brand Consistent?You write blog articles and posts every day. You are working back and forth on projects. How can you be certain that all the marketing you do resonates with your core brand?Creating a style guide makes it easier to keep your marketing pieces consistent.Firstly, ensure your brand is consistent in the following areas:- Headshot – Having a professional headshot goes a long way in developing brand trust.- Logo – your logo is the nucleus of your brand, everything else stems from that. Ensure it’s designed properly that includes the psychology of what it represents.- Colour Palette – Colours that will resonate with your target market and be meaningful to your brand.- Brand Message – This is the essence of your business that includes your slogan or tagline of who you are, what you do, and how you deliver value.- Fonts – Being consistent with the same one or two typefaces throughout all written materials as well as graphics- Design Elements – The use of borders, lines, shadows and filters should all become familiar to being associated with your visual brand.- Tone – Set the tone of your business presence and stick to it – whether serious, high-tech, sarcastic or soulful, this is a big part of building a solid brand presence.Create a Style Guide as Your RoadmapA style guide acts like a map that helps your team to stay on track. Sharing your style guide with key members of your team can ensure everyone knows the style guidelines and can follow them.- Your copywriter and social media manager will understand how to write with your brand voice.- Your graphic designer will stick to the fonts and colours your brand is known for.- Your web design team can make sure your website and landing pages all have the same look and feel.This is especially important for companies with virtual employees spanning in multiple geographic regions. Make it easy for your team to access your logo, fonts and templates. Always protect your brand. Double check when new marketing pieces come in that they conform to brand guidelines.Here’s 8 areas you will want to keep your brand consistent in everything you do in your business marketing and social media efforts:1. WebsiteYour website is the biggest brand statement your business has. It serves as a reference to make sure all other brand elements are in alignment.That’s why I am so against people who use cookie-cutter template sites. They may look polished, but they lack the warmth, connection and personality of a branded website (not to mention how badly they are built.)Make sure the images you use are reflective of your ideal client. Use language that resonates with your target audience. Create an about page that helps your visitors understand your backstory and why you are passionate and good at what you do.The more your website looks and feels like you, the stronger attraction tool it will be for potential clients.2. Professional HeadshotI was very camera shy when I first started my business. So when it came time to get some updated headshots, I dreaded it. But I found that going through the process brought me confidence.My new headshots are used as a personal and business branding tool that help me to be more recognized online. They are on all my social media profiles and on our website. As a result, people recognize me when I attend local networking events.Investing in new headshots can truly jumpstart your brand and success.3. Sharing PhotosSharing photos makes your marketing more personable and showcases your personal brand. Consumers love seeing the real person behind the business.So be mindful of when you are working or in group situations and see how you can snap pictures to show followers what you are up to.Take a picture holding your new book. Grab a shot with a new friend you met while networking. Show the resort you are staying at for your business mastermind.4. VideoCreating videos helps build a strong following online. It’s important to have your videos match your brand too. Dress in a manner that is consistent with your brand.You could also shoot it in similar places or locations. Whether that’s sitting at your desk, cooking in the kitchen, or standing in front of a green screen with a projected background, that consistent setting helps build familiarity.Be warm, friendly and connective. If you promise to offer weekly video tips, then get them out on the same day each week so viewers can anticipate them. Create a custom hashtag for your video tips too.5. Branded ImagesKick up the interest of your blog articles and social media with images. There are loads of free tools to help you make graphic quotes, infographics, and other visuals to add impact.Make sure all your graphic images are consistent with your brand. Adding your logo makes it easy for people to instantly recognize the content is from you.6. Social MediaSocial media provides so many opportunities for visual branding. From Facebook cover images to profile pics, to graphics, there are endless opportunities for people to learn more about what you do.The images you use can evoke the feelings and emotions you want your brand to convey. The goal is for someone to look at your social media account and get an impression that helps them understand your unique vibe.7. Free GiveawaysWhen you are offering free reports, tools, and other goodies to visitors, make sure they have the same colours, logos, and visual feel as your other materials.When it looks professional and makes a great impression, it builds credibility. Plus, it’s just one more piece of the brand puzzle that helps them understand what you do.8. Email SignatureA graphic email signature can add visual impact to every message you send. Services like Wisestamp make it easy to add your logo, picture, and social media links to your email signature.Have your virtual team members set up a signature too so you come across as a professional team to your customers.Are you a Wanna Be or a Real Brand?It’s really important to take a look at your brand as a whole to make sure everything is in alignment.Is your visual brand- Clear,- consistent,- Authentic,- Memorable, and- In alignment with changes in the marketplace, your offerings, or your success?Even if your brand was on target 3 years ago, the nature of your business may have changed where your brand no longer accurately reflects what you do or who you serve.You have become more specialized. You may have new product offerings. Maybe you are now the host of a new podcast.Take a look at your brand with the eyes of an outsider and ask yourself if what you see truly reflect who you are now as a company.How Does Your Business Score from a Visual Branding Perspective?

Usually the first place where wrinkles form on your face is around your eyes. Fine lines, crows’ feet, dark circles, and puffiness occur more often in that area than anywhere else on the face, and can get worse and worse as we age. The lack of moisture and oil around the eyes makes it a big target for the first signs of aging. A total anti aging skin care treatment has to include an anti aging eye treatment to help your face look younger. After all, your face is the first thing that people see, and your eyes can tell people you’re either full of energy or out of gas. Really, who doesn’t want to look youthful? So what should you be looking for in an anti aging eye cream or product?Be Aware of Your Environment and Its Impact on Eye WrinklesThe environment is all around us, and sometimes we forget the kinds of pollution and other factors that bombard us every single day. We all know that the sun is enemy number one when it comes to aging, so choosing an anti aging eye product that has SPF protection will protect your eyes from those harmful UV rays. The changing weather during the seasons also has a big effect on your skin, so look for products that contain Vitamin C to help combat the harsher weather. Also look for products with antioxidants in them that help combat free radicals from environmental pollution.Lifestyle Choices Can Show in the Form of Eye WrinklesHow you’re living your life has an important effect on how quickly you age, so picking a realistic anti aging eye treatment will help combat further aging. Do you have the time to use both daytime and nighttime anti aging eye creams, or can you just apply one or the other? You should also consider if you need something that’s easily applied quickly, or something that’s more intensive and involves more time investment. Maybe you wear a lot of eye makeup and need an anti aging eye serum that will work well as a moisturizer underneath your makeup or, alternatively, that won’t cause your eye makeup to run. You want to choose an anti aging eye solution that will work with your schedule and lifestyle, not against it. Also, consider reducing stress in your life and getting plenty of sleep to help combat further lines around your eyes.Target Your Specific Eye Treatment IssuesOf course, every person is different, so make sure that you know your skin type and what kind of issues you have around your eye area so you can choose your own kind of anti aging eye regimen. Not all eye treatments will target your specific concerns, so choose carefully. For example, you may have deep crows’ feet and need a more powerful wrinkle reducer, so choosing a product that focuses on dark circles under your eyes or puffiness won’t be something you need. Take time to look at all of your options so you can choose what can target your specific eye treatment issues.