The Polymath Marketer
Marketing is a skill. It’s something anyone can learn even in a short amount of time. There are a wide variety of types of marketers. Some are very scientific and understand how to leverage data and maximize paid ads. Some are artists who can build beautiful Instagram posts with attractive copy. Some are philosophers who understand how to extract the complex values of a brand to communicate them to your growing audience. But then there’s the polymath marketer, one who learns from a range of sources and synergizes all the marketing archetypes. They never stop growing, never stop learning, never stop building their skills. They reach from all fields of study to inform their marketing. A scientist, an artist, and a philosopher at the same time.
The Scientist
While many of us envision the marketing world as a fast-paced industry filled with beautiful creativity and cigarette-smoking Don Drapers, a lot of marketing work is found in spreadsheets and calculators. A good marketer knows how to collect and use data. They A/B split test ads and make rigorous notes about how changing one variable leads to new outcomes. Marketing can be a technical endeavor. There are endless different programs to learn for scheduling posts, learning about target demographics, and contrasting your work with other companies. Like a scientist, a marketer must form a hypothesis about what customers want. They then test that hypothesis with as much control as possible. Afterward, they must collect data and use it to form new hypotheses.
But a scientist doesn’t limit their learning to one subject. Astronomers must understand basic physics. Biologists must understand at least some chemistry. The marketer has to do the same. They shouldn’t just study marketing specifically. They should learn about psychology, business, logic, and whatever else they can get their hands on.
The Artist
Marketing isn’t just data. A good market must be an artist. They must know how to tap into their creativity and produce beauty. Creative ads stand out. Many customers love billboards that play with shadows to create shapes. Others were inspired to purchase by a video that showed off the aesthetic and culture of a product. Customers might share a silly meme that was artistically manufactured for virality.
Some falsely believe they can’t be an artist. Art is a skill that can be learned and there are infinite ways to learn it. An artist might master digital video editing skills or they might simply learn to draw. Whatever the talent, tapping into this creatively can help a marketer flesh out the beauty of their brand.
The Philosopher
A brand is more than a nice-looking logo. A brand is a set of ideas and values associated with the company. Ideas require philosophers. A marketing philosopher understands the brand deeply. They can define the components of the brand and communicate them persuasively. The philosopher takes the abstracts and boils them down for effective communication.
Studying philosophy can improve a marketer's ability to think critically about their work. Studying the history of philosophical ideas gives them opportunities to associate the brand with a larger intellectual tradition. The philosopher is equipped to help a brand define its image, goals, and values.
Be a Polymath Marketer
Marketers don’t have to specialize in one style, one archetype, or one job. They can be polymaths. Anyone reading this can be a polymath marketer. To become one, simply never stop learning. Never stop building new skills. Synergize everything. Become a polymath marketer.