Mark Ritson is one of the must read marketing commentators. He is usually pretty much spot on.
His latest piece in Marketing Week touches on the need for education and qualifications in marketing.
His argument goes that if you are claiming to be a 'marketing guru', or worse, a 'digital ninja', then some form of qualification should be reasonably expected.
Professional services marketers have long recognised this; holding a respected qualification gives credibility. The Professional Services Marketing Group's CIM qualification is a good example.
Such a qualification provides the perfect base on which to build or develop further a successful career.
But here's the rub. Many marketing disciplines - SEO, social media, event management, CRM, design, the list goes on - are not supported by formal qualifications and are, arguable better learnt 'on the job'.
Irrespective of a qualification or not, anyone who describes themselves as a 'marketing guru' or 'digital ninja' should, quite obviously, be avoided.
I think before you become an expert/ninja/guru/visionary in marketing you should learn the discipline. I think before you start creating new rules and insights you should know what the existing ones are. I think before you explain how marketing is changing you should understand what it was before you started announcing the change. I think you need a qualification to be qualified. Surely you must agree?
unknownx500
