Jenneyl Marshall, a BBA candidate at the University of Toronto Scarborough, HRA Co-president, and Brand Ambassador for CMA NXT, shares the essential values young marketers need to develop and always encourages taking the initiative.
It all started in elementary school when I developed an interest in real estate and its relevance to marketing. I learned how to use strategies to build your name, brand, and promote your services, through virtual and in-person approaches. Since taking initiative is important to my professional development, I joined clubs like Girl Up in high school and explored the graphic design of marketing. I fell in love with everything the profession stands for and decided to pursue a BBA at the UTSC with a specialization in marketing. With two years left until I complete my degree, I am grateful to be in an environment that allows me to continue learning, growing, improving, and having fun.
I think there are four essential values that young marketers should develop:
Observant and open-minded: Becoming an effective marketer requires more than just strong communication skills. It requires you to be observant and keep an open mind. You must look at things from different angles and adjust your position when necessary. This mindset will help you develop creative solutions and find new ways to appeal to the audience, especially since marketing constantly evolves.
Resourceful: Marketers must learn and adapt their strategies to make an impact. Be resilient, adaptable and use your resources wisely to solve problems.
Willing to learn: Learning new things is beneficial in every aspect, whether in academics, the workplace, or your personal life. Marketers are always learning as it improves creativity and innovation; allowing you to grow and develop into a better version of yourself.
Collaboration: Marketers work closely with others to learn new ways of thinking and develop new perspectives. Collaborating exposes you to different ideas and opinions which can lead to one big idea.
For years, I suffered from a lack of confidence and the fear of being out of my comfort zone. To be successful in the marketing profession it’s important to be confident. During my first networking event as a first-year management student, I had to get comfortable speaking with new people and exploring new opportunities I wouldn’t normally consider. Since I was nervous to engage industry professionals, I got past this challenge by creating a personal SMART goal.
S(pecific) Talk to two new people every day, in-person and virtually.
M(easurable) I will record the number of people I speak to daily.
A(chievable) I believe this is a realistic goal for me.
R(elevant) The goal builds my network and helps develop my communication skills, leadership, and public speaking.
T(ime bound) November 25th through April 25th.
My advice to marketing students is to take the initiative, seek new opportunities, and make yourself known. Regardless of your strengths, you won't stand out without confidence.
With content marketing around for at least 20 years, whether you use Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Tik-Tok, or one of the many other social media applications to interact with your favourite brands, these days, the most effective way to get your products, services, or brand recognized, is to amplify your content on your social channels. Since our attention span has decreased, keeping content short, interesting, and engaging will grab the audience’s attention and allow them to retain what they have learned.
I always put 100% effort into every endeavour, whether through the clubs I’ve joined or as a Brand Ambassador for CMA NXT. My passion for marketing and sales inspired me to join the Management Sales Group UTSC as a Marketing Associate, where I won the Associate of the Year Award. I secured another Marketing Associate position at the Human Resources Alliance UTSC and was promoted shortly after to co-president.
Currently, I am recruiting, managing, and leading a team to provide professional and social opportunities to over 1000 UTSC management students. As a Brand Ambassador for CMA NXT, I have also been able to dedicate the past eight months to effectively promote the marketing content and career advice available through CMA NXT. My efforts lead me to receive many incentives and be the top ambassador for four consecutive months by attracting over 250 students to join the platform.
Whether in elementary, high school or university, I've always loved taking the initiative and volunteering whenever possible. Every experience has helped me become a better marketer and a stronger leader. Being open-minded is one of the most important strengths I've developed through different areas and disciplines. It fosters creativity and innovation allowing me to see things differently and communicate efficiently.
I obtained a co-op position at Pure and Simple as a Front Desk Agent, which not only exposed me to the business world but also taught me aspects of inbound marketing. This opportunity taught me to act as an administrator, run, maintain a business, as well as market and sell skincare products to build brand loyalty.
During my first year in university, I joined a non-profit organization called Humanity First UofT as the Director of Media and Promotion. I gained first-hand experience using my marketing knowledge to grow the club and help with business development, operations, and external relations. As the Director of a marketing discipline, I was able to get more involved with digital and content marketing.
My ideal marketing role would encompass product management and social media marketing. I strive for positions that display my creativity while challenging me in different disciplines. I'm always trying to learn as much as I can and build new connections along the way.
