A Reddit user once said, “Over the last few years I spent my days working in my office, sitting in front of the computer and occasionally going out. And it's slowly killing me from the inside.
What I really want is an adventure. Being constantly on the move, going towards a goal, fighting something, feeling the adrenaline rush, etc. Problem is, where is there to go?”
I see many people live the same lives on repeat for years…
They wake up from the same bed in the same house…
Drive the same car to the same workplace…
Hang out with the same friends in the same bar on weekends…
Watch the same sports on the same TV screen
and then they do it all over again next week, next month, next year, next decade even
Same same same. Almost no variety, no change to their status quo.
Now, don’t get me wrong, routine is a good thing.
But be honest with yourself, have you lost the child within you?
See, when we were children, we wanted adventure.
The world was filled with wonders and curiosities to explore.
Our future looked bright.
Then…we grew up.
We got bogged down by routine and responsibility.
The child within us began to fade away.
Life became boring.
Our future looked gloomy.
Can you relate?
Because as someone who loves to explore…
I knew when I first started my digital marketing journey, that I couldn’t live a life where I was doing the same thing over and over for years.
I need variety. I’m an explorer.
An explorer of myself and an explorer of the many facets of this world.
So, when I discovered digital marketing, at first, I liked how creative it was.
But then I fell in love with the FREEDOM & OPTIONS this field gives to you.
As a digital marketer, you can use your skills to…
Work in almost any industry you want – fitness, SaaS, cybersecurity, engineering firms, education, automotives, water filters, environmental conservation, accounting firms, recruitment firms, construction, government, technology…YOU NAME IT, YOU GOT IT!!
Have the skills to start a business (or acquire one) – and if you don’t know what business to start, you can at least start freelancing (and then have an agency with staff members of your own)
Become a key player in a company – for example, you can become a head of markets and if you’re in a good enough position, you may be able to command equity / shares of the company, not just a salary
Build an audience of your own – nowadays, even little kids on TikTok, YouTube, etc, are building audiences and making bank. With an audience, you can open all sorts of doors for yourself
In other words, you have MANY options in this career.
You GET to be an EXPLORER yourself.
I like to envision myself as a pirate sailing the grand wide seas from time to time
As the internet grows, the field of Digital Marketing grows which means more opportunities for you to explore.
In fact, did you know that as of October 2023, there were already 5.3 billion internet users worldwide? – that’s 65.7% of the global population.
And the best part is that you don’t need a marketing degree to get into this field.
Overpriced Universities are like Wile. E. Coyote. Digital Marketing is the Road Runner
It’s no secret – getting into $20,000-$50,000/year worth of student debt to learn marketing in university will only set you back.
This field is rapidly changing.
Facebook or Google makes just one change in their algorithm; suddenly, your marketing strategy may need to change.
A new marketing software comes out that changes the game and now you have to learn how to leverage that new software for your marketing strategy.
How can universities teaching outdated 12-week semester courses even hope to keep up?
That’s the problem.
Universities are like Wile. E. Coyote. Digital Marketing is the Road Runner.
Thousands of marketers’ graduate from university every year.
But they still don’t have the skills that companies need.
Talk to any employer and they’ll likely tell you how hard it is to find quality digital marketing talent.
But every problem is an opportunity.
And there is a LOT of opportunity for you…
As long as you know WHAT skills you need to learn…
And you know how to SHOW employers that you HAVE the skills that they NEED…
So, you can immediately stand out like a sore thumb.
Next week, I’ll show you the ‘4 step method to landing your first high-paid digital marketing job (even if you’re a complete beginner).
But for now, if you’re wondering if you should get into digital marketing, consider this.
Digital Marketing is great for you if you:
Are sick of your current industry
Chose the wrong career path & you don’t want to go back to school
Dropped out of school or you want to drop out of school
Are working fast food, retail, or a part-time job you absolutely hate it & you want to get out
Want something different, something creative
Have aspirations to run your own business one day
So, if you haven't made the commitment yet to become a digital marketer, then I hope I’ve ignited the spark within you to get into this field.
Now, the next question we need to answer is…
Should You Start a Business or Get a Digital Marketing Job First?
Ever seen those cringe-worthy “make $4000/month online in 10 days using this secret business model” types of videos & ads?
There always seems to be a secret strategy/business model that only a few special people know about that you don’t…and that’s why you’re not making a bajillion dollars, lol.
Those ads have probably made you think, “Wow, maybe I should start a business too, even though I know nothing about business”.
Hold on there, my friend.
First of all, business is NOT easy.
Anyone telling you that business is easy is full of it.
You are not going to use a super-secret strategy and then all of a sudden, laugh all the way to the bank – NOT going to happen, lol.
Business is complex.
Marketing is complex.
There are countless factors that go into the success of a business.
So how do you develop business & marketing skills then?
Here are two options…
Option 1 (the hard way):
Start your first business immediately
Make thousands of dollars’ worth of mistakes that can cost you years of your life
…just to get anywhere because you never built up the skills to run a business in the first place
OR…
Option 2 (the MUCH easier way):
Work for someone else with an already-established business
Build up your digital marketing skills
Observe how a business operates, solves & prevents problems
Observe the systems that hold the business together
Then, start a business of your own using the skills, business knowledge, and connections you’ve established
Which one do you think is the better option?
When you work for someone else, you are getting PAID to LEARN!
You are learning digital marketing skills as well as the ins and outs of a business.
So, by knowing how to land a digital marketing job, you also put yourself in the best position to become a business owner.
Plus, you have a consistent salary coming in – so you don’t need to worry about bills & can just focus on building your business.
Plus, what you learn on the job, you can apply to your business.
What you learn in your business, you can apply to your job.
And if you get good enough, you may land a promotion, a bonus or you can get a higher paying digital marketing job.
Being the head of a marketing department will get you a 6-figure salary.
Choose Your Own Digital Marketing Adventure
When I first got into digital marketing, I saw it as my vehicle for self improvement and a life of freedom…
The freedom to choose how I wanted to write my own story.
I believe this exciting and growing field can also help YOU to become a better person and to write your own story.
Want to land a high-paying fulfilling job? – Go for it!
Want to be a freelancer and take on clients (and eventually start your own agency?) – Why not?
Want to start your own business in just about any industry you can think of? – The world is your oyster!
Want to acquire a business, scale it with your digital marketing skills and then sell it for a huge exit? – Hell yeah, that’s what I’m getting into as well.
Now, you can choose to start a business right away and try to learn it all yourself.
Or you can choose to land a digital marketing job first.
I highly recommend the latter because…
It gives you a consistent salary (so you don’t have to constantly think about where your next pay is coming from + you have more to invest in your own business)
You get good really quickly working in a startup or a more established team
You get to observe how a company operates (how they solve & prevent problems, how teams work together effectively, etc)
Whatever path you decide to walk in your digital marketing career is up to you.
The beauty of this field is that you have options – FREEDOM OF CHOICE!!
Hope this article was helpful to you in getting started.
Please send an email to [email protected] if you have any questions, feedback, concerns or anything you’d like to share.
I love feedback and I read all of them as they help to create better articles for you.
Talk soon.
P.S. If you want a complete step by step, ‘hold-you-by-the-hand’ roadmap to landing your very first $40K+/year digital marketing job (even if you’re a beginner), then check this out.
P.S.S. If you know anyone else who wants to get into digital marketing, please share this article with them.
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