In September 2020 I started a job as an inbound telesales executive for AO Mobile. As a self-confessed introvert, this job took me well out of my comfort zone. Initially, every single call would be thrilling and closing a successful sale would leave me with an addictive buzz. However, it didn’t take long for the new job feeling to wear off and I was getting itchy feet again.
Around February 2021 I enrolled myself in a CIM Level 4 Certificate in Digital Marketing with the Oxford College of Marketing. The pandemic was still in full swing at that point so all lectures were held via Zoom which was actually convenient for me seeing as I was working awkward shifts at AO Mobile at the time.
“Digital marketing comprises all the strategies you have available to try to get people to a website, get them to return, and get them to take an action.” Nat Eliason
As of right now (February 2022) I have fully completed one module out of three, with the other two to be finalised shortly. However, despite claiming to “enable you to gain vital skills in planning campaigns as well as understanding how to apply the latest digital marketing techniques” I felt overwhelmingly underprepared when it came to starting my new role as Digital Marketing Assistant at GEL Studios.
The sense of imposters syndrome I felt when entering the GEL Studios office for the first time is partly the reason why this blog exists and the purpose for writing this post. Intend to use this blog as a space to experiment with various Digital Marketing skills, a ‘sandbox’ if you will.
In 6 months, I want to be a Digital Marketing Master. I'll be practising all the skills I'm picking up at GEL and seeing what works and what doesn't. This is a low-cost, risk-free way for me to learn and grow. And it's in the public domain - which means that I can get feedback from anyone who wants to give it! Being open to feedback is key to learning and mastering any skill, so this is the perfect place for me to start.
“go from zero to hireable digital marketer in 6 months or less, so long as you work hard at it and don’t get too distracted.” Nat Eliason
I intend to blog about my interests, language acquisition (read my post about why everyone should be using Duolingo here), Sorare and maybe a bit of marketing as well.
How will you do this?
I will post a blog every week for the next 6 months, I can’t promise the quality of the posts will always be top-notch. I want to become consistent before I start worrying about the standard of my output. I want to give myself as little barrier as possible, in order to create a consistent habit.
The marketing skills I intend to focus on will be:
- Search Engine Optimisation - I want this blog to rank 1. on Google for Max Parkin.
- Copywriting / Content Writing - By publishing a blog post every week for the next 6 months I hope to improve my content writing abilities.
- Social Media - I currently have a very minimal social media presence. I believe Twitter is the social media with the highest ROI. My aim is to have at least 100 followers on @soyymaxito by the end of the 6 months.
So, there you have it! Welcome to my sandbox, my place to practice and master my digital marketing skills for the next 6 months. Please make sure to head to Nat Eliason's blog and check out the post that inspired me to start this blog.
I’ll be blogging every week, hopefully attracting a few readers along the way, please hold me accountable and let me know if I ever miss a post. It’s going to be fun, challenging and (hopefully) rewarding. And who knows? You might learn a thing or two along the way!
